Abstract
Hydrotalcite, a type of layered double hydroxide (LDH), reveals an interesting potential for the modification of bitumen. The LDH can induce a barrier effect that prevents the loss of volatiles, retards oxidation, and protects against ultraviolet radiation. Such properties can enhance the aging resistance of the bitumen. However, there is a gap in knowledge regarding the effects of the modification with hydrotalcite in the properties of the asphalt mixture. To contribute to fill such a gap, the current study presents a characterization of the effects of the modification with nano hydrotalcite in the surface characteristics, mechanical performance, and aging resistance of an asphalt mixture. To better explore the effects of the modification, the selected asphalt mixture was a high binder content (7.5%) Stone Mastic Asphalt (SMA). The experimental study indicates that the binder-rich SMA presented adequate performance for application in surface courses. If compared to conventional mixtures, the binder-rich SMA presented better initial mechanical performance (unaged conditions). Furthermore, it presented smaller variation in the parameters between unaged and aged conditions, indicating enhanced aging resistance. The modification with nano hydrotalcite induced smaller evolution in the fatigue resistance parameters, indicating enhanced aging resistance; however, in the remaining tests, the trends were not clear.
Highlights
Asphalt pavements are a key element of the transport infrastructure, usually, being the dominant structure of the road network
Aging is severe in pavement surface courses because they are directly exposed to the environmental conditions
The surface characteristics of the control and modified asphalt mixtures were evaluated through the Pendulum Test Value (PTV) and the Mean Texture Depth (MTD)
Summary
Asphalt pavements are a key element of the transport infrastructure, usually, being the dominant structure of the road network. Pavements have to withstand a variety of traffic loads and environmental conditions (e.g., temperature variation, solar radiation, moisture, and oxidation) that will degrade their initial performance. The surface courses are important because of the direct contact with traffic. The asphalt mixtures applied in surface layer must perform well to provide adequate safety and comfort, coping with exigent requirements for skid resistance and permanent deformation, among others. Aging is severe in pavement surface courses because they are directly exposed to the environmental conditions. To enhance the performance of these mixtures during the pavement service life, a variety of additives was studied
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