Evaluation of geocomposite-reinforced bituminous pavements with Amirkabir University Shear Field Test

Though geosynthetics materials have been proved effective in delaying reflective cracks, they cause a reduction in shear bonding between asphalt layers, reducing their efficiency and introducing new distresses to overlay. While several devices have been developed for measuring the shear bonding between the overlay and the old asphalt pavement, they are not able to apply normal load or are limited in normal load application and cannot be used for thick overlays over geosynthetic. In this work, a new method and apparatus is developed in order to measure the shear bonding between asphalt layers without the aforementioned limitations. This apparatus, named Amirkabir University Shear Field Test, is also capable of measuring the interlayer tensile strength. The obtained results showed acceptable repeatability and good alignment with the results reported in previous studies. Thus, the device was subsequently employed in evaluation of geocomposite-strengthened specimen. The most influential factors on shear bondi...