The ninth Specific Pavement Study (SPS-9) in the Strategic Highway Research Program's Long Term Pavement Performance (LTPP) project will validate SUPERPAVE specifications and mix design method in the context of a controlled field performance experiment. SPS-9 will follow the performance of newly constructed, reconstructed or rehabilitated (resurfaced) pavement sections throughout the United States and Canada and evaluate the interaction of traffic, climatic factors and structural parameters on the development of pavement distress. SPS-9 will confirm: (1) the relationship of the properties of the asphalt binder and the asphalt-aggregate paving mix contained in the SUPERPAVE specifications to pavement specifications to pavement performance; (2) the suitability of the limits established for each specified property; and (3) that the paving mixes designed with the SUPERPAVE mix design method provide improved pavement performance compared control. The main SPS-9 pavement construction activity will take place in 1994, 1995 and 1996. However, four pilot projects (SPS-9P) were built in 1992 to gain the benefit of early field experience with the tentative SUPERPAVE specifications, test methods and mix design method before the SHRP research program ended in March 1993. Several additional SPS-9P projects are planned for 1993. The design and construction of four SPS-9P pavements are briefly described. Initial observations of field performance and preliminary estimates of long-term performance obtained with the performance prediction models in the SUPERPAVE software are presented. (A)
Abstract