REGULATION OF POLYMER-BITUMEN BINDERS PROPERTIES BY COMPOSITION PLASTIFICATOR SELECTION

Abstract

Background The durability of motor roads is affected by the physical, chemical and operational properties of bitumen. Modification of bitumen is a promising method for improving the properties of binders. The polymeric modifier allows to significantly improve the physical, chemical and operational properties of bitumen. Plasticizers are used to regulate the group chemical composition and the structure of the bituminous binder in the technology for the production of polymer-bituminous binders (PBB). As a plasticizer, industrial oil is often used. However, it has a high cost and is not effective enough in the production of PBB. Aims and Objectives The aims of the work are the development of a combined plasticizer on the basis of by-products of oil refining for the production of PBB, the cost of which is commensurate with the cost of raw bitumen production, and also the study of the influence of the composition of the combined plasticizer on the physicochemical properties of the bitumen binder. To produce the combined plasticizer, a heavy catalytic cracking gas oil rich in arene hydrocarbons and promoting the swelling of the polymer was used, and a vacuum gas oil that imparts elastic-plastic properties to the material. Polymer-bitumen binders were obtained on the basis of bitumen of BND 60/90 and thermoplastic elastomer DST-30-01. Results It has been established that the softening temperature of the PBB samples with an increase in the content of vacuum gas oil in the combined plasticizer remains practically unchanged, the adhesion index has the minimum values with the composition of the combined plasticizer of 50:50 and with an increase in the polymer content in the PBB it also decreases. With the increase in the content of DST-30-01 in bitumen, hardening of the structure is observed, and the change in the softening temperature after aging decreases. As the polymer content in the bitumen increases and the ratio of the plasticizer components is 50:50 and 30:70, the produced PBB have increased values of the maximum tensile strength or cohesive strength and can ensure the creation of durable road surface. Analysis of the results of the research shows that the change in the operating parameters of the PBB is achieved through the regulation of its group chemical composition by a combined plasticizer. With a certain composition of the combined plasticizer, it is possible to achieve the necessary physic-mechanical parameters of the PBB. Also, the use of by-products of oil refining in the combined plasticizer will reduce the cost of polymer-bitumen materials.