Search

This paper analyses the key findings of a study devoted to PET-modified bitumen. The research program was run according to the D-optimal experimental plan based on a factorial design. Five factors, i.e., the type of polymer (source), the type of bitumen (qualitative factors), PET amount, mixing rate, and mixing temperature (quantitative factors), controlled the bitumen–polymer mixing process. The experiment included a series of determinations of bitumen's rheological characteristics obtained by MSCR (Jnr, R) and G*/sin(δ) at 50 °C, 60 °C, and 70 °C. The low-temperature properties of the composite (critical temperature) were evaluated using a BBR test. The findings showed that bitumen modification with PET primarily reduced the creep susceptibility of the bituminous–polymer mixture. The low-temperature characteristics of the modified bitumen played a secondary but essential role. The amount of polymer and the mixing rate interacted with the temperature, significantly reducing the stiffness of the composite, while the type and amount of bitumen had a substantial effect on the results obtained in the BBR test. It is worth noting that when combining bitumen and plastomer, special attention should be paid to ensuring a high level of homogeneity of the mixture by controlling the parameters of the mixing process accordingly. The tests and analyses provided crucial models (GLM), which allowed for the prediction of the plastomer-modified bitumen's low- and high-temperature properties. The resulting relationships between factors and the identification of their impact on the bitumen properties enable a better understanding of the process of bitumen modification with PET. The conclusions presented here serve as a basis for future optimisation of the modified bitumen composition. The performed studies indicate that the use of >3% plastomer in bitumen 70/100 allows for a reduction in its susceptibility (MSCR) to below 0.5 kPa−1, making it suitable for bituminous mixtures for high-traffic roads. No significant increase in critical temperature (BBR) was observed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A 23 factorial design experiment was conducted to study the influence of pre-heating temperature (HT) for manufacturing sample, bonding temperature (BT) onto rheometer, and trimming state (Trim) of the sample on complex shear modulus (G*) and phase angle (δ) using a dynamic shear rheometer on unmodified bitumen of types 50/70, 70/100, and two 160/220 from various sources. In addition, the black diagram and 2S2P1D model were used to evaluate the viscoelastic properties of bitumens. Findings show that the G* is more sensitive to the changes than the δ. Additionally, it was found that the 8 mm parallel plate diameter had a higher sensitivity to the trimming state than the 25 mm. The tested factor HT generally did not have a statistically significant impact on the results of the tested materials, except for 160/220_I. At practically all the temperatures tested for 50/70 and 160/220_II, the G* dropped by increasing the factor BT from a lower to a higher value. The Trim:BT interaction has the greatest impact on all materials and temperatures on G*, except for 160/220 at lower temperatures. However, in the case of δ, the Trim:BT interaction has the most significant effects for 70/100 and 160/220_II. The black diagrams show no discernible differences, which may be a result of the limited range of changes made to the variables. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to conserve non-renewable natural resources, waste cooking oil (WCO) in bitumen can help lower CO2 emissions and advance the environmental economy. In this study, three different components of WCO were isolated and then, together with polyphosphoric acid (PPA), used separately as bitumen modifiers to determine the suitability of various substances in WCO with PPA. Conventional tests, including penetration, softening point temperature, and ductility, and the dynamic shear rheology (DSR) test, including temperature sweep and frequency sweep, were used to evaluate the influence of WCO/PPA on the traditional performance and rheological properties at high and low temperatures. The results indicate that WCO reduced the ductility and penetration value, when the use of PPA increased the softening point temperature and high-temperature performance. Compared to reference bitumen, the rutting factor and viscous activation energy (Ea) of bitumen modified with 4% WCO and 2% PPA has the most significant increase by 18.6% and 31.5, respectively. All components of WCO have a significant impact on improving the low-temperature performance of PPA-modified bitumen. The performance of the composite-modified bitumen at low temperatures is negatively affected by some waxy compounds in WCO, such as methyl palmitate, which tends to undergo a solid–liquid phase change as the temperature decreases. In conclusion, the inclusion of WCO/PPA in bitumen offers a fresh approach to developing sustainable pavement materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research effort is geared towards revealing the latent potential of discarded shoe polish that might be repurposed as an asphalt fluxing agent for the construction of durable and sustainable road surfaces. To drive this creative invention, the effect of various proportions of waste shoe polish (e.g., 5, 10 and 15 wt. % WSP) on the performance of base AP-5 bitumen was inspected in great detail. A meticulous investigation of the chemical, physical, and rheological properties of the resultant combinations was carried out using a variety of state-of-the-art laboratory techniques, specifically: thin-layer chromatography-flame ionization detection (TLC-FID), Fourier transform-infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), needle penetration, ring-and-ball softening point, Brookfield viscometer, ductility, flash/fire points, dynamic shear rheometer (DSR), multiple stress-creep recovery (MSCR), and bending beam rheometer (BBR) tests. The Iatroscan data disclosed that the continuous feeding of binder with WSP had a minor impact on SARA fractional distribution, regardless of aging. According to the FT-IR scan, the stepwise addition of WSP to the binder did not result in any significant chemical alterations in the blends. The combined outcomes of the DSR/BBR/empirical test methods forecasted that the partly bio-sourced additive would greatly improve the mixing–compaction temperatures, workability, and coating–adhesion properties of bituminous mixtures while imparting them with outstanding anti-aging/cracking attributes. In short, the utilization of waste shoe polish as a fluxing agent for hot asphalt mix production and application is not only safe, feasible, and affordable, but it has the potential to abate the pollution caused by the shoe-care market while simultaneously enhancing the overall performance of the pavement and extending its service lifespan. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the growing interest in bituminous construction materials, desulfurized crumb rubber (CR)/styrene–butadiene–styrene (SBS) modified asphalts have been investigated by many researchers as low-cost environmental-friendly road construction materials. This study aimed to investigate the rheological properties of desulfurized CR/SBS composite modified asphalt within various temperature ranges. Bending beam rheometer (BBR), linear amplitude sweep (LAS), and multiple stress creep recovery (MSCR) tests were performed on conventional CR/SBS composite modified asphalt and five types of desulfurized CR/SBS modified asphalts. Meanwhile, Burgers' model and the Kelvin–Voigt model were used to derive nonlinear viscoelastic parameters and analyze the viscoelastic mechanical behavior of the asphalts. The experimental results indicate that both the desulfurized CR/SBS composite modifier and force chemical reactor technique can enhance the crosslinking of CR and SBS copolymer, resulting in an improved high-, intermediate-, and low-temperature performance of desulfurized CR/SBS composite modified asphalt. Burgers' model was found to be apposite in simulating the creep stages obtained from MSCR tests for CR/SBS composite modified asphalts. The superior high-temperature performance of desulfurized CR/SBS modified asphalt prepared with 4% SBS, 20% desulfurized rubber, and a force chemical reactor time of 45 min contributes to the good high-temperature elastic properties of the asphalt. Therefore, this combination is recommended as an optimal preparation process. In summary, the desulfurization of crumb rubber and using the force chemical reactor technique are beneficial to composite asphalt performance and can provide a new way of utilizing waste tire rubber. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The process of water-based foaming of bitumen produces binders that can be incorporated in cold recycled asphalt mixes and pavement upper structural layers made of half-warm mix asphalt prepared at 100–130 °C. During the foaming process, cold water and air act on hot bitumen (160–170 °C), which results in the explosive vaporization of water leading to changes in the binder structure. The impact of foaming on the properties of bitumen 70/100 was evaluated by investigating the binder characteristics before and after foaming. Determination of two foaming parameters, maximum expansion and half-life, was followed by measurements of penetration at 25 °C, softening point, Fraass breaking point, and dynamic viscosity at 60, 90, and 135 °C. Rheological and low-temperature tests were also performed before and after foaming bitumen 70/100. The Bending Beam Rheometer method was applied to determine the low temperature stiffness modulus. A DHR-2 rheometer was used to determine the dynamic modulus and phase angle of the tested binder. The Black and master curves before and after foaming were plotted in the 2S2P1D model and the model parameters were analysed. Analysis of the test results confirmed the effects of the foaming process on the basic, low-temperature, and rheological characteristics of the bitumen. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The requirements imposed on road pavements are ever increasing nowadays, necessitating the improvement of the properties of paving materials. The most commonly used paving materials include bituminous mixtures that are composed of aggregate grains bound by a bituminous binder. The properties of bitumens can be improved by modification with polymers. Among the copolymers used for modifying bitumens, styrene–butadiene–styrene, a thermoplastic elastomer, is the most commonly used. This article presents the results of tests conducted on bitumens modified with two types of styrene–butadiene–styrene copolymer (linear and radial). Two bitumen types of different penetration grades (35/50 and 160/220) were used in the experiments. The content of styrene–butadiene–styrene added to the bitumen varied between 1% and 6%. The results of the force ductility test showed that cohesion energy can be used for qualitative evaluation of the efficiency of modification of bitumen with styrene–butadiene–styrene copolymer. The determined values of the cohesion energy were subjected to the original analysis taking into account the three characteristic elongation zones of the tested binders. The performed analyses made it possible to find a parameter whose values correlate significantly with the content of styrene–butadiene–styrene copolymer in the modified bitumen. With smaller amounts of added modifier (approximately 2%), slightly better effects were obtained in the case of linear copolymer styrene–butadiene–styrene and for larger amounts of modifier (5–6%) radial copolymer styrene–butadiene–styrene was found to be more effective. This is confirmed by the changes in the binder structure, as indicated by the penetration index (PI). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As bitumen oxidizes, material stiffening and embrittlement occur, and bitumen eventually cracks. The use of anti-oxidants, such as lignin, could be used to delay oxidative aging and to extend the lifetime of asphalt pavements. In this study, the chemical and rheological effect of lignin on bitumen was evaluated by using a single dosage organsolv lignin (10 wt.% dosage). A pressure aging vessel (PAV) was used to simulate the long-term aging process after performing the standard short-term aging procedure, and the lignin-modified bituminous binders were characterized by an environmental scanning electron microscope (ESEM), Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, and a dynamic shear rheometer (DSR). From the ESEM results, the uniform microstructure was observed, indicating that the addition of lignin did not affect the worm structure of bitumen. Based on the FTIR test results, lignin-modified bitumen showed that a lower number of carbonyl and sulfoxide compounds were generated after aging than for neat bitumen. Based on the linear amplitude sweep (LAS) results, the addition of lignin slightly reduced the fatigue life of bitumen. From the frequency sweep results, it showed that lignin in bitumen acts as a modifier since the physical interaction between lignin and bitumen predominantly affects the material rheology. Overall, lignin could be a promising anti-oxidant due to its economic and environmental benefits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]