Abstract
Low temperature cracking is one of the most common distress types in asphalt concrete pavements, particularly in cold regions. Many factors influence the behaviour of asphalt concrete pavements at low temperatures, such as the applied traffic load, environmental conditions and material characteristics. Asphalt binders are one of the primary factors that influence material properties. The purpose of this study is to compare the performance of two types of asphalt binders: styrene-butadiene-styrene (SBS) modified asphalt binder and unmodified asphalt binder in resisting low temperature cracking. The study was conducted in Flagstaff, located at the area of Northern Arizona, in the United States. Asphalt samples were collected from the paving sections and were compacted and trimmed into small beams. Bending Beam Rheometer tests were performed, using the trimmed specimens at temperatures of -6°C, -12°C and -18°C. Based on the results of the study, it was concluded that, SBS modified asphalt binder performs better in resisting low temperature cracking, compared to the unmodified binder. Based on the study outcomes, it is recommended to use SBS polymer modified polymers in areas subjected to severe cold weather events to maximize the life span of asphalt concrete pavements.
Highlights
Low temperature cracking or thermally induced cracking of asphalt pavements is one of the most predominant distress types in cold regions, in Canada and northern United States [1, 2]
The purpose of this study is to provide a laboratory investigation method using Bending Beam Rheometer (BBR) test, to study the impact of adding SBS polymer on the low temperature properties of asphalt mixtures
The testing procedures used to perform BBR test are based on The American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) standard TP125: Determining the Flexural Creep Stiffness of Asphalt Mixtures Using the Bending Beam Rheometer (BBR) [12]
Summary
Low temperature cracking or thermally induced cracking of asphalt pavements is one of the most predominant distress types in cold regions, in Canada and northern United States [1, 2]. This problem leads to the early deterioration of asphalt concrete pavements, due to the inability of pavement to dissipate the stress from excessive thermal contraction [3]. Previous research showed that the addition of polymers to asphalt mixtures enhances its performance, by increasing the ability of pavement to resist thermal cracking, fatigue distress and rutting. The concept of modifying virgin bitumen was based on increasing the viscoelastic range of virgin asphalt to improve its flexibilty at low temperatures [5]
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