Preliminary experience with improved asphalt cement specifications in the City of Kingston, Ontario, Canada

The City of Kingston in Ontario, Canada, has implemented improved asphalt cement specifications, implemented double-edge-notched tension (DENT) and extended bending beam rheometer (EBBR) tests on paving contracts, and set reasonable acceptance criteria. Several contracts from 2009 and 2010 showed unanticipated, premature and excessive cracking, possibly due to contamination or overheating of the asphalt mix, or other issues unforeseen during the pavement design process. However, more recent contracts investigated for this study are expected to perform well, highlighting the importance of testing the asphalt cement recovered from the loose mix and of using appropriate specification tests and acceptance criteria.