Comprehensive Self-Healing Evaluation of Asphalt Concrete Containing Encapsulated Rejuvenator

Abstract

Ultraviolet radiation, oxidation, temperature, moisture, and traffic loads produce degradation and brittleness in the asphalt pavement. Microcracks develop into macrocracks, which eventually lead to pavement failure. Although asphalt has an inherent capacity for self-healing, it is constricted. As a result, damages build beyond the ability of asphalt to repair themselves. This research employs the in-situ crack healing method of encapsulated rejuvenator technology to enhance the insufficient self-healing capability of roads. This allows the extrinsically induced healing in asphalt to assist it in recovering from damage sustained during service life. Optical microscopy, thermogravimetric analysis, and the compressive load test of capsules were done to characterise their properties. We measured the self-healing behaviour of encapsulated rejuvenator-induced asphalt utilising the three-point bending beam tests on unaged, short-term aged and long-term aged asphalt beams. The rate of oil release before and after healing was quantified using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. The results of these tests were utilised to explain the link between healing time, temperature, asphalt ageing, and healing level. Overall, it was determined that the encapsulated rejuvenator was acceptable for mending asphalt mixes because it increased healing temperature and duration, resulting in an up to 80% healing index.

Road Performance and Self-Healing Property of Bituminous Mixture Containing Urea–Formaldehyde Microcapsules

“…The fiber encapsulation ensures a higher likelihood of rejuvenator release into cracks due to the increased probability of cracks intersecting the fiber network [19]. However, this method's development is still nascent, necessitating further research to explore the impact resistance and efficacy of self-healing in fibers containing rejuvenators within bituminous materials [15,[20][21][22]. Currently, the microcapsule system remains the predominant method for encapsulating rejuvenators.…”

Enhanced Induction Heating and Self-Healing Properties of Steel Slag Powder Based Asphalt and Asphalt Mixture under Microwave Irradiation

“…Asphalt has rheological properties and viscoelastic properties. After being damaged by external forces, micro-cracks and micro-pores inside asphalt can be closed under certain conditions so that asphalt performance can recover to a certain extent, which is called the self-healing property of bitumen [1][2][3][4][5]. Road workers can take advantage of this property to preconserve the asphalt pavement before macroscopic damage occurs to extend the service life of the pavement.…”

Investigation of Asphalt Self-Healing Capability Using Microvasculars Containing Rejuvenator: Effects of Microvascular Content, Self-Healing Time and Temperature

“…Rejuvenators are generally engineered cationic emulsifiers, which consist of a lubricant and extender oils with a high content of maltene. It is reported that vegetable oil can also be applied as an asphalt rejuvenator agent [ 10 , 11 ]. At the same time, methods to control parameters such as microcapsule particle size distribution, shell thickness, and shell strength have also been proposed [ 12 ].…”