Microstructural pavement material characterization: some examples

Abstract

The utilisation of advanced measurement techniques should assist in the characterization of pavement materials at a micro-scale. The motivating factor for such an approach is that material properties at the micro-level have a critical role in the way materials respond to loading at the macro-level. The objective of the paper is to demonstrate how Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) as an example of advanced measurement techniques was used for material characterization. A range of samples of pavement engineering materials were examined at a micro-scale using the technique. Selected examples of material characterization are presented. The potential application of microstructural material characterization for the identification of key elements which provide the opportunity to understand fundamental behaviour of pavement engineering materials is demonstrated