Characterization of asphalt binders extracted from field mixtures containing RAP and/or RAS

The use of reclaimed asphalt pavement (RAP) and/or recycled asphalt shingles (RAS) in the asphalt mixtures is a common practice in the U.S.A. However, there is a controversy to date on how RAP/RAS interact with virgin asphalt binders (VABs) in asphalt mixtures. For mixtures containing RAP/RAS, the aged asphalt binders in RAP and air-blown asphalt binders in RAS alter the performances of the extracted asphalt binders (EABs). Thus, the rheological properties of EABs from these mixtures require more investigation. The focus of this paper was relating the high-temperature properties of EABs from field cores to the corresponding rolling thin film oven aged virgin asphalt binders (RTFO AVABs). Furthermore, a comparison of the effect of RAP and RAS on the high-temperature rheological properties of EABs was another objective. Different asphalt cores were collected from the field within two weeks after the pavement construction process in 2016. These cores represented eight asphalt mixtures with different asphalt binder replacement percentages by RAP, RAS, or both. The asphalt binders were extracted from these mixtures and considered as RTFO AVABs. The high-temperature rheological properties included the temperature sweep and frequency sweep testing and the multiple stress creep recovery testing. The EABs had higher stiffnesses and elasticates than the corresponding RTFO AVABs because of the aged binders in RAP/RAS. The binders in RAP interacted more readily with VABs than RAS binders.

Interactions between RAP and virgin asphalt binders in field, plant, and lab mixes

Reclaimed asphalt pavement (RAP) has been used in asphalt mixes for several years in the United States. However, the interactions between the RAP binder and the virgin asphalt binder (VAB) need further investigations. Thus, the main objective of this study was to explore the rheological and chemical properties of extracted asphalt binders (EABs) from plant, field, and lab mixes. The plant mixes were collected from behind the paver, reheated to the compaction temperature, and compacted in the lab. The field mixes were collected as cores within two weeks after the end of the construction process. The lab mixes were fabricated in the lab using the same materials used in the plant and field mixes. The mixes contained high asphalt binder replacement percentages by RAP, which were greater than 30%. The EABs were treated as rolling thin film oven aged VABs (RTFO AVABs). The rheological properties of EABs and RTFO AVABs were analyzed using temperature sweep, frequency sweep, and multiple stress creep recovery tests. Chemical investigations of EABs and RTFO AVABs were carried out using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and thermogravimetric analysis. The EABs from plant or lab mixes showed higher stiffnesses than EABs from field mixes. This occurred because of the extra heating that was implemented for the plant mixes before the compaction in the lab, which caused more interactions between the RAP binder and VABs. The fabrication mechanism, mixing and short-term aging processes, used in lab mixes caused more interactions between RAP binder and VABs than in the field mixes.

Asphalt Binder Modification with Plastomeric Compounds Containing Recycled Plastics and Graphene

Polymer-modified bitumens are usually employed for enhancing the mixture performance against typical pavement distresses. This paper presents an experimental investigation of bitumens added with two plastomeric compounds, containing recycled plastics and graphene, typically used for asphalt concrete dry modification. The goal was to study the effects of the compounds on the rheological response of the binder phase, as well the adhesion properties, in comparison with a reference plain bitumen. The blends (combination of bitumen and compounds) were evaluated through dynamic viscosity tests, frequency sweep tests, and multiple stress creep recovery (MSCR) tests. Moreover, the bitumen bond strength (BBS) test was performed to investigate the behavior of the systems consisting of blends and aggregate substrates (virgin and pre-coated). The rheological tests indicated that both blends performed better than the plain bitumen, especially at high temperature, showing an enhanced rutting resistance. In terms of bond strength, comparable results were found between the blends and reference bitumen. Moreover, no performance differences were detected between the two types of blends.

In-plane Shear Response of a Flax Fiber-epoxy Resin Composite Subjected to Repeated Loading and Creep-recovery Cycles

The present paper is aimed at studying the in-plane shear response of a flax fiber - epoxy resin composite laminate. Rectangular specimens, with �45� laminate orientation with respect to loading direction were used for the experimental procedure. Tensile testing up to failure allowed to extract the shear strain-shear stress curve, which have shown a linear domain, up to approximately 25 MPa, where a shear modulus was calculated, of 1.67 GPa and a Poisson ratio of 0.7, value which is typical for off axis laminates. Strain measurement during these tests, using Digital Image Correlation, have shown that, at high stress levels, concentrators occur in the specimen in the region of failure. Repeated loading tests have shown that the material stiffens approximately 9% when increasing loading speed, leading to conclude that a viscoelastic component of the deformation is present during loading. Repeated creep-recovery tests showed that, for longer periods of time, viscoplastic deformations appear as well, with an exponential evolution with respect to the creep duration.

Multiple Stress Creep Recovery (MSCR) Test for Determination of Waste Engine Oil Modified Asphalt Binder as Pavement Material

Engineers have been using modified binders to improve the quality of flexible pavements. The use of waste material is one of the solutions taken in this direction. It is for this ground that the studies emphasis on the evaluation of waste engine oil as a modifier for asphalt binder as a pavement material. In the study uses four samples extracted from 80/100 penetration grade bitumen. From four sample first sample was checked for weather requirements of asphalt binder meet or not and the three were modified with different content of engine oil (3,6 and 9%). The behaviors of both unmodified and modified binder were checked for rheological properties. Dynamic shear rheometer (DSR) was used to determine high temperature performance grade (PG) and multiple stress creep recovery tests to determine rutting resistance properties of the binder. PG analysis indicates that both aged and un-aged 3% and 6% modified binder have similar higher PG grade with the unmodified one and 9% modified to have lower PG vale. Jnr3.2 value of modified asphalt binder is lower than unmodified binder indicating that modification had improved the rutting resistance and design traffic load (ESALS). The study shows that it is possible to use waste engine oil-modified binder as a pavement material.

Spent Graphite from End-of-Life Lithium-Ion Batteries (LIBs) as a Promising Nanoadditive to Boost Road Pavement Performance

To take swift action towards tackling the global pollution crisis of discarded lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) while reinforcing road structures, this investigation was undertaken. The influence of various proportions of spent graphite (e.g., 5, 10, and 15 wt.% SG), harvested from end-of-life LIBs, on the performance of base AP-5 asphalt cement was studied. Multiple laboratory techniques have been employed to characterize the internal physiochemical interaction between the additive and the binder. These techniques include: elemental analysis (EA), thin-layer chromatography-flame ionization detection (TLC-FID), Fourier transform-infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), empirical test methods (e.g., penetration, softening point, viscosity, and ductility), dynamic shear rheometer (DSR), and multiple stress-creep recovery (MSCR). Prior to aging, SARA analysis demonstrated that the incremental SG addition into the AP-5 bitumen reduced the contents of saturates, aromatics, and resins, and increased the proportion of asphaltenes. After aging, the saturated and aromatic hydrocarbons kept decreasing; however, the resins increased and the asphaltenes declined. Accordingly, this has brought a progressive shift tendency in the stable–colloidal system for all binders from sol-state towards sol-gel-state. FT-IR scan revealed that the SG has no apparent chemical interaction with the binder, and is endowed solely with filling effects. XRD diagnosis highlighted that the steady SG incorporation into the binder amplified its crystallinity; thereby boosting the thermomechanical properties of mastics. SEM imaging unveiled that the lower-dose of SG exhibited higher compatibility within the bitumen matrix; nevertheless, the intermediate/higher-doses made the binder body relatively rougher. DSR/MSCR/conventional tests indicated that when the asphalt is blended with the graphitic powder under unaged/aged conditions, it becomes stiffer, more viscous, and less cohesive; thereby rendering it more resistant to deformation but not to cracking. In summary, it is promisingly proven that the SG could be successfully used as an asphalt additive and could be beneficial for improving paving performance and mitigating the pollution caused by dead LIBs as well.

Laboratory Characterization of Asphalt Binders Modified with Styrene Butadiene Rubber (SBR)

The study describes the laboratory assessment (physical and rheological properties) of the binders (PG 64-22 and PG 76-22) modified with Styrene Butadiene Rubber (SBR), and a comprehensive comparison between these two modified binder types. PG 64-22 and PG 76-22 were used as base binders. Both of the base binders were blended with SBR at four different percentages of content (0%, 4%, 6%, and 8% by the weight of the binder). The base and modified binders were artificially short-term and long-term aged using a rolling thin film oven (RTFO) and pressure aging vessel (PAV) procedures. Superpave binder tests were conducted on the SBR modified binder using rotational viscometer (RV), dynamic shear rheometer (DSR), and bending beam rheometer (BBR). In depth rutting performance was investigated using Multiple Stress Creep Recovery (MSCR). The results of this study indicated that (1) the addition of SBR into both binders increased the viscosity and polymer modified asphalt (PMA) binders observed to have more significant effect on its viscosity property; (2) the higher the SBR content, the better the rutting resistance of the binder and it is observed that the effect is prominent on the control binder; (3) MSCR test results showed that the SBR modified binders improved the binder percentage recovery and found to have a more significant effect on the PG 76-22 binder compared to PG 64-22; and (4) both the control PG 64-22 and PMA PG 76-22 binders resulted in similar trends on the cracking properties and were found to have insignificant effects due to the addition of an SBR modifier.