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Freeze–thaw effects pose the significant challenge to asphalt pavement durability, leading to various types of distress and deterioration. This study investigates the freeze–thaw damage mechanism of Styrene–Butadiene–Styrene (SBS) asphalt mixtures containing reinforcement fibers, specifically basalt fiber as well as lignocellulosic fiber, through a microscopic void characteristics analysis. This investigation aims to understand how the presence of basalt fiber as well as lignocellulosic fiber influences void characteristics for SBS asphalt mixtures during freeze–thaw cycles. A comprehensive experimental program was conducted for the void and mechanical characteristics, which involved the preparation of SBS asphalt mixtures containing basalt fiber as well as lignocellulosic fiber. The mechanical performances of the two types of asphalt mixtures decrease with more freeze–thaw cycles. The decline is faster initially and gradually slows down. Basalt-fiber-modified SMA-13 has higher air void content and mechanical properties compared to lignocellulosic-fiber-modified SMA-13, indicating that adding basalt fibers improves the mechanical performances of SMA-13 asphalt mixture. Both types of asphalt mixtures experience increasing damage with more freeze–thaw cycles, indicating irreversible damage. The stability damage levels are similar, but basalt-fiber-modified SMA-13 has lower splitting strength damage and stiffness modulus damage compared to lignocellulosic-fiber-modified SMA-13. This suggests that adding basalt fibers enhances the resistance to freeze–thaw damage. Surface wear of asphalt mixtures under repeated freeze–thaw cycles is a complex and dynamic process. Fractal theory can uncover the mechanism of surface wear, while describing surface wear behavior and void deformation characteristics using fractal dimension, angularity, roundness, and aspect ratio is a logical and effective approach. The findings provide insights into freeze–thaw damage mechanisms at the microscopic level, highlighting the effects of reinforcement fibers. They provide valuable insights that can be used to optimize the design and maintenance of asphalt pavements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Basalt fiber has a great advantage on the mechanical properties and durability of reactive powder concrete (RPC) because of its superior mechanical properties and chemical corrosion resistance. In this paper, basalt fiber was adopted to modified RPC, and plain reactive powder concrete (PRPC), basalt fiber reactive powder concrete (BFRPC) and steel fiber reactive powder concrete (SFRPC) were prepared. The mechanical properties and freeze–thaw durability of BFRPC with different basalt fiber contents were tested and compared with PRPC and SFRPC to investigate the effects of basalt fiber contents and fiber type on the mechanical properties and freeze–thaw durability of RPC. Besides, the mass loss rate and compressive strength loss rate of RPC under two freeze–thaw conditions (fresh-water freeze–thaw and chloride-salt freeze–thaw) were tested to evaluate the effects of freeze–thaw conditions on the freeze–thaw durability of RPC. The experiment results showed that the mechanical properties and freeze–thaw resistance of RPC increased as the basalt fiber content increase. Compared with the fresh-water freeze–thaw cycle, the damage of the chloride-salt freeze–thaw cycle on RPC was great. Based on the freeze–thaw experiment results, it was found that SFRPC was sensitive to the corrosion of chloride salts and compared with the steel fiber, the improvement of basalt fiber on the freeze–thaw resistance of RPC was great. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper focuses on the fracture damage characteristics of styrene-butadiene-styrene (SBS)-modified SMA-13 specimens with basalt fiber under various freeze-thaw (F-T) cycles. SBS-modified stone mastic asphalt (SMA)-13 specimens with basalt fiber were prepared, first, using the superpave gyratory compaction method. Then, asphalt mixture specimens processed with 0–21 F-T cycles were adopted for the high-temperature compression and low-temperature splitting tests. Meanwhile, the acoustic emission (AE) test was conducted to evaluate the fracture characteristics of the asphalt mixture during loading. The results showed that the AE parameters could effectively reflect the damage fracture characteristics of the asphalt mixture specimen during the high-temperature compression and low-temperature splitting processes. The fracture damage of the asphalt mixture specimens during compression or splitting are classified into three stages based on the variation of the AE signals, i.e., when the load level is below 0.1~0.2 during the first stage and the load level is 0.1–0.9 or 0.2–0.8 during the second stage. The AE signal amplitude and count show clear correlations with the compression and splitting load levels. Meanwhile, the AE signal clarifies the formation, development, and failure of internal damage for the asphalt mixture specimens during the compression and splitting processes. The intensity (value and density) of the AE signal parameters of asphalt mixture decreases with increasing F-T cycles. It is evident that the F-T cycle has a significant adverse effect on the mechanical strength of asphalt mixture, which makes asphalt mixtures more likely to cause early failure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The modifiers NTC (nano-TiO2/CaCO3) and BF (basalt fiber) were adopted to modify a base matrix asphalt mixture. The base matrix asphalt mixture and three kinds of modified asphalt mixture under F–T (freeze–thaw) cycles were scanned by computed tomography. The air voids and morphological changes of asphalt mixture were summarized by image processing technology, and the development process of F–T damage to asphalt mixture was explained from a micro-view. The porosity of NTC-modified asphalt mixture changed little, and the void distribution between base matrix asphalt mixture and NTC-BF (nano-TiO2/CaCO3 and basalt fiber) composite modified asphalt mixture was more uniform. The macro-pores in the asphalt mixture under 15 F–T cycles began to connect gradually, and the pore characteristics also changed. The number and shape of the pores changed under 15 F–T cycles. According to the state characteristics, the change amplitude of the pore characteristics of matrix asphalt mixture and NTC-BF composite modified asphalt mixture were the most stable under F–T cycles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aims to study the viscoelastic properties of asphalt mixtures incorporating styrene–butadiene–styrene (SBS) polymer and basalt fiber under freeze–thaw (F-T) cycles by using the static creep test. Asphalt mixture samples incorporating styrene–butadiene–styrene (SBS) polymer and basalt fiber were manufactured following the Superpave gyratory compaction (SGC) method and coring as well as sawing. After 0 to 21 F-T cycles processing, a uniaxial compression static creep test for the asphalt mixture specimens was performed to evaluate the influence of F-T cycles. The results indicated that the F-T cycles caused a larger creep deformation in the asphalt mixtures, which led to a decrease in the rut resistance of the asphalt mixtures incorporating SBS polymer and basalt fiber. Besides, the resistance to deformation decreased significantly in the early stage of F-T cycles. On the other hand, the viscoelastic parameters were analyzed to discuss the variation of viscoelastic characteristics. The relaxation time increased with F-T cycles, which will not be conducive to internal stress dissipation. Compared with lignin fiber, basalt fiber can improve the resistance to high-temperature deformation and the low-temperature crack resistance of asphalt mixtures under F-T cycles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]