Performance evaluation of asphalt-based poroelastic road surface (APERS) mixtures

Poroelastic Road Surfaces (PERS) typically utilize polyurethane (PU) as a binder, which is costly and challenging to apply in road construction. Asphalt-based Poroelastic Road Surfaces (APERS) have received limited attention. This study aims to develop a novel APERS mixture, evaluate its road and acoustic performance, and investigates the effects of rubber particle content, particle size, and void content on its performance. The road performance of APERS was assessed through rutting test, low-temperature bending test, immersion Cantabro loss test, and pendulum friction coefficient test. The acoustic performance of APERS was evaluated using the impedance tube test, the free vibration-damping test, and the tire vertical drop test. Results indicate that rubber particles enhance high- and low-temperature performance, skid resistance, and noise reduction in APERS. However, excessive rubber content weakens the aggregate framework, reducing strength. Larger rubber particles (3–4 mm) outperform smaller ones (2–3 mm) in dynamic stability, bending and tensile strains, and noise reduction. Void content significantly influences water stability and sound absorption, with water stability declining above 25 % voids, while mixtures with 28 % voids achieve a peak sound absorption coefficient of 0.82, far surpassing AC-10. APERS mixtures demonstrate superior damping and noise reduction, with damping ratios up to 219 % higher and noise reduction reaching a maximum of 7.1 dBA compared to AC-10. Moreover, the cost of asphalt-based binders is 73 % lower than that of PU binders. APERS mixtures are promising in obtaining reliable road performance and favorable noise reduction performance (void absorption and damping and vibration damping). It is recommended that APERS mixtures contain no more than 10 % rubber particles and 25 % voids, with 3–4 mm rubber particle.