Abstract
Asphalt pavement is significantly affected by ultraviolet (UV) aging. Therefore, the establishment of an asphalt UV aging evaluation system is desirable for highway construction in areas which experience strong UV radiation. In this study, Dunhuang City in Gansu Province (northwest China) was used as the research site. Base and SBS modified asphalts were selected, and their performance changes before and after UV aging were studied. An asphalt UV aging evaluation system was established, including the conditions for an indoor, accelerated UV aging test as well as evaluation indicators. The results showed that the adverse effect of UV aging on asphalt performance was greater than that of RTFOT and PAV, and that the low-temperature performance of asphalt degraded most rapidly. SBS modified asphalt was more resistant to UV aging than base asphalt, while 60/80 pen grade base asphalt was found to be unsuitable for use on pavements which are exposed to strong UV radiation. The residual penetration, penetration attenuation index at 25 °C, and residual ductility of the asphalt were used as indicators to characterize the aging of asphalt, while the fracture energy method was used as a supplementary evaluation method.
Highlights
The results showed that this was a feasible method for studying the photooxidative aging of road asphalt in areas which experience strong UV radiation [11]
The penetration of the asphalt which underwent UV32h aging was equivaalent to the value after aging, while the penetration of the asphalt after aging lent to the value after RTFOT aging, while the penetration of the asphalt after PAV aging test was was equivalent equivalent to
Through a series of tests, the physical properties, rheological properties, and room temperature crack resistance of asphalt after UV aging were investigated, and reliable evaluation indexes were selected to devise an asphalt UV aging evaluation system which would be suitable for use in northwest
Summary
The anti-aging performance of asphalt is the main factor affecting the quality and lifespan of asphalt pavement. The aging behavior of asphalt in the different structural layers of asphalt pavement is quite different [1,2,3]. While external temperature and traffic load are shared by all layers, solar radiation only affects the upper layer. Studies have shown that ultraviolet (UV) radiation directly affects the asphalt surface, considering the diffusion of asphalt molecules after aging and the existence of voids in asphalt pavements, UV radiation can affect the surface to a depth of about 1 cm [4]. Aging causes the lowtemperature stiffness of the upper layer of the asphalt mixture to increase, often resulting in temperature shrinkage cracking [5]. UV rays, coupled with the impact of rain and snow, promote the deterioration of the road surface and seriously affect its durability [6]
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