Aged Asphalt Research Articles

Study and valorization of a new bituminous concrete based on natural dune sand for hot and arid environments

The trans-desert road network is exposed to enormous degradation of asphalt concrete pavements due to the high temperatures of these arid regions, which considerably accelerate asphalt ageing. Common bituminous mixes generally use quarry sand fillers, the proportions of which are poorly controlled due to the diversity of rock deposits and their manufacturing conditions. This article responds to this problem by proposing dune sand as a source of filler by grinding it and then introducing it into pure bitumen to obtain the bitumen-filler mix. In this paper, two types of analysis were carried out, one thermal and the other mechanical to study the influence of the substitution of quarry sand filler by dune sand filler in asphalt concrete. In the thermal analysis, the study evaluates the stiffening power (?TBA) of three types of fillers incorporated into a pure bitumen, namely quarry sand, dune sand and standardized filler. The results of these analyses reveal that at a normative percentage of 57% filler with 43% pure bitumen, the stiffening power (?TBA) of dune sand filler and normalized filler comply with established standards (between 8 and 16°C), unlike quarry sand filler, which does not meet standards. The mechanical analysis carried out on quarry sand filler and dune sand filler revealed an improvement in mechanical performance when dune sand filler was used, with MARSHALL stability values indicating an average increase from 3.9 to 4.9, and better resistance to water with a greater than 99% ratio for the DURIEZ test well above the 75% threshold. These results offer the potential to optimize bituminous mixes by incorporating dune sand fillers, thereby enabling Saharan roads to be built more quickly, at lower cost and, above all, to extend their lifespan, making a positive contribution to the development of road infrastructure in hot, arid environments.

Effect of RAP's preheating temperature on the secondary aging and performance of recycled asphalt mixtures containing high RAP content

Plant-mixed hot recycling technology is widely used. Due to concerns about the road performance of recycled asphalt mixtures with high RAP content, the content of RAP is strictly limited, which has negative impact on ecological and economic benefits. Low preheating temperature of RAP material is an important reason for reduced performance of recycled asphalt mixtures containing high RAP content. At the same time, excessive preheating temperature of RAP materials can cause secondary aging of asphalt in RAP. This study regarded the preheating temperature as a variable. Rheological and spectroscopic tests such as DSR and BBR, and FTIR tests were conducted to investigate the effect of RAP preheating temperature on the secondary aging of RAP. Afterwards, the influence of raising preheating temperature of RAP on the performance of recycled asphalt mixtures was explored synthetically. When the preheating temperature is below 160 ºC, there is no significant secondary aging of aged asphalt in RAP. However, when the preheating temperature increases to 180 ºC, the rheological properties of aged asphalt undergo certain changes. Increasing the preheating temperature of RAP can significantly improve the low-temperature crack resistance and fatigue performance of recycled asphalt mixtures by reason of maximally activating the aged asphalt. Increasing the preheating temperature of RAP does not weaken the high-temperature anti-rutting performance of recycled asphalt mixture. It is recommended to control the preheating temperature of RAP at 160 ºC in the design and production process of hot recycled asphalt mixtures.

Effect of warm mix agent on the chemo-mechanical performance of binder with different oil sources

In this study, three typical oil source asphalt binders, Karamay asphalt A, CNOOC 36-1 asphalt B, Qinhuangdao CNPC asphalt C, were selected to prepare asphalt binders together with the warm mix agent Evotherm M1. The effects of warm mix agents on asphalt from different oil sources were experimentally studied via dynamic shear rheological (DSR), thermogravimetric analysis (TG), and Raman spectroscopy tests. The asphalt binders with different oil sources exhibit different properties. The rheological test results indicate that the addition of warm mix agent can slow down the decrease of asphalt viscosity during the aging process and the aging of asphalt. The results of the thermogravimetric test showed that the residual mass of asphalt with the addition of a warm mix agent significantly decreased after aging. Warm mixing agents can slow down the conversion of lightweight components to heavy components during the aging process of asphalt. By calculating the reflectivity of asphalt in Raman spectroscopy, it can be concluded that the reflectivity of asphalt decreases after adding a warm mix agent. The warm mixing agent reduces the degree of thermal evolution of asphalt. Warm mixing agents can make the chemical components in asphalt relatively stable and less prone to further pyrolysis or cracking reactions.

Biomass waste to produce bio oil as rejuvenator for asphalt based on pyrolysis technology

ABSTRACT The objective of the current study is to research the suitability of using two bio-oils produced from corncob and birch bark as two bio-rejuvenators to regenerate aged asphalt binders. To this end, the pyrolysis characteristics of corncob and birch bark were analysed using a thermogravimetric analyzer. The chemical characteristics of the bio-rejuvenators were then evaluated via an elemental analyzer and the Gas Chromatograph Mass Spectrometer (GC-MS) test. The results revealed the presence of a great quantity of lightly weighted compounds in bio-oils. Pen70 asphalt was used as control asphalt binders. The Rotational Viscometer (RV) test result showed that bio-rejuvenators could help reduce the viscosity of aged asphalt binders. In addition, the Dynamic Shear Rheometer (DSR) experiments revealed that bio-rejuvenators could reduce the complex shear modulus, decrease percent strain recovery, increase non-recoverable creep compliance and restore the fatigue performance of the aged asphalt. The Bending Beam Rheometer (BBR) tests indicated that the cracking performance of the bio-rejuvenated asphalt was also improved compared with the aged asphalt. The Fourier transform infrared spectra demonstrated that the bio-rejuvenators helped reduce the aged asphalt's carbonyl and sulfoxide indexes. In addition, the Gel Permeation Chromatography (GPC) test indicated that bio-rejuvenators reduced the polydispersity and molecular weight of the aged asphalt.

Laboratory short-term aging of crumb rubber modified asphalt: RTFOT temperature optimization and performance investigation

Improper disposal of substantial scrap tires can result in significant environmental issues, such as air pollution, water resources, and soil contamination. The scrap tires can be turned into valuable materials by preparing tire rubber powder into Crumb rubber modified asphalt (CRMA). This method can effectively reduce environmental pollution and achieve the concept of energy conservation, environmental protection, and low-carbon. However, during the production process of CRMA mixtures, the elevated construction temperature may induce more severe short-term aging of the mixtures. The standard laboratory short-term aging scheme of asphalt binders, the Rolling Thin Film Oven Test (RTFOT), cannot simulate the short-term aging of CRMA due to the increase in construction temperature. Besides, the determination methods and indices of RTFOT aging temperature are still unclear and inconsistent. In this study, three CRMA binders were treated by RTFOT with five temperatures, and the short-term oven aging (STOA) protocol was conducted on CRMA mixtures with three types of gradations. Firstly, the chemical and rheological performance of CRMA binders and mixtures were investigated by conducting Gel permeation chromatography (GPC), Fourier transformation infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), Dynamic shear rheology (DSR) tests, and Bending beam rheometer (BBR) test. Then, the equivalent aging temperatures were determined to optimize RTFOT temperatures by comparing the chemical indicators of binders and mixtures. Finally, the correlations of chemical and rheological indices were established, and the rheological properties of aged asphalt in mixtures were predicted. The analysis results indicate that suitable RTFOT temperature is not only related to the technical routes and viscosity of CRMA binders, but also relevant to the mixture gradations. Binders with higher viscosity need elevated RTFOT temperatures from 173 °C to 193 °C, especially simulating short-term aging of mixtures with higher air voids. The swelling and degradation of crumb rubber contribute to the enhancement of the anti-aging performance. The aging index (AI) can reflect the anti-aging performance of CRMA binders, and the variation of AI can validate the rationality of the optimized RTFOT temperatures.

Investigation of the Performance of Bio-Oils from Three Different Agricultural Wastes as Rejuvenators for Recycled Asphalt

The aim of this study was to investigate the possibility of using bio-oil obtained from pine cones, olive mill pomace, and wheat straw as rejuvenators for the reuse of aged asphalt binders. Additionally, the biomass used for bio-oil production was selected from waste materials. Therefore, it makes great contributions to both the environment and the economy. B50/70 bitumen was selected as the neat binder. The bio-oils used in the study were obtained as a result of pyrolysis. Bio-oil rejuvenators at 5%, 10% and 20% by the weight of the binder were added to the aged binder obtained from recycled asphalt mixtures to obtaine bioregenerated asphalts. The physical and rheological properties of bioregenerated asphalts were investigated and not compared on neat and aged binders through penetration, softening point, rotational viscometer and dynamic shear rheometer tests. In addition, the effects of temperature and biooil content on complex modulus properties were examined using response surface methods. It was foud that while the bio-oils increased the penetration values of the aged binders, they also decreased the softening point and viscosity values. The bio-oils significantly modified rutting resistance of the aged binder. The addition of bio-oil improved the viscous components and can rejuvenate the viscoelastic properties of aged asphalt binders to that of almost the original level. In addition, response surface methods results showed that the interactions between both independent variables were effective. Finally, high coefficient of determination (R2) values indicated good agreement between the actual and predicted values. It was recommended as a result of the study that 20% concentration of bio-oil should be used to rejuvenate the aged asphalt binder for reuse in pavement construction.

Asphalt aging and its anti-aging mechanism based on quantum chemistry

To study asphalt aging and its anti-aging mechanism, the Frontier Orbital theory, Fukui Function, and Density Functional Theory are applied.The data reveals that 65 nm UV light can dissociate O2 into O radicals during UV aging. Among the resin components, sulfur (S) exhibits the highest radical attack index (f0) of 0.131. Resin molecules absorb UV light at 344 nm and 311 nm, leading to π electron transitions in S with a 28% probability. This result aligns with f0, indicating that f0 adequately reflects chemical reactivity. Resin molecules with electron transitions in S can form sulfoxide by creating a new delocalized π bond with unpaired electrons from oxygen radicals. Thermal oxidative aging at a temperature of 241 K has the potential to form carbonyl, hydroxyl, and peroxide bridge bonds. Ageing-resistant agents with a high f0 value on their outer layer compete with resin molecules in radical reactions, thereby exhibiting anti-aging effects. Calculation results indicate a slight increase in the number of carbonyl and peroxide bridge bonds after short-term aging, which becomes more prominent under pressure aging. UV aging is expected to result in a significant increase in sulfoxide, carbonyl, and ether bonds. The combination of experimental and calculated findings suggests that using quantum chemistry for qualitative analysis of aging mechanisms is a feasible approach. This method aids the investigation of asphalt anti-aging measures and enhances the efficiency of optimizing asphalt anti-aging agents.

Enhancing rheological and aging performance of matrix asphalt through thermoplastic phenol-formaldehyde resin-based intercalated clay nanocomposites: Mechanisms and effects

This research presents a comprehensive investigation into the development of advanced asphalt materials fortified with PF/OMMT nanocomposites, emphasizing the synergistic effects of melt blending and nano intercalation. Through meticulous characterization, including SEM, FT-IR, and XRD analyses, the study unveils the microstructural evolution, affirming the formation of highly oriented interlayer structures within the asphalt matrix. The incorporation of OMMT, known for its hydrophobicity, significantly enhances the interfacial interactions between PF and asphalt, thereby bolstering the material's mechanical resilience, specifically its tensile, shear, and high-temperature rutting resistance properties. The presence of PF imparts notable improvements in the asphalt's thermal stability and aging resistance, attributed to its inherent antioxidative properties and the establishment of a robust three-dimensional polymer network with OMMT. These advancements herald a promising avenue for the production of high-performance, durable asphalt with superior anti-aging characteristics, optimized for demanding environmental conditions and heavy-duty applications.

Changes in rheological and low-temperature characteristics of rubberized asphalt containing castor-based bio-oil under thermal-oxidative exposure

The proposed bio-modified rubberized asphalt (BMRA) technology integrates bio-oil and crumb rubber modifications, offering cost savings, waste reuse, improved asphalt performance, and reduced asphalt consumption. Like traditional asphalt, BMRA ages over time due to external environmental factors, impacting its pavement performance. This study examines the alterations in rheological and low-temperature characteristics of BMRA during thermal-oxidative aging. Results indicate that incorporating bio-oil minimizes alterations to the complex modulus and phase angle in aged asphalt. BMRA's crossover modulus significantly surpasses that of unaged rubberized asphalt (RA), showcasing the mitigating effect of bio-oil and crumb rubber on asphalt's rheological properties during aging. BMRA demonstrates comparable or enhanced peak load, fracture displacement, fracture toughness, and fracture energy relative to RA. BMRA's glass transition temperature remains lower than that of other unaged asphalts, signifying enhanced resistance to low-temperature cracking even after aging. Bio-oil, characterized by low molecular weight and abundant light components, counteracts performance deterioration attributed to volatile constituents and destabilization of asphalt's colloid structure during aging. Crumb rubber facilitates the absorption and subsequent release of specific light components, augmenting BMRA's resistance to aging. These findings enhance our understanding of the mechanisms governing the aging resistance and performance of bio-modified rubberized asphalt, thereby supporting the development of sustainable and durable asphalt materials.

Investigation of Self-Healing Performance of Asphalt Mastic-From the Perspective of Secondary Aging.

Reclaimed asphalt pavement (RAP) has been widely utilized because it is an environmentally friendly and economical material. The performance of recycled asphalt mixtures will deteriorate gradually with the secondary aging process of asphalt, including the self-healing property. To further understand the self-healing characteristics of asphalt after secondary aging, taking 70# petroleum asphalt, SBS-modified asphalt, and extracted old asphalt mastics as objects, the fatigue self-healing test and fracture self-healing test were conducted to simulate the intermediate-and low-temperature healing behaviors of different asphalt mastics. The impact of healing time, healing temperature, and aging degree of mastics on the healing performance was systematically investigated. The results show that the original unaged asphalt mastics present excellent fatigue healing properties with an index of 0.796 and 0.888 for 70# petroleum and SBS-modified asphalt mastics, respectively. The secondary aging process causes significant impact on the healing properties, leading to a great drop in the corresponding index, which decreased to 47.5% and 72.5% of that of the unaged ones. The fracture healing ability of all mastics was much inferior to the fatigue healing. After secondary aging, the fracture healing index values of 70# petroleum asphalt, SBS-modified asphalt, and extracted old asphalt mastics were all as low as around 0.3, indicating similar performance can be found in the secondary aged SBS-modified asphalt mastics and 70# asphalt mastics. Overall, after secondary aging, the fatigue damage of SBS-modified asphalt mastics can be cured effectively by self-healing, but the fatigue and fracture self-healing properties of 70# asphalt mastics are difficult to recover. These results could provide an innovative view to understand the fatigue and fracture healing characteristics of recycled asphalt pavement after secondary aging.

Evaluating the Influence of Waste Cooking Oil Molecular Structure on Aged Asphalt Modification

Recycling aged asphalt pavement has become increasingly important due to its environmental and economic advantages. Asphalt, serving as the binding agent for aggregates, plays a crucial role in pavement integrity. The deterioration of asphalt binder properties upon aging poses a significant challenge to asphalt pavement recycling. Consequently, various rejuvenators have been developed to restore aged asphalt binder properties and facilitate pavement reclamation. Waste cooking oil (WCO) is a widely used rejuvenator that mitigates the high viscosity and brittleness of aged asphalt, preventing cracking. WCO consists of triglycerides (TG) and free fatty acids (FFA), each with distinct molecular structures. In this study, molecular dynamics simulations were employed to investigate the individual effects of 10 wt.% TG and FFA on the viscosity, self-diffusion, and microstructure of aged asphalt at 1 atm and 404 K. The results demonstrate that both TG and FFA can reduce the viscosity of aged asphalt, albeit through different mechanisms. TG and FFA, characterized by high molecular mobility when dispersed in aged asphalt, enhance its mobility and reduce its viscosity. Additionally, TG effectively disrupts preferential interactions among asphaltenes, preventing their self-aggregation. In contrast, FFA has a limited impact on reducing these interactions. Furthermore, the study delves into the entanglement behaviors of FFA and TG with varying chain lengths within aged asphalt. Shorter chain lengths, as opposed to longer ones, exhibit a lower likelihood of entanglement with other asphalt molecules, resulting in increased molecular mobility and reduced asphalt viscosity. The fundamental insights gained from this research serve as a valuable reference for the application of waste cooking oil in the recycling of aged asphalt pavement. By shedding light on underlying molecular dynamics, this study contributes to the development of more effective and sustainable approaches to asphalt recycling.

Physical Chemistry Supports Circular Economy: Toward a Viable Use of Products from the Pyrolysis of a Refuse-Derived Fuel and Granulated Scrap Tire Rubber as Bitumen Additives

The production and maintenance of road pavements consume resources and produce wastes that are disposed of in landfills. To make more sustainable this activity, we have envisioned a method based on a circular use of residues (oil and char) from municipal solid waste pyrolysis as useful additives for producing improved asphalts and for recycling old asphalts to generate new ones, reducing at the same time the consumption of resources for the production of new road pavements and the disposal of wastes to landfills. This work aims to show the feasibility of the integration of two processes (thermal treatment of municipal solid waste on one side, and that of road pavement production on the other side) where the products deriving from waste pyrolysis become added-value materials to improve the quality of road pavements. In this contribution, we presented the effect of pyrolysis product addition on asphalt binder (bitumen) preparation and aging. Solid and liquid products, deriving from the pyrolysis of two kinds of wastes (refused derived fuel (RDF) and granulated rubber tyre waste), have been used for the preparation of asphalt binder samples. Rheological tests have been performed to determine the mechanical properties of neat asphalt binder (bitumen) and those enriched with pyrolysis derived products. Measurements to evaluate possible anti-aging effects have been also performed. The collected results indicate that char addition strengthens the overall bitumen intermolecular structure while bio-oil addition exerts a rejuvenating activity.

Molecular dynamics models to investigate the diffusion behavior of emulsified asphalt

The utilization of emulsified asphalt is widespread in the recycling of asphalt pavement due to its eco-friendliness and energy efficiency. While numerous research studies have been conducted on the mixture design and strength assessment of emulsified asphalt, the mechanism by which it diffuses and adheres to the aggregate surface remains inadequately comprehended. This study developed molecular dynamics models to investigate the diffusion behavior of emulsified asphalt on the aggregate surface to clarify the role of emulsifier, water, and asphalt in the adsorption process from a molecular perspective. Interface models are established according to the diffusion state for interfacial adhesion evaluation. The results show that the movement of water molecules is the driving force for the entire emulsified asphalt to adsorb to the aggregate surface, whether the aggregate is silica or reclaimed asphalt pavement (RAP). Compared with anionic surfactant Sodium Dodecylbenzene Sulfonate (SDBS), cationic emulsifier Cetyltrimethylammonium Chloride (CTAC) has a better affinity, stronger adsorption, and higher interfacial adhesion energy with silica. Compared with RAP, emulsified asphalt is more readily adsorbed to the surface of silica. It is concluded that emulsifiers have two distribution conformations during the adsorption process, delamination, and aggregation, with delamination exhibiting stronger interface strength with silica than aggregation. When the emulsified asphalt spreads on the RAP surface, the penetration of water molecules into the aged asphalt layer in the RAP structure reduces the structure's water resistance. These results can provide a molecular perspective for understanding the internal structure of emulsified cold recycle mixture (ECRM) and link the adsorption behavior of emulsified asphalt on aggregate surfaces with the internal interface strength of ECRM.

The effect of composite curing agent ratio on the photooxidative aging behavior of epoxy asphalt based on molecular dynamics simulation

In order to explore the effect of composite curing agent ratio on the photooxidative aging behavior of epoxy asphalt with an acidic composite curing system, three curing agent ratios of epoxy asphalt were prepared to obtain different cross-linking network densities. The prepared epoxy asphalt was subjected to photooxidation aging for 240 h at 60 ℃. Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) and elemental analysis tests were conducted to determine the evolution of chemical components during photooxidative aging. Based on the chemical components before and after aging, molecular models of photooxidation aged epoxy asphalt with different curing agent ratios were constructed. The mean square displacement (MSD) of oxygen atoms and the oxygen uptake of each component were calculated to study the diffusion behavior of oxygen atoms and the oxidation degree of each component under various cross-linking networks. Glass transition temperature (Tg) and interaction energy were determined to characterize the thermodynamic properties and interaction between asphalt phase and epoxy resin phase of epoxy asphalt before and after aging. The radial distribution function (RDF) was determined to simulate the distribution of asphaltene and epoxy resin crosslinked networks in different cross-linking networks. The results show that the formation of carbonyl groups, alcohol hydroxyl groups, and the fracture of methylene groups was observed during the photooxidative aging process of epoxy asphalt. The rise in the proportion of anhydride curing agents improved the stability of the chemical components in epoxy asphalt under photooxidation aging. High cross-linking density and methylene fracture weakened the diffusion ability of oxygen atoms in epoxy asphalt due to a reduction in free volume. In addition, photooxidation aging had a negative impact on the low-temperature performance and interaction between asphalt phase and epoxy resin phase of epoxy asphalt. However, a high content of acid anhydride alleviated the damage of photooxidation aging to low-temperature performance. Photooxidation aging developed the polar functional groups of epoxy asphalt, promoting the stacking of asphaltene under a high content of dicarboxylic acid curing agent, while breaking the stacking of asphaltene under a high content of acid anhydride curing agent.

Study on rheological properties of POE/VO compound recycled asphalt.

In order to improve the high temperature performance of Vegetable oil recycled asphalt, this study used Polyolefin elastomer (POE) and vegetable oil (VO) to compound recycled aging asphalt. The properties of recycled asphalt were compared and analyzed by conventional physical properties and high & low temperature rheological tests. The results show that 8% VO content can achieve the best regeneration effect. Based on this VO dosage, a variety of POE/VO combination mixture schemes were designed and tested to obtain excellent deformation resistance of recycled aging asphalt under high temperature environments. The POE/VO combination with an appropriate dosage can restore the high temperature deformation resistance and elastic recovery performance even beyond the pre-aging level, and increase the critical temperature by 4~10°C. Considering the physical properties and rheological properties of asphalt, the recommended ratio of POE/VO composite recycled asphalt is 8% VO+4% POE and 8% VO+6% POE.

Performance evaluation of styreneic methyl copolymer regenerated SBS-modified asphalt and its mixture with high content RAP

The aging degree of reclaimed asphalt pavement (RAP) is complex and diverse, and the current utilization rate of RAP is far from meeting the needs of green cycle development. To explore the effect of Styreneic Methyl Copolymer (SMC) rejuvenator of aging asphalt and the performance of SMC regenerated asphalt mixture containing 50% and 60% RAP, this study used SMC rejuvenator to regenerate SBS-modified asphalt with different aging degrees. The high and low-temperature rheological properties of regenerated asphalt were evaluated by temperature sweep test, multi stress creep recovery test, and bending beam rheometer test. Then, the recommended content of the SMC rejuvenator was obtained by using Matlab to establish the corresponding model. Finally, the road performance of the regenerated mixture with high-content RAP was verified. The test results showed that the recommended content range of the SMC rejuvenator for the aging asphalt with PAV (Pressurized Aging Vessel) 0 h, PAV5h, PAV10h, PAV15h, PAV20h were 1.56∼2.31%, 3.03∼3.36%, 4.269∼4.48%, 5.23∼5.66%, 5.95∼6.91%, respectively. The road performance of the SMC regenerated asphalt mixture with 50% and 60% RAP content met the specification requirements. SMC rejuvenator had no significant negative impact on high-temperature performance, significantly improving low-temperature cracking resistance. SMC regenerator had a positive significance in improving regeneration efficiency.

Microstructure of Virgin, aged and recycled asphalt based on small-angle X-ray scattering

The microstructure of asphalt plays a crucial role in determining its overall performance. However, the lack of comprehensive research on parameterizing the microstructure of asphalt has hindered the establishment of a clear relationship between microstructure and macroscopic performance. To address this gap, this paper conducted a study involving small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) experiments to investigate the changes in the microstructure of asphalt during aging and regeneration processes. The SAXS experimental results were then subjected to fitting using the Unified function, enabling us to derive key microstructural parameters. The SAXS data profiles obtained from virgin, aged, and recycled asphalt samples exhibit a remarkable degree of similarity, suggesting that their microstructural features are highly comparable. Additionally, the scattering characteristics observed in the SAXS data point to the presence of secondary structure scatterers within the asphalt samples. The presence of secondary structure scatterers suggests that the asphalt samples consist of microstructural entities, such as micelles or aggregates, which form the basis for the scattering patterns observed. During the aging of asphalt, the size of micelles and the heterogeneity of their sizes undergo a progressive increase. Simultaneously, the surface activity of these micelles gradually diminishes. However, a notable reduction in micelle size and size heterogeneity is achieved when regenerating aged asphalt using virgin asphalt. Furthermore, the surface activity of micelles is improved through the regeneration process. On the contrary, the rejuvenator used in this study did not exhibit a significant restorative effect on the microstructure of aged asphalt. Rheological analysis indicates that the observed viscoelastic changes in asphalt during aging and regeneration align with microstructural variations, but the effect of the rejuvenators on viscoelasticity do not correlate directly with their impact on microstructure. The differences between rejuvenators in improving the properties of aged asphalt cannot be solely inferred from their effect on microstructure. The findings in this paper contribute significantly to our understanding of asphalt microstructure and its evolution during aging and regeneration processes.

The use of bio-oil from biodiesel production for enhancing the bitumen healing

Road pavements are exposed to traffic and temperature effects that produce distress, mainly cracking that leads to pavement failure, after which rehabilitation actions are necessary to extend pavement life. Bio-rejuvenators have been used to recover the bitumen properties lost due to fatigue of the asphalt mixtures and ageing due to temperature variations and oxidation. Thus, this paper investigates the healing of bitumen modified with bio-oil derived from biodiesel production. One base bitumen in three different ageing stages (unaged, short and long-term ageing) was used for adding up to 3% of bio-oil to the bitumen. In addition to consistency and rheological tests to characterise the modified bitumen, fatigue resistance tests with and without rest periods were performed to assess the healing through three indexes, relating the complex shear modulus, the number of cycles to failure and the amount of damage, after a rest period. It was verified that the healing follows an exponential law with the rest period, but the number of cycles in each loading period decreases compared to the previous period. For a 15-minute rest period, the healing was limited to 26.9%, but the bio-oil contributed significantly to that restoration.

Homogeneity Enhancement of Mixtures Containing Epoxy Polymer and 100% Reclaimed Asphalt Pavement.

The utilization of reclaimed asphalt pavement (RAP) could reduce the cost of pavements containing epoxy polymer (EP) materials. This study was aimed at improving the homogeneity of an EP-reclaimed asphalt mixtures (ERAMs) at both the micro- and meso-scale to provide a reference for an ERAM production process. At the microscale, nanoindentation tests were conducted to characterize the diffusion between the EP and aged asphalt mastic. At the mesoscale, computerized tomography (CT) X-ray scanning and MATLAB analysis were employed to investigate the distribution of the aggregate within the ERAM. The results revealed that mixing temperature played a significant role in the diffusion and distribution between the EP and the aged asphalt mastic, thus impacting the mechanical properties of the material. Heating at 180 °C (the recommended mixing temperature of EP) resulted in a wider blending zone between the EP and the aged asphalt mastic compared to heating at 160 °C (the usual mixing temperature of ordinary reclaimed asphalt mixtures). The overall dispersion of the aggregate in the ERAM exhibited greater homogeneity in the vertical direction than in the horizontal direction. Adjusting the gradation of the RAP was found to be effective in reducing horizontal variability in the distribution of the coarse aggregate, fine aggregate, and air voids in the ERAM. Adjusting the RAP gradation further enhanced the vertical homogeneity in the distribution of the fine aggregate, while its impact on the vertical distribution of the coarse aggregate was minimal. Short-term aging led to increased variability in the distribution of the coarse aggregate, fine aggregate, and air voids within the ERAM. However, adjusting the gradation was effective in mitigating the adverse effects of short-term aging on both horizontal and vertical homogeneity in the aggregate distribution.

Effect of Fractionation Process and Addition of Composite Crumb Rubber-Modified Asphalt on Road Performance Variability of Recycled Asphalt Mixtures with High Reclaimed Asphalt Pavement (RAP) Content

The application of reclaimed asphalt pavement (RAP) can help reduce resource waste and environmental pollution in road construction. However, so far, only a small percentage of RAP materials can be used in road construction. The key obstacles to the application of a recycled asphalt mixture (RAM) with high RAP content are the variability of RAP materials and the difficulty of fully rejuvenating aged asphalt. However, there is still a lack of research on the effect of the variability of RAP materials and recycled asphalt on the quality control of a RAM. Therefore, this study investigates the effects of sieve pretreatment of RAP material using 4.75 mm sieve mesh and the use of composite crumb rubber-modified asphalt (CCRMA) to reclaim aged asphalt on the road performance and frame variability of reclaimed asphalt mixtures. Therefore, this study investigates the effects of the fractionation process of RAP material using 4.75 mm sieve mesh and the use of CCRMA to reclaim aged asphalt on the road performance of a RAM. The results show that the fractionation process can effectively reduce the mitigation of RAP agglomeration and reduce the variability of gradation, which in turn reduces the variability of road performance. The incorporation of CCRMA can effectively improve the high-temperature stability performance and low-temperature cracking resistance. The dynamic stability and the fracture energy of the CRAM (RAM prepared using CCRMA) were four and one and a half times as large as that of the NAM (RAM prepared using base asphalt), respectively. The fractionation process of RAP material and the utilization of CCRMA could help reduce the variability of the RAM while improving the road performance of the RAM.