SASKATOON -- A team of University of Saskatchewan researchers is analyzing fragments of asphalt, looking to see how drastic changes in temperature affect roads across Saskatchewan.
"The pavement itself consists of layers, so some problems come from the base layers and some come from the top layer which is the asphalt mixture," said Mai Nalawneh, a Ph.D. candidate who is conducting the research.
The initial stages of research began in December. Researchers conducted an initial X-ray of eight asphalt samples and then placed the samples under heat to mimic changes in seasonal temperatures.
"The way that we understand the behavior of the asphalt mixture is due to the environmental changes, this will help us to have better roads or to extend the life span of the pavement and increase the surface level of the pavement," said Nalawneh.
An electronic microscope and digital camera will give the researchers a view of the internal asphalt fragments and provide a clearer view of how potholes are created.
“By using the X-ray we can take different slices and scan the sample from the bottom to the top and then we stack the scans to create a 3D simulation of sample. Then we can see the particles inside the sample and how the mixture is connected together,” said Nalawneh.
The researchers will spend 48 hours at the Canadian Light Source monitoring the asphalt samples every two hours.
"The big challenge is you need to image a very big sample with a very high level of detail at a microscopic level and that's something that you can't do with conventional X-ray equipment, so that's why you need to bring it to a facility like this that just happens to be in Saskatoon's backyard.”
The research findings are expected to be released in 2022.
