Investigation of the effects of environmental factors on pavement properties and performance in cold regions

点击翻译按钮获取中文摘要

The Canadian road infrastructure system is an important component of economic development and recreational travel across the nation. Studies have shown that environmental factors are major causes of road infrastructure damage. Pavement structures in most Canadian provinces and territories are subject to extreme low air temperatures and freeze-thaw cycles, which result in pavement deterioration and lower service life. Frost heave and thaw-weakening are two of the major problems that occur as a result of freeze-thaw cycles. These issues become more important for road systems in cold regions where increased freeze-thaw cycles as a result of climate changes are expected to happen in the future. Considerable research studies have been conducted to assess the impact of environmental factors on pavement materials behavior in warm and moderate climatic regions; however, the severe effects of cold region climate, such as freeze-thaw cycles, on pavement structures have not been investigated to the same extent.