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Focusing on sunlight that has severe effects on the degradation of asphalt pavement during service, this study examined the relationships between the film thickness of asphalt and the states of photodegradation. The results confirmed that thinner films had a higher modulus of elasticity, lower viscosity, and increased production of carbonyl groups, which is an indicator of oxidative degradation. The degree of degradation rapidly increased especially at thicknesses below 200 μm. The wavelength dependence of spectral photodegradation was also examined. Visual observations and the carbonyl index confirmed that ultraviolet irradiation in the range of 300 to 400 nm caused severe photodegradation of asphalt. Carbon black blocked light near the surface of the asphalt layer, where the damage caused by light is most severe. Addition of carbon black helps to prevent photodegradation by ultraviolet irradiation in the wavelength range of 300 to 400 nm., アスファルト舗装の供用中の劣化現象に影響の大きい光に注目し，この劣化におけるアスファルト単体の膜厚の影響を調査した。その結果，膜厚が薄くなるにつれて，特に200 μm以下の領域で，弾性率の増大や粘性の喪失，また酸化劣化を示すカルボニル基生成の増大など，劣化の程度が急激に著しくなることが確認された。また，分光劣化試験による波長依存性を調査した結果，外観変化やカルボニル指数の挙動より，アスファルトの光による劣化には波長範囲300～400 nmの紫外線の影響が大きいことを明らかにした。さらに，遮光性フィラーとして知られるカーボンブラックは，光による劣化の著しいアスファルト層の表面付近で機能し，波長300～400 nmの紫外線による劣化を抑える効果のあることが見出された。

Carbon black, used as a reinforcing filler for rubber materials, was evaluated for asphalt binders in pavements. Carbon black added to straight asphalt within 20 wt% caused an increase in the elastic modulus and a decrease in the viscosity of the asphalt, especially at temperatures higher than room temperature. Addition of carbon black raised the maximum service temperature of asphalt in the category of the binder performance grade according to the SHRP (Strategic Highway Research Program) specifications. On the other hand, addition of carbon black also increased the failure strain at low temperatures. Furthermore, addition of carbon black reduced the coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) of asphalt to closer to that of aggregates. In asphalt mixtures, tensile stress occurs at the boundary between asphalt and aggregate with decreasing temperature due to the CTE difference. Addition of carbon black reduced this stress. Carbon black addition to asphalt has the potential to improve both deformation resistance in the high temperature region and crack resistance in the low temperature region, which were empirically considered to be contradictory. Therefore, carbon black is an effective filler for improving the durability of asphalt pavements.