Asian Transport Studies, Volume 3, Issue 3 (2015), 298–311.

© 2015 ATS All rights reserved

Laboratory and Field Evaluation of Porous Asphalt Concrete

Jian-Shih CHEN a, Shih-Fan CHEN b, Min-Chih LIAO c

a,b,c
Department of Civil Engineering, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, 701,
Taiwan
a
E-mail: [email protected]
b
E-mail: [email protected]
c
E-mail: [email protected]

Abstract: Porous asphalt concrete (PAC) is mainly applied to the surface drainage layer on
high-speed trafficked highway pavements. The use of polymer-modified binder was shown to
minimize the abrasion loss and enhance the durability of the PAC mixture. Test results
indicated that using polymer-modified binder compared with unmodified binder reduced
rutting and raveling, with the mixture containing high-viscosity binder showing the best
performance in the field. There were indications of drainage improvement by replacement of
traditional binders with polymer-modified binders according to measurements in the field.
PAC pavement surfaces provided good frictional characteristics once the asphalt binder film
was worn from the aggregate.

Keywords: Porous Asphalt Concrete, Polymer-modified Asphalt, Draindown

1. INTRODUCTION

Porous pavement is an infiltration system where storm water runoff is infiltrated into the
ground through a permeable layer of pavement or other stabilized permeable surface. These
systems can include porous asphalt concrete (PAC), porous concrete, modular perforated
concrete block, cobble pavers with porous joints or gaps, or reinforced/stabilized turf (Field et
al., 1982; Deol et al., 2010). Permeable pavement can be used in parking lots, roads, and
other paved areas and can greatly reduce the amount of runoff and associated pollutants
leaving the area. PACs have been used since the 1970s. The initial use of PACs was in Europe.
Europeans took the US version of open-graded friction courses developed between the 1930s
and 1970s, and through research improved the performance of these mixes. Later, the
Japanese further modified the European method to create another generation of PACs that are
widely used in Asian areas. Improvements primarily included the use of modified asphalt
binders and fibers. The modified binders and fibers alleviated some of the problems that were
encountered with open-graded friction courses in the US (Kandhal, 2002; Watson et al., 2004;
Alvarez et al., 2009).
Benefits realized from the use of PACs are primarily associated with improved safety.
PACs have been shown to improve wet weather frictional properties, reduce the potential for
hydroplaning, reduce the amount of splash and spray, and improve visibility. Other benefits
identified in the literature include resistance to permanent deformation, smoother pavements
(and hence improved fuel economy), reduced tire/pavement noise levels, and other
environmental benefits (McDaniel and Thornton, 2005; Vivar et al., 2007; Cooley et al.,
2009).


Corresponding author.

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There are numerous differences between permeable friction course (PFC) and the
open-graded friction course (OGFC) widely used in Taiwan. PFCs typically contain at least
20% more asphalt binder (by volume) than conventional OGFC mixes. They are generally
designed to have 18% air voids or more, whereas conventional OGFC mixture typically
contains 10–15% air voids. The void structure of PFC allows the mix to be more permeable
than conventional OGFC and less likely to trap water that could freeze. Unlike conventional
OGFC, PFCs may contain fibers, polymer-modified asphalt binders, or asphalt rubber, alone
or in combination. Permeable friction courses are typically placed in thicker layers than
conventional OGFC (3–5 cm as opposed to 2 cm or less). The thicker, more open void
structure allows PFC to drain larger volumes of water off the roadway surface faster than
conventional OGFC and keeps the void structure clean longer through the flushing action of
high-speed traffic, thereby reducing the potential for loss of permeability over time.
These differences have contributed to a longer reported performance life for PFC
compared with conventional OGFC. Research on PFC indicates that the mixes typically last
8–12 years, significantly longer than the first-generation OGFC mixtures that typically lasted
5–7 years. No widespread performance problems with PFC such as raveling have been
reported, but concerns remain whether PFC mixes will experience the same performance
problems that plagued the first-generation OGFC mixes used in freeze–thaw environments. In
freeze–thaw environments, the associated inconveniences and increased cost of winter
maintenance, and the possible related formation of glaze (“black ice”) seem to outweigh the
benefits of PFC. While black ice can form on any pavement under the right environmental
conditions, it is known that it is likely to form on PFC earlier and last longer than on other
HMA surfaces. These concerns are a likely reason that PFC mixes are used predominately in
the warmer climates found in the southern and western regions of the US and are not used
widely in areas that experience frequent freeze–thaw cycles. Pavement maintenance issues
and snow and ice removal also are cited as obstacles to further increased use of PFCs in
colder climates.
Using modified binders and adding additives are the common methods to improve the
performance of porous asphalt concrete. However, the effects of all these materials are
two-sided: when they improve the mixture’s performance in one aspect, they might decrease
its performance in the other aspect. There is a need to investigate the effect of binder types for
PAC on the functionality and durability of these mixtures. The main objective of this study
focuses on evaluating the engineering properties of PAC mixtures, and assessing PAC
performance according to field measurements.

2. MATERIALS

Three types of asphalt binders for PAC pavements in Taiwan were included in this study as
follows: conventional asphalt AR-80 (AR), polymer (SBS)-modified asphalt (MA), and
high-viscosity asphalt (HV). HV is a specially designed asphalt binder that is characterized by
extremely high absolute viscosity at 60°C. As can be seen in Table 1, the viscosity and the
softening point of HV are much higher than those of AR and MA. The mixing and
compaction temperatures for the AR binder were selected corresponding to 0.17 Pa.s and 0.28
Pa.s viscosities, respectively. For MA and HV, the manufacturer’s recommended temperatures
were used.
Since porous asphalt concrete has a coarse aggregate skeleton with few fine particles, a
thick asphalt film can be formed around the aggregates and the potential for the film to flow
off the aggregates, a phenomenon known as draindown, is likely to increase. For this study,

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cellulose fibers were added at 0.3% of the total mixture mass in porous asphalt concrete to
prevent draindown.
The properties of limestone coarse and fine aggregate are summarized in Table 2.
Coarse aggregate for a PAC mixture must be strong to carry the imposed loads because coarse
aggregate is primarily responsible for carrying the traffic loads in a PAC mix. The LA
abrasion value of coarse aggregate should be less than 30% to possess sufficient toughness. In
addition, flat and elongated proportions must be limited to a minimum value, and fracture
faces are required to provide a coarse aggregate structure with high internal friction.
Based on the field test road selected, master aggregate gradation bands are provided in
Table 3. The 19-mm maximum aggregate size gradation has the break point sieve of 4.75 mm.
The percentage of mineral fillers used for PAC mixtures was 5%. Open-graded mixtures that
are designed to have a minimum of 18% air voids are considered PAC. A nominal air-void
content of 20% was selected for fabricating all PAC specimens in this study. The job mix
formula was decided using the Marshall mix design method. Specimens of 100 mm diameter
and 63.5 mm height were prepared by applying 50 blows on each face. Two properties were
utilized to define the range of allowable binder contents: abrasion and draindown tests. The
optimum binder content was determined to be 5.0%, 5.1%, and 5.0% for AR, MA, and HV
mixtures, respectively. The mixing and compaction temperatures for AR binder were selected
corresponding to 0.17 Pa.s and 0.28 Pa.s viscosities, respectively. For MA and HV binders,
the recommended temperatures obtained from the manufacturers were used.

Table 1. Basic properties of asphalt

Properties AR MA HV
Penetration (25C, 0.1 mm) 54.5 46.7 26.1
Softening point (ºC) 55 63 95
Absolute viscosity (60C, poise) 3,554 15,872 341,214
Solubility (%) 99.9 99.9 99.7
Residual after RTFOT
Absolute viscosity (60C, poise) 8,932 23,546 487,387
Loss of mass (%) 0.02 0.04 0.05
Penetration ratio (25C, %) 62 72 85

Table 2. Physical properties of aggregate

Types Properties Test results Specifications
Coarse LA abrasion (%) 18 30
Aggregate Flat & elongated (%) 3:1 9 12
5:1 3 5
Absorption (%) 1.1 2
Soundness (%) 3.8 5
Fracture faces (%) one 100 100
two 97 95
Fine Soundness (%) 3.2 5
Aggregate Sand equivalent value (%) 86 50

Table 3. Gradation of PAC mixture

Sieve Size (mm) 19 12.5 4.75 2.36 0.075
Specification 100-95 84-64 31-10 20-10 7-3
Passing % 98 69 20 14 5

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3. METHODS FOR LABORATORY EVALUATION

To evaluate the engineering properties of porous asphalt mixes, comprehensive laboratory

tests were conducted. These tests include the binder draindown test, Cantabro mass loss test,
strength test, rutting test, and permeability test. Testing data presented in this paper are the
average values of three replicate specimens, and all test specimens were made with the
Marshall hammer. The laboratory study centered on the effect produced by the different
binders on the following properties:

• resistance to draindown;
• resistance to disintegration;
• resistance to indirect traction;
• resistance to rutting;
• permeability.

3.1 Draindown

At typical production and construction temperatures, the thick film of asphalt binder common
to porous asphalt concrete has the propensity to drain from the aggregate structure. The test
was carried out to evaluate the potential of binders draining down from coarse aggregate
using a standard basket. The loose mixture was placed in a wire basket that was positioned on
a preweighed dry paper plate. The entire apparatus was placed in an oven controlled at 165°C
for 60 minutes. Then, the basket containing the sample was removed from the oven along
with the paper plate, and the paper plate was weighed to determine the amount of draindown
that had occurred. The percentage draindown was calculated by the following equation.

Final paper weight - Initial paper weight

Draindown  100 (1)
Initial mixture weight

3.2 Cantabro Abrasion Test

The Cantabro abrasion test developed in Spain during the 1980s is a method to evaluate the
resistance of PAC mixtures to raveling. The test method entailed compacting a PAC mix with
50 blows on each site at the optimum asphalt content, allowing the specimen to cool to a test
temperature of 25°C, weighing the specimen to the nearest 0.1 g, and then placing the
specimen into a Los Angles Abrasion machine without the charge of steel spheres. The Los
Angles Abrasion machine was operated for 300 revolutions at a rate of 30 rpm. After 300
revolutions, the specimen is removed and again weighed to the nearest 0.1 g. The mass loss
during this process is defined as the Cantabro abrasion value, and is calculated as follows.

Initial specimen weight - Final specimen weight

Weight  100 (2)
Initial specimen weight

3.3 Strength Test

The resilient modulus and the indirect tensile tests were conducted to evaluate the strength of
the porous asphalt mixtures. The repeated-load indirect tension test for determining the

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resilient modulus was conducted by applying compressive loads with a haversine waveform
according to ASTM D 4123. The load was applied vertically in the vertical diameter plane of
a cylindrical specimen of asphalt concrete through a curved loading strip. The resulting
horizontal deformation was measured and used to calculate the total resilient modulus (Mr)
and the indirect tensile (IDT) strength.

3.4 Resistance to Rutting

A wheel-tracking test was performed to evaluate the rutting characteristics of porous asphalt
concrete. The porous asphalt slab was rigidly restrained in a 300 mm  300 mm  50 mm
steel mold. The wheel driven by a motor and a reciprocating device loaded the slab
bidirectionally. At a rate of 42 cycles/min, the wheel covered a loading distance of 230±10
mm. The vertical deformation at the middle of the slab was recorded. For the standard test
condition, loading pressure was 700 kPa at temperature 60°C under dry conditions. The
dynamic stability (DS) used to characterize the rutting resistance of each mix is calculated as
follows:

t2  t1
DS  N (3)
d 2  d1

where d1 is deformation at t1 minutes (mm), d2 is deformation at t2 minutes (mm), and N is

the speed of the wheel, 42 cycles/min in this study. Default values of t1 and t2 were used in
this study, that is, 45 and 60 minutes, respectively.

3.5 Permeability

A falling-head permeability device was used to evaluate the water permeability of

water-saturated asphalt samples. Water flowed through a saturated asphalt mixture, and the
interval of time taken to reach a known change in head across the specimen was recorded. For
each sample, the coefficient of permeability was computed for three runs and averaged. The
coefficient of permeability, k, of the asphalt mixture was determined using the following
equation:

a  L  ln  h1 h2 
k (4)
A  et

where a is the cross-section of the test tube, L is the specimen thickness, A is the cross-section
of the specimen, et is the elapsed time between h1 and h2, h1 is the initial head (cm), and h2 is
the final head (cm).

4. CONSTRUCTION OF A TEST ROAD

Monitoring in-service pavements is one of the best methods for gaining data on how PAC
pavements will perform over time under real environmental and traffic conditions. According
to the test results in the laboratory, the Taiwan Freeway Bureau (TAB) therefore started
constructing a 4.5-km full-scale pavement test section in 2007. The experimental design was
developed by the researchers participating in this project and the TAB field engineers.
Westbound pavement sections were selected for the field studies as shown in Figure 1.

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AR MA HV

East

1500 m 1500 m 1500 m

Figure 1. Layout for in-service test road (not to scale)

This freeway has four lanes and an average traffic volume of 15,000 vehicles per day
with approximately 16% truck traffic. Each section consisted of a 3-cm PAC surface course
over a 5-cm stone mastic asphalt and a 20-cm bitumen-treated base course. The mix
designation and other parameters of mixes listed in Table 4 indicate that all three mixtures
have similar gradations, bitumen contents, and air voids. The HV mix did not contain fibers,
while the other two mixes were added with fibers. Cellulose fiber stabilizing additives were
added to the mix at the rate of 0.3% by mass of total mix. Distress surveys were conducted on
a regular basis on each section during trafficking. The surveys including drainability, friction,
and rutting and ride quality were performed at scheduled intervals. We next describe the
in-situ evaluation methods used for PAC pavements in this study.

Table 4. Mixtures employed for test road

Sect. Gradation (mm), % passing Asphalt Voids Fiber

19 12.5 4.75 2.36 0.075 % % %

MA 97 66 17 12 4.5 5.2 20.4 0.3

HV 99 71 21 12 3.5 5.0 19.9 0

AR 98 64 21 12 4.1 5.1 20.9 0.3

5. METHODS FOR FIELD EVALUATION

5.1 Drainability

Detailed examination of drainability is warranted, since drainability is one of the main

characteristics of PAC mixtures and closely related to their advantages. A field drainability
device made of a Plexiglas cylinder connected to a steel base was used for measuring
drainability of the porous asphalt layer as shown in Figure 2. This Plexiglas cylinder has an
interior diameter of 50.48 mm and a height of 350 mm. The Plexiglas cylinder contains
engraved markings that are 100 ml apart, with the “zero” marking being a height of 600 mm
above the pavement surface. Special clay was placed as a 30-mm-wide ring on the pavement
surface in order to cover the highest aggregate and fill voids at the surface besides an O ring.
Thus, the contact zone between the permeameter and the pavement was sealed, and the water
was forced to flow through the interior voids of the porous asphalt layer. Permeability of the
layer is expressed as the time elapsed between the 100 and the 500 ml line. The downward

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movement of the water corresponds to an outflow quantity of 400 ml. In cases when the time
needed to pass the 400 ml volume is greater than 6.7 seconds, the drainability of the porous
asphalt layer is considered to be insufficient.

Figure 2. Measurement of in-situ drainability

5.2 Friction

Pavement skid resistance was measured by the British pendulum tester according to ASTM
E303 and expressed by a British pendulum number (BPN) as shown in Figure 3. The tests
were all adjusted by the exact pavement temperature at measurement to an equivalent BPN
value at 20°C.

Figure 3. British pendulum tester

5.3 Rut Depth

Rut depth measurements were made for each section using a straightedge according to ASTM
E 1703 as shown Figure 4. Three measurements were taken and averaged.

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Figure 4. Measurement of permanent deformation

5.4 Pavement Smoothness

Roughness is an important index of pavement performance evaluation, which affects the

comfort of drivers and passengers. It is an index involving human–vehicle–road interaction,
and is often evaluated by the International Roughness Index (IRI). The ICC Surface Profiler
used in this study is a multi-wheeled inclinometer-based system that is pushed by an operator
at a walking speed of 1.2 km/h as shown Figure 5.

Figure 5. Measurement of pavement smoothness

6. LABORATORY RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

6.1 Binder Draindown

Figure 6 indicates that draindown increases with increase in asphalt content. A maximum
draindown of 0.3% by weight of total mix is used as the limiting value for determining
acceptable performance. Porous asphalt mixtures without fibers have significantly more
draindown. At 0.3% cellulous fibers by weight of mixture, draindown is reduced to about
0.1% at the asphalt content of 5%. This suggests that fibers help hold the asphalt binder to the
aggregate structure of a porous asphalt mix. The amount of binder loss of the MA mix is also
lower than that of the AR mix. Reduction in draindown could be attributed to the increase in
the viscosity of the MA binder at 165°C. The use of fibers greatly reduces the potential for
draindown, more so than does polymer modification as shown in Figure 1. In addition, the

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HV binder can be used in porous asphalt mixtures with little potential for draindown problems
even without the addition of fibers.

0.8

AR MA HV MA+fiber AR+fiber
0.6
Draindown (%)

0.4 Max = 0.3%

0.2

0.0
3.0 3.5 4.0 4.5 5.0 5.5 6.0
Asphalt Content (%)
Figure 6. Effect of asphalt content on draindown

6.2 Mixture Abrasion

Figure 7 shows that the AR mix has the highest abrasion loss, and the HV mix has the lowest
abrasion loss. The combined use of polymer-modified binder and fiber can minimize the
abrasion loss and thus increase durability of the mixture. Each bar represents the average of
three tests with the variation ticks indicating one standard deviation of the tests. A maximum
weight loss of 20% is specified for PAC. As compared with the AR binder, the use of the MA
binder reduces the weight loss by 2–6%, as shown in Figure 7. The use of polymer-modified
asphalt is shown to make a significant difference in results for the Cantabro weight loss test.

40
Cantabro weight loss (%)

30
Max. = 20%
20

10

0
AR MA AR+fiber MA+fiber HV
Figure 7. Weight loss during the abrasion test

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6.3 Mixture Strength

Figure 8 shows that HV mixes exhibit higher indirect strength and resilient modulus than AR
and MA mixes even with the addition of fibers. As listed in Table 1, the kinetic viscosity of
HV binder is at least 20 times higher than that of the other two binders. This means that the
kinetic viscosity of binder affects the strength of the porous asphalt: a higher viscosity value
provided better strength of a PAC mix. As indicated by MA mixes, adding polymers into
asphalt increases the indirect strength and the resilient modulus of PAC. In addition, the
indirect tensile strength of porous asphalt mixture increases with the addition of fibers
because the addition of fibers can stiffen the asphalt binder. It appears that the addition of
polymers contributes more to the increase in the indirect tensile strength and the resilient
modulus of PAC than that of fibers.

2.5
AR AR+fiber MA MA+fiber HV
Strength or Modulus

1.5

0.5

0
IDT (MPa) Mr (GPa)

Figure 8. Test results of indirect tensile (IDT) and resilient modulus (Mr)

6.4 Permanent Deformation

Figure 9 represents the average rut depth curve of each mix from the wheel-tracking test. The
rut depth of the porous asphalt mix appears to be sensitive to the binder type as shown in
Figure 9. The rut depths at 6,000 cycles were less than 5 mm for all mixes, and were
considered acceptable. With the use of polymer-modified asphalt, there is greater resistance to
permanent deformation than the mix fabricated with ordinary bitumen AR. Figure 9 shows
that AR has a rut depth curve similar to that of AR+fiber, indicating that the addition of fibers
did not significantly improve the resistance of PAC mixtures to rutting. On the other hand, the
resistance of PAC to rut depth improves with the addition of polymers. The most significant
reduction on rutting occurs at the addition of the HV binder. The dynamic stability (DS)
values are 1559, 1592, 2281, 2312, and 3182 cycles/mm for AR80, AR80+fiber, MA,
MA+fiber, and HV mixtures, respectively. A DS value greater than 1500 cycles/mm is
recommended for a porous asphalt mix. This observation corresponds well with the test
results obtained from the indirect tensile strength and resilient modulus.

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4 AR AR+fiber MA MA+fiber HV
Rut Depth (mm)

0
0 1000 2000 3000 4000 5000 6000

Load Repetitions
Figure 9. Load repetitions versus rut depth without submersion

6.5 Mixture Permeability

Figure 10 shows that all PAC mixtures prepared at air voids of 20% have good permeability
values, which are higher than the minimum permeability of 0.01 cm/s. The minimum
permeability of 0.01 cm/s is considered the starting point where connected voids become
effective in providing good drainage in an asphalt mixture. There seems to be no significant
difference in permeability between AR, MA, or HV mixes. As shown in Figure 10, the
existence of fibers appears to reduce drainage by filling pores inside PAC mixtures, although
the addition of fibers improves the durability of PAC mixtures by providing a thicker binder
film.

0.3
Permeability (cm/s)

Min. = 0.01 cm/s

0.2

0.1

0.0
AR MA HV AR+fiber MA+fiber
Figure 10. Effect of binder types on permeability of PAC mixtures

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7. FIELD PERFORMANCE

7.1 PAC Drainability

As listed in Table 5, the drainability of the porous asphalt-wearing course is almost the same
at the beginning, but generally decreases over time. Drainability immediately after
construction is well correlated with the test results of permeability in the laboratory. The
reduction rate appears to be binder specific with the HV section having the best drainability.
After more than two years of service, a slight filling-up of the PAC layer occurred for both
MA and HV sections. The water evacuation time measured with the field permeameter had
increased from 4.24 to 5.29 seconds for the HV section, although this slight reduction had no
appreciable effects on the efficiency of water draining and the avoidance of splashing.
However, after one year of service, there was an increase in drainability for both MA
and HV sections. Self-cleaning seems to enhance the drainability because of the pumping and
suction of the tires of the many fast-moving vehicles on the PAC surface. The drainability of
both MA and HV sections met the requirement of less than 6.7 seconds after 2.5 years of
service.
The drainability of the AR section decreased faster than that of the other two sections.
The AR section had a drainability value of 8.96 seconds, which was significantly higher than
MA and AR sections. A great densification of the AR porous asphalt layer is likely to occur
due to heavy traffic loadings, thus leading to reduction in drainability. With a low viscosity
value, the AR mix holds the void structure worse than MA and HV mixes. With time, more
dust and debris also accumulate within the AR pavement structure and slowly clog up the
voids, thus reducing the drainability of the pavement structure. Clogging of AR pavement
pores occurs due to operational and consolidation problems.

7.2 Surface Friction

The tests were all adjusted by the exact pavement temperature at measurement to an
equivalent BPN value at 20°C, as listed in Table 6. The measurement of the friction showed
an initial BPN of 63 to 64. Skid resistance was relatively low just after construction because
of asphalt binder film coating the aggregate at the pavement surface. As a consequence of the
disappearance of the binder film covering the surface of the aggregate, skid resistance was
improved after PAC opened to traffic. After one month, it was already 66, and 70 after six
months. A BPN of 50 to 55 is considered sufficient and safe for highway pavements.
According to test results listed in Table 6, porous asphalt layers provide good wet weather
friction. The BPN value does not appear to be correlated with the binder type of the PAC
mixture.

7.3 Pavement Rutting

As listed in Table 7, rutting depth increased with increase in service time. The low rutting
values indicate that the PAC layer possesses good resistance to plastic deformation since PAC
has a coarse gradation that results in stone-on-stone contact. Rut depth ranged from 2 mm for
the HV section to 8 mm for the AR section after 2.5 years in service. The rutting depth of AR
was highest among the three binder types, that of HV the lowest, and that of MA in between.
In the HV section, high-viscosity modified bitumen was used to improve the rutting resistance
of PAC mixtures. The field measurements on rutting are in good agreement with the results of
the wheel-tracking test. The polymer-modified binder effectively reduced the rutting in use.

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7.4 Changes in Smoothness

Roughness is an important index of pavement performance evaluation, which affects the

comfortableness of drivers and passengers. It is an index involving human–vehicle–road
interaction, often evaluated by the IRI. The ICC Surface Profiler used in this study is a
multi-wheeled inclinometer-based system that is pushed by an operator at a walking speed of
1.2 km/h. For these sections, the IRI value expressed by m/km increased with time as listed in
Table 8. The IRI value of AR was the lowest immediately after construction, while the
roughness of HV was slightly larger than that of MA. Investigation revealed that short
compaction time was the main reason for the higher IRI of HV; however, the HV section can
maintain ride quality well in the long run.

Table 5. Drainability (second)

Section Service time
0 month 1 month 6 month 1 year 2.5 yrs.
MA 4.50 4.85 5.89 5.22 5.58
HV 4.34 4.74 5.11 4.81 5.29
AR 4.49 5.39 6.64 7.49 8.96

Table 6. Friction characteristics - BPN value

Section Service time
0 month 1 month 6 month 1 year 2.5 yrs.
MA 64.2 66.5 70.5 71.8 71.6
HV 64.3 66.7 70.7 71.3 71.7
AR 63.7 66.9 70.9 71.2 71.8

Table 7. Rut depth (mm)

Section Service time
0 month 1 month 6 month 1 year 2.5 yrs.
MA 0 1 2 3 4
HV 0 1 1 2 2
AR 0 2 4 6 8

Table 8. International Roughness Index (m/km)

Section Service time
0 month 1 month 6 month 1 year 2.5 yrs.
MA 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6 2.7
HV 2.7 2.7 2.9 2.9 2.9
AR 1.2 1.5 2.1 2.8 3.0

8. CONCLUSIONS

This paper evaluated the engineering properties of porous asphalt concrete in the laboratory,
and compared the field performance of PAC pavements constructed using three different types
of asphalt. These three binders were traditional asphalt AR, and polymer-modified asphalt MA
and HV. Draindown tests were conducted on porous asphalt mixes prepared with fibers and
polymer-modified binders. Mixtures without fibers or polymers showed greater draindown
than those with additives. The use of fibers greatly reduced the potential for draindown more

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than did polymer modification. The use of polymeric bitumen made it easier to obtain a
greater resistance to draindown, particularly for the HV mix. The wear losses in the Cantabro
test were lower when using polymeric bitumen compared with a pure binder. The combined
use of polymer-modified binder and fiber minimized the abrasion loss, and thus increased the
durability of the mixture. The HV mix had the highest strength and the best resistance to
permanent deformation, since the viscosity of HV binder was much higher than that of the
other two binders. The increase in viscosity of polymer-modified asphalt helped provide
better indirect strength and resilient modulus for a PAC mix. The drainability of the MA and
HV sections was higher than that of the AR section. Both MA and HV mixes maintained the
efficiency of water draining and the avoidance of splashing after 2.5 years in service.
Clogging of pavement pores in the AR section occurred and resulted in the reduction in
drainability. PAC pavement surfaces provided good wet weather friction resistance once the
asphalt binder film was worn from the aggregate. It took about six months for the binder film
to wear from the aggregate at the surface of the PAC layer. The laboratory and field test
results clarified the advantage of using bitumen modified with polymers in the properties and
characteristics of porous asphalt mixes.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

The authors are very grateful to the National Science Council (NSC97-2211-E-006-185-MY3)
for providing financial support to make the completion of this project possible.

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