Correlation between asphalt concrete induced healing and rheological properties of asphalt binder

Abstract

The induction heating-induced healing of asphalt concrete is an innovative method of crack repairing. As concluded in previous studies, the temperature of asphalt concrete, raised through the induction heating, directly affect the process of the induced healing. As the speculation in this study, not only the temperature level but also the rheological properties of asphalt binder at the relevant temperature affects the induced healing process in asphalt concrete. In this study, the correlation between zero shear viscosity of asphalt binder and induced healing efficiency of asphalt concrete was scrutinized. The neat and modified asphalt binders with carbon black and activated carbon were utilized in the asphalt concrete comprised of limestone and siliceous aggregates. Initially, the influences of specimen dimension on the rate of induction heating were investigated. Then, the zero shear viscosity of asphalt binders, resembling the low-speed movement of melted asphalt binder, was identified based on data acquired from the rotational viscometer test. The semi-circular bending test was conducted for assessing the induced healing process of the asphalt concrete under repeated cracking-healing loading scenarios. The analysis of the induced healing index for different asphalt concrete types confirms the concurrent influences of temperature level and rheological properties of asphalt binders. Moreover, it can be deduced that the zero shear viscosity and capability of asphalt binder to move at far low-speed play a pivotal role in the accomplishment of induced healing in asphalt concrete. The proposed approach can be beneficially used to characterize the induction heating-induced healing characteristics of asphalt concrete specimens made of different ingredients.