Laboratory and field investigations of permeability and surface temperature of asphalt pavement by infrared thermal method

• Infrared thermal method can be used to inspect the pavement temperatures rapidly.
• Permeability of asphalt pavement affects its evaporation rate and surface temperature.
• The air voids and evaporations affect the surface temperature of asphalt pavement.
• Infrared thermal method effectively inspects the permeability of asphalt pavement.

Moisture damage is one main distress type of premature asphalt pavement and affects its long term performance characteristics. Therefore, it is important to inspect the permeability behavior of asphalt pavement, which can effectively help conduct a pre-preservation program for asphalt pavement. Nowadays, it is inconvenient to inspect the permeability characteristics of an asphalt pavement rapidly and continuously in terms of the common test methods. Infrared thermal method can be used to constantly inspect the pavement surface temperatures immediately, which reflect the effects of porousness permeability of an asphalt pavement because the permeability affects asphalt pavement evaporation rates and thus results in the temperature changes of pavement surfaces. This study explored the air voids and evaporation effects on the surface temperature of asphalt pavement through a series of theoretical and practical test methodologies, which were verified by the laboratory test results. In addition, an infrared thermal test method was conducted effectively to inspect the permeability of an asphalt pavement in the laboratory and field.