Development of terminal blend rubber and SBS modified asphalt: A case study

Abstract

The introduction of waste rubber in asphalt industry can bring economic and environmental benefits by saving crude oil resources and utilizing wastes. Although the application of TBS (Terminal Blend/SBS) modified asphalt has employed in road engineering, it is not easy for the accomplishment of the design performance of TBS modified asphalt mixture of laboratory in practical engineering. This causes negative impact on the life of asphalt pavement. To decrease this gap, the paper attempts to combine the performance of TBS modified asphalt in laboratory and field. The TBS modified asphalt was prepared in laboratory firstly, and was characterized by physical and mechanical properties test thereafter. Furthermore, on the basis of mass production at the asphalt plant, the long-term properties of TBS modified asphalt were tested and the large-scale production process is determined. Ultimately, the test road was constructed by means of asphalt from large-scale production and was compared with that in laboratory. The results show that the presence of SBS is beneficial to the performance of TB modified asphalt, especially high temperature resistance. The softening point and penetration of TBS modified asphalt has an increase of 4% and 10%, 16% and 20% than those of SBS modified asphalt and R/S (Rubber/SBS) modified asphalt. Likewise, the ductility and viscosity of TBS modified asphalt is equal to 95% and 39%, −66% and 33% than those of SBS modified asphalt and R/S modified asphalt. Concurrently, the TBS modified asphalt exists smaller attenuation rate during the long-term storage, which is suitable for large-scale production. The performance of TBS modified asphalt in laboratory may not correspond well to that in the field. It is responsible for the viscosity of TBS modified asphalt and weather environment of field.