Modelling short-term aging of asphalt binders using the rolling thin film oven test

Abstract

Simulation of short-term aging of asphalt binders is a widely used procedure in asphalt binder characterization for predicting the binder response to plant mixing and paving under controlled laboratory conditions. There are two laboratory test methods for evaluating the short-term aging of asphalt binders: (i) a method using rotating pans filled with a thin asphalt film termed thin film oven test (TFOT) and (ii) a method using rolling cylindrical asphalt containers termed rolling thin film oven test (RTFOT). In this paper, an attempt is made to develop generalized models for short-term aging effects using the RTFOT aging time as a benchmark. Six binder types representing two PG grades and three source suppliers are conditioned to varying levels of RTFOT aging and tested using the dynamic shear rheometer (DSR). Aging effects are modelled using independent temperature shift models for the shear modulus and phase angle. The paper discusses the sources of errors in producing generalized models and some potential applications of aging models. The research revealed that it is possible to develop and implement such models for unmodified binders.Key words: asphalt, aging, RTFOT, DSR, binder rheology, shear modulus, phase angle.