Image analysis for detecting aggregate gradation in asphalt mixture from planar images

The mechanical properties of bituminous mixture strongly depend on the gradation of the aggregate that represents the mineral skeleton of the mixture, since for open and gap-graded mixtures, stresses due to vehicles in movement on the pavement are mainly transmitted through their contacts. Internal structure of bituminous mixture is, therefore, of great interest for road and infrastructure engineering and it is appropriate to study it with recently developed image analysis method. The purpose of this study was to finalize an effective analysis of asphalt section image for automatically extracting aggregate gradation without the need of separation of the bitumen from the aggregate. This paper proves that, thanks to the synergic use of different segmentation methods of the digital images taken on slices of cores from the pavement, it is possible to obtain a reliable gradation of the mineral skeleton of the mixture. The proposed methodology allows one to estimate the aggregate gradation that, otherwise, it would be necessary to establish via specially equipped laboratory, undertaking time-consuming tests that also imply health risks for the operators, due to the use of solvents and other hazardous materials.