The performance and lifetime of the flexible asphalt pavement are mainly dependent on the interfacial bond strength between layer courses. To enhance the bond between layers, adhesive materials, such as tack coats, are used. The tack coat itself is a bituminous material, which is applied on an existing relatively non-absorbent surface to ensure a strong bond between the old and newly paved layer. The primary objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of various types of tack coat materials on interlayer bond strength and to determine the optimal application rate for each type. The
This paper presents an improved earth pressure method that considers the capacity of a wall toe to carry an earth load to predict the connection loads of GRS segmental walls constructed with cohesionless backfills on competent foundations. In this method, a response surface model (RSM) of the lateral earth pressure coefficient replaces the Coulomb active earth pressure coefficient. The parameters of the RSM were determined from numerical studies on the impacts of toe restraint, wall geometry, and backfill properties on the distribution of earth loads between the toe and reinforcement layers
Recently, there has been increasing attention on the use of renewable energy in buildings, particularly, the photovoltaic thermal (PVT) system that uses both solar power and thermal energy. However, there is a limit to adopting the PVT system in real buildings because many architects value the aesthetics of buildings or spaces. This study developed a curtain-wall-type liquid-type PVT (CW-PVT) that can be installed on a wall as it integrates with the building. To analyze the system performance, a real-scale experimental plant was established in an outdoor environment. The performance of the
Millions of tons of reclaimed asphalt pavement (RAP) and reclaimed aggregate or reclaimed inorganic binder stabilized aggregate (RAI) is produced every year in China. The cold recycled mixture (CRM) technology reduces fuel consumption, emissions, and cost and utilizes the high content of RAP. In this paper, six types of CRM with varying RAP/RAI composition and asphalt binders were investigated. The laboratory tests included strength indicators, high temperature stability, low temperature crack resistance, water stability, and dynamic modulus. A full-scale trial section was constructed after
The mechanical behavior of the steel–concrete joints in a composite bridge was investigated. Pull-out tests on eight specimens were carried out to evaluate the connection performance of Perfobond rib shear connectors (PBL shear connectors). In addition, static load tests were conducted on three composite joint specimens with a scale of 1/2 in a composite truss bridge. The crack load, load–displacement curves, strain distribution, and the joint stiffness were obtained from the composite joint to analyze the mechanical behavior of steel–concrete joints. The experimental results show tha