Rutting and fatigue properties of modified binders with polymer and titanium dioxide nanoparticles

Abstract

• Photocatalytic properties of binder modified by Nano TiO 2 and SBR was evaluated. • Addition of Nano TiO2/SBR led to enhance rutting and fatigue behavior of binder. • As Nano TiO2/SBR content increases, storage stability decreases. • Nano TiO2/SBR modified binders have the highest potential to reduce pollution. Significant surface damage to asphaltic pavements, such as rutting and fatigue cracking, has rendered it hard to fully use the usable life of these pavements. In addition, by growing the global population, the amount of transportation has been risen in recent decades, increasing greenhouse emissions. So the aim of the study was to introduce modifiers to decompose and reduce the effect of these damage on road users and the environment. To this end, Titanium dioxide nanoparticles and one polymer type Styrene butadiene rubber were utilized as modifiers to enhance the binder’s high and medium-performance temperatures and its photocatalytic properties as a way of reducing the air pollutants. Several combinations of Styrene butadiene rubber and Titanium dioxide nanoparticles were used and the rheological properties of the original and modified binders were characterized by SHRP binder tests. Additionally, the storage stability and the photocatalyst tests were performed to determine the binders' resistance to separation and the self-cleaning capabilities of the original and modified binders, respectively. The results of the rheological tests demonstrated that combining these additives increases the resistance of the modified binder to deformation, particularly at high temperatures, and increasing the percentage of these additives results in a greater improvement in the fatigue properties of the modified binder. However, increasing the proportion of these two additions reduces bitumen's thermal stability at mixing temperatures. The photocatalyst studies revealed that the binders modified with Nano-TiO 2 and SBR have a strong potential for reducing the vehicle-related environmental pollution.