Comparison of Rubber Asphalt with Polymer Asphalt under Long-Term Aging Conditions in Michigan

Abstract

The objective of this study is to compare the long-term aging performance of dry-processed rubber-modified asphalt mixture with styrene–butadiene–styrene polymer-modified asphalt mixture on heavy traffic volume roads in the wet-freeze environment of Michigan. The rutting performance was evaluated using the Hamburg wheel track device. The disc-shaped compact tension test was used to assess the fracture energy. The dynamic modulus experiment was used to estimate the load and displacement relationship. The asphalt binder properties were evaluated using multiple stress creep recovery and the linear amplitude sweep test. The pavement distresses were evaluated using the pavement mechanistic–empirical design. All three types of asphalt mixture show excellent rutting resistance after long-term aging conditions, while the fracture energy of the rubber mix is 17.1% to 30.5% higher than that of the control mix and 6.8% to 9.1% higher than that of the polymer mix. The rubber and polymer incorporated with the asphalt binder improved the resistance to permanent deformation and improved the fatigue life of the asphalt binder. In summary, the rubberized asphalt technology using the dry process shows better cracking resistance and fatigue life. Therefore, rubberized asphalt using the dry process will exhibit adequate performance when used for high-volume roads in the wet-freeze environment of Michigan.

Interlayer Performance, Viscoelastic Performance, and Road Performance Based on High-Performance Asphalt Composite Structures

“…This linear relationship reflects the viscoelastic nature of the asphalt material. log α T = −0.097T + 2.37 (13) log…”

“…Both rubber and polymer enhance asphalt's resistance to permanent deformation and fatigue life. Dry-processed rubberized asphalt demonstrates superior cracking resistance and fatigue life, suitable for high-volume roads in Michigan's wet-freeze conditions [13]. Cold-in-place recycling (CIR) was an effective method for asphalt pavement rehabilitation.…”

Novel Approach in Fracture Characterization of Soft Adhesive Materials Using Spiral Cracking Patterns

“…Given the current challenges in carrying out conventional fracture tests for soft adhesives, the findings of this limited study suggest that the use of spiral cracking patterns could be considered as a viable alternative for assessing the fracture characteristics of such materials and laying the groundwork for future advancements in this field. Particularly in the field of hydrocarbon polymeric materials, numerous studies have been directed toward the low-temperature cracking characterization of asphalt materials [23][24][25][26][27][28][29]. It is recommended that for future studies, the spiral cracking results are compared against those from the existing testing methods, such as the Asphalt Binder Cracking Device (ABCD), Bending Beam Rheometer (BBR), etc.…”

Influence of the Surface Texture Parameters of Asphalt Pavement on Light Reflection Characteristics

“…According to the relevant research results [38][39][40], seven texture parameters of asphaltmixture specimens before and after rolling in the rutting test were selected for comparative analysis: macrotexture surface area S 1 , microtexture surface area S 2 , macrotexture distribution density D 1 , microtexture distribution density D 2 , root mean square slope ∆q, skewness R sk , and kurtosis R ku . The specific measurement results are shown in Figure 6.…”