The design and selection of surface treatment binders in service is currently based on specifications that only account for the penetration and ductility of emulsion residues or the penetration and viscosity of hot-applied asphalt cements. These specifications consider neither the entire range of temperatures that the binders may be subjected to during production and in service, nor long-term aging behavior. A surface performance-graded (SPG) specification for the selection of surface treatment binders was developed as part of previous Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) and National Cooperative Highway Research Program (NCHRP) projects. The work performed under the TxDOT Project 0-6616 was the basis for this thesis. In this project, the SPG specification, which is performance-based and takes into account the physical properties of the binder at the temperature ranges in which the material will be used, was further validated. This was accomplished by standardizing the emulsion residue recovery method through the evaluation of two warm oven methods, exploring the exclusive use of the dynamic shear rheometer (DSR) for determining performance-based properties, and further field validating the thresholds for these properties. The laboratory and field results were used to revise the SPG specification for surface treatment binders in service. Binder samples collected from chip seal projects constructed on selected highway sections in Texas in summer 2011 were tested and graded according to the existing SPG specification developed in previous research projects. Two warm oven emulsion residue recovery methods were used and compared. New DSR tests, including the multiple stress creep recovery (MSCR) test and the frequency sweep test were evaluated for developing additional criteria in the SPG specification. The SPG grades of the surface binder samples evaluated from laboratory tests were compared with the actual field performance of the highway sections one year after construction. The SPG specification was found to be functional in terms of enabling the selection of binders to ensure adequate surface treatment performance. Moreover, the results obtained from the MSCR and DSR frequency sweep tests were compared with field performance to develop additional criteria in the specification. Further validation is recommended to investigate the effects of construction and quality control processes, as this study is limited to producing a revised SPG specification for properties that address stiffness and aggregate retention in service.

O objetivo principal desta dissertação é determinar, a partir de ensaios de laboratório, o comportamento mecânico de misturas constituídas com solos lateríticos arenoso e argiloso e emulsão asfáltica, visando a sua utilização na construção rodoviária. Utilizou-se na compactação a energia normal do Proctor, e analisaram-se os efeitos do tipo de solo, o teor e tipo de emulsão, tipo de cura pré e pós-compactação, tempo de cura e a imersão em água na resistência e rigidez das misturas. Foram realizados ensaios para a determinação da resistência à compressão simples, resistência à compressão diametral, módulo de resiliência, índice de suporte Califórnia e variação volumétrica durante a cura e imersão dos corpos-de-prova. Os resultados mostraram que as misturas com emulsão apresentaram resistência e rigidez superiores às dos solos in natura, e ainda menores variações volumétricas decorrentes da secagem e da imersão dos corpos-de-prova em água. Finalmente, concluiu-se que o uso das emulsões asfálticas é promissora na área de pavimentação, dado que proporciona às misturas propriedades físicas e mecânicas para estas serem aplicáveis na construção rodoviária. / This work has the main objective of studying, based on laboratory tests, the mechanical behavior of sand and clay lateritics soils and the asphalt emulsion in focus mixtures, seeking their utilization in road construction. Were compacted at the normal Proctor energy, analyzing the soil type, the asphaltic emulsion rate and type, the curing pre and pos- compactation, the curing time and the effect of the immersion in water to the mixtures strength and rigidity, afterwards they were submitted to tests to the determination of unconfined compressive strength, indirect tensile strength, modulus resilient, California bearing ratio and volumetric variability of specimens when immersed in water. The results showed that the addition of asphaltic emulsion to soils improve the strength and rigidity of in natura and reduction of the volumetric variability caused by drying and immersion in water soils. Finally, it concludes that bituminous emulsion provides to soils qualities that could be qualified for use in road construction.

O objetivo principal desta dissertação é determinar, a partir de ensaios de laboratório, o comportamento mecânico de misturas constituídas com solos lateríticos arenoso e argiloso e emulsão asfáltica, visando a sua utilização na construção rodoviária. Utilizou-se na compactação a energia normal do Proctor, e analisaram-se os efeitos do tipo de solo, o teor e tipo de emulsão, tipo de cura pré e pós-compactação, tempo de cura e a imersão em água na resistência e rigidez das misturas. Foram realizados ensaios para a determinação da resistência à compressão simples, resistência à compressão diametral, módulo de resiliência, índice de suporte Califórnia e variação volumétrica durante a cura e imersão dos corpos-de-prova. Os resultados mostraram que as misturas com emulsão apresentaram resistência e rigidez superiores às dos solos in natura, e ainda menores variações volumétricas decorrentes da secagem e da imersão dos corpos-de-prova em água. Finalmente, concluiu-se que o uso das emulsões asfálticas é promissora na área de pavimentação, dado que proporciona às misturas propriedades físicas e mecânicas para estas serem aplicáveis na construção rodoviária. / This work has the main objective of studying, based on laboratory tests, the mechanical behavior of sand and clay lateritics soils and the asphalt emulsion in focus mixtures, seeking their utilization in road construction. Were compacted at the normal Proctor energy, analyzing the soil type, the asphaltic emulsion rate and type, the curing pre and pos- compactation, the curing time and the effect of the immersion in water to the mixtures strength and rigidity, afterwards they were submitted to tests to the determination of unconfined compressive strength, indirect tensile strength, modulus resilient, California bearing ratio and volumetric variability of specimens when immersed in water. The results showed that the addition of asphaltic emulsion to soils improve the strength and rigidity of in natura and reduction of the volumetric variability caused by drying and immersion in water soils. Finally, it concludes that bituminous emulsion provides to soils qualities that could be qualified for use in road construction.