Internationally low noise porous asphalts are typically laid on top of structural asphalt layers. In New Zealand structural asphalt is generally prohibitively expensive and porous asphalt is used directly on chipseal-surfaced unbound granular pavements.
Two accelerated pavement tests were undertaken at the Canterbury Accelerated Pavement Testing Indoor Facility (CAPTIF) in 2004–2005. The first test was to develop a horizontal tensile strain versus fatigue life curve and establish a relationship between basecourse surface curvature and fatigue life. The second test evaluated the extension of fatigue life by short trafficking before surfacing rather than using enhanced binders in porous asphalt.
The outcomes of the project suggest that the Austroads Rehabilitation Design Guide is very conservative in predicting fatigue and that deformation leads to surface failure before fatigue of the pavement occurs. Pavements to be sealed with low noise surfaces could tolerate more deflection if initial trafficking was undertaken.
Keywords: accelerated pavement testing, CAPTIF, chipseal, fatigue, low noise surfaces, noise, OGPA, open graded porous asphalt, pavements, roads, surface, thin surfaced pavements, traffic, traffic noise