Low temperature property and salt releasing characteristics of antifreeze asphalt concrete under static and dynamic conditions

- We developed a static/dynamic loading and conductivity test system to simulate the traffic flow on pavements.
- Antifreeze asphalt concretes (AFACs) were measured under different loading conditions.
- Dynamic loading (traffic flow) enhances the salt releasing under immersion condition.
- The low temperature property of AFAC was reduced as a result of the salt releasing.

This research reports the low temperature properties and salt releasing characteristics of antifreeze asphalt concrete (AFAC) under different moisture conditions, such as static condition (wetting-drying cycles), static loading and dynamic loading conditions. Therefore, low temperature bending test and conductivity test were carried out to estimate the performance of antifreeze asphalt concrete. Results show that the low-temperature properties and salt releasing characteristics of antifreeze asphalt concrete are affected by salt content, continuously immersion time, wetting-drying cycles, solution temperature and, as expected, loading condition. A static/dynamic loading and conductivity test system was developed to simulate the traffic flow on pavement in working condition. It is revealed that loading condition also influences the salt releasing characteristics, especially that the dynamic loading will enhance the salt dissolving in water. In AFACs, the salt location is divided into three zones which are related with the salt releasing characteristics.