Refinement of the Bond Strength Procedure and Investigation of a Specification

Pavement performance is reliant on the strength of the bond between layers. Debonding can lead to fatigue cracking, top-down cracking, and premature slippage cracking. This report works to establish a method for evaluating bond strength. A literature review, field study, and the Bituminous Structures Analysis in Roads (BISAR) pavement modeling program were used to determine bond strength criteria. Laboratory and field studies were also conducted on tack coat materials to determine materials selection, application rates, and underlying surface preparation.