Conventional pavement designs are typically applied uniformly across road segments; however, intersections experience higher stresses from braking, acceleration, and heavy truck traffic. In York Region, these repeated loads have reduced pavement service life at intersection approaches, emphasizing the need for durable pavement structures. Since standard volumetric mix design methods often fail to predict performance under such demanding conditions, performance‑based criteria are increasingly important. This study evaluates asphalt surface mixes aimed at improving durability through balanced mix design and performance testing for high‑traffic intersections in Southern Ontario. Six Stone Mastic Asphalt (SMA) mixes with three binder grades and two aggregate sizes were assessed using the Disk‑Shaped Compact Tension test for low‑temperature cracking, the Illinois Flexibility Index Test for intermediate cracking, and the Hamburg Wheel Tracking Test for rutting. Results show the proposed SMA mix provides a 75% longer service life and reduced 50‑year life‑cycle costs despite higher initial construction cost.
Farashah et al. (Fri,) studied this question.