Laboratory Characterization and Field Calibration of Asphalt Pavement Wear under Studded Tire Loading

Understanding and predicting pavement wear is essential for effective pavement management in cold regions. This study investigates the wear resistance of asphalt pavements under studded tire traffic through laboratory simulation and field calibration. Six asphalt mixtures were evaluated using an indoor studded tire traffic simulator constructed at Université Laval. Rut depth progression was monitored with high-resolution three-dimensional laser scanning, and a strong linear relationship ( R 2 = 0.87) was identified between Prall abrasion values and laboratory rutting rates. To link laboratory performance to field conditions, a calibration process was conducted using data from selected pavement sections in Québec obtained from the Ministry of Transport and Sustainable Mobility (MTMD). Field rutting rates were calculated by combining maximum rut depth measurements with traffic parameters, studded tire use, and the duration of studded tire use during the winter season. Core samples from field sections enabled the isolation of the wear-related contribution within the total rutting. The corrected field rutting rates showed a consistent proportional relationship with laboratory measurements, from which a proportionality coefficient was derived to convert laboratory results to field conditions.