Reducing Production Temperature of Asphalt Rubber Mixtures Using Recycled Polyethylene Wax and Their Performance against Rutting

Abstract

Abstract The addition of crumb rubber to asphalt binder and asphalt mixture produces desirable performance-related properties and is a step toward the pursuit of sustainable development. Nevertheless, higher mixing and compaction temperatures of asphalt rubber mixtures compared to the conventional ones may result in higher construction costs and additional environmental issues. To deal with these problems, the implementation of synthetic waxes in asphalt rubber mixtures can be used to reduce mixing and compaction temperatures. For this purpose, different contents of recycled polyethylene wax were used. The mixing and compaction temperatures of the modified mixtures were determined using the aggregate coating method and densification curves, respectively. Afterward, the effect of mixing temperatures on the rutting properties of the prepared specimens was investigated using a repeated load test. The results demonstrated that using recycled polyethylene wax not only decreased mixing temperatures considerably but also significantly improved rutting resistance.