Durability Phenomena of Bitumen and Bituminous Pavement Materials

Abstract

The durability of asphaltic mixtures, in addition to traffic loading, is greatly influenced by the extremes environmental parameters. For instance, at higher temperatures, bitumen becomes soft, thereby reducing the stiffness of asphalt mixtures and making them vulnerable to rutting. On the other hand, at lower temperatures, the stiffness of bitumen is increased, reducing the flexibility of asphaltic concrete and rendering it prone to fatigue failure. Therefore, this evaluation is an extensive research study on the durability of binder and asphalt mixture with their phenomena. Besides that, this paper intends to delve into the various testing methods and measures adopted to evaluate aging and slowing it down. It also presents a critical review of these methods and proposes a future course of action to better address aging issues. According to the evaluation, the behavior of bitumen on the basis of its source varies; when it is mixed with bitumen modifiers, aggregates, and other filler materials, its behavior becomes even more complex. Hence the understanding of the phenomenon of aging is important and the significance cannot be overemphasized. Extensive research work has been done over the last seven decades to evolve the understanding of short- and long-term aging and to improve the durability of asphaltic mixtures. Generally, the aging of bitumen under the influence of both environment and traffic is irreversible as well as inevitable. Apart from entailing hefty maintenance budgets, it remains a challenge to the researchers to slow down aging.

Durability of bitumen binder reinforced with polymer additives: Towards upgrading Nigerian local bitumen

“…Binders are said to be durable if they resist deterioration or changes in physical characteristics over time [ 2 ]. Vehicle loading, endless exposure to climatic and environmental variables, and other factors make the ageing of bitumen mixtures inevitable.…”

“…Road researchers throughout the world have focused their efforts, and industry has invested large resources and time in studying various elements and their interactions as they influence bitumen ageing [ 41 ]. Due to bitumen exposure to harsh environmental elements such as precipitation, temperature, air, and ultraviolet (UV) radiation, studies have shown that bitumen ageing has a significant impact on pavement durability [ 2 , 5 ]. For example, at a higher temperature, bitumen softens and loses rigidity, making it more susceptible to rutting.…”

“…Natural rubber latex is extracted from rubber trees while synthetic rubbers also called “crumb rubber” are produced either by Ref. [ 1 ] solution crumb or [ 2 ] emulsion crumb methods [ 114 ]. Natural rubber has been used to modify bitumen for many years [ 139 ] in the form of powder and liquid.…”

“…Other frequently used polymers in the same category are Styrene-butadiene rubber (SBR) and Styrene butadiene styrene (SBS) polymers. Applications for CRM have been discovered in the creation of asphalt mixtures for two purposes namely [ 1 ] to come up with a different way to dispose of tyres and [ 2 ] to enhance the effectiveness of asphalt mixtures. CRM is a rubber by-product made from recycled tyres that, after being crushed and sieved, is used as a feedstock for another manufacturing process.…”

“…Generally, road pavement mixtures consist of about 95 % aggregates (stone, sand, and gravel) and 5 % bitumen. This small amount of bitumen, however, has a tremendous impact on pavement efficacy [ 2 ]. The degree of adhesion between bitumen and aggregate is principally influenced by the interfacial property which determines the strength of the mixture [ 3 ].…”