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This paper presents a United Atom (UA) force field for simulating hydrocarbon molecules in bituminous materials, integrating explicit hydrogens into beads with their parent atom. This method simplifies all-atom molecular models, significantly accelerating Molecular Dynamics (MD) simulations of bitumen by 10 to 100 times. Key advantages include halving the particle count, eliminating complex hydrogen interactions, and decreasing the degrees of freedom of the molecules. Developed by mapping forces from an all-atom model to the centers of mass of UA model beads, the force field ensures accurate replication of energies, forces, and molecular conformations, mirroring properties like pressure and density. It features 17 bead types and 287 interaction types, encompassing various hydrocarbon molecules. The UA force field's stability, surpassing all-atom models, is a notable achievement. This stability, stemming from smoother potential energy surfaces, leads to consistent property measurements and improved stress tensor accuracy. It enables the extension of MD simulations to larger spatiotemporal scales, crucial for understanding complex phenomena such as phase separation in bituminous materials. This foundational work sets the stage for future developments, including refining parameters and introducing new bead types, to enhance the modeling capabilities of the force field, thereby advancing the application and understanding of bituminous materials., Pavement Engineering

This study systematically investigated the potential of waste carbon fibers (WCFs) as a sustainable solution in enhancing the multiple induction heating healing of asphalt mixture, thereby tackling two major concerns: the environmental impact of WCFs and the durability of asphalt pavement. Firstly, four groups of asphalt binder samples with different WCFs contents were prepared. The viscosity and workability of WCFs modified asphalt binder were analyzed. Next, asphalt mixture containing 2% steel fibers was prepared at the optimal WCFs content, while control groups without WCFs were prepared with 2% and 4% steel fibers content. A comprehensive study was conducted on the induction heating rate, effective heating depth and surface temperature cooling rules of the asphalt mixture. Finally, by conducting multiple “fracture-healing” tests, the influence of WCFs on the healing efficiency of asphalt mixture was analyzed. The results revealed that WCFs increased the viscosity of the virgin asphalt, but excessive WCFs content hindered the workability. The optimal WCFs content was determined to be 1% (by weight of asphalt binder). WCFs enhanced the thermal conductivity of the asphalt mixture, accelerating heating and improving vertical heat transfer while reducing surface temperature decline. During multiple “fracture -healing” processes, the inclusion of WCFs enhanced the mechanical strength of the asphalt mixture, improved its healing efficiency, and increased the number of healings. Even after five cycles, the specimen with the most damage still showed a fracture energy recovery rate (FERR) of over 30%. In conclusion, WCFs significantly enhanced the multiple induction heating healing efficiency of the asphalt mixture., Green Open Access added to TU Delft Institutional Repository ‘You share, we take care!’ – Taverne project https://www.openaccess.nl/en/you-share-we-take-care Otherwise as indicated in the copyright section: the publisher is the copyright holder of this work and the author uses the Dutch legislation to make this work public., Pavement Engineering

This study investigates the impacts of rejuvenator type/dosage and the aging degree of bitumen on the chemical and rheological properties of rejuvenated bitumen, and propose critical chemo-rheological indicators for evaluating rejuvenation efficiency. Moreover, the potential connections between essential chemical and rheological indices of rejuvenator-aged bitumen blends are explored. Results indicate that chemical indices show linear relationships with rejuvenator dosage and vary depending on the rejuvenator type and aging level of bitumen. All rejuvenators can regenerate certain rheological parameters of aged bitumen to varying degrees, but cannot restore the crossover modulus (Gc). Various rheological indices exhibit different correlations with rejuvenator dosage and sensitivity degrees to the discrepancy in rejuvenator type and aging degree of bitumen. Critical chemical and rheological indicators are proposed based on their sensitivity levels to influence factors, with the aromaticity index (AI), carbonyl index (CI), and sulfoxide index (SI) as effective chemical indices and the complex modulus (G*), crossover frequency (fc), and high-temperature master curve area (AMH) as critical rheological indices for rejuvenation efficiency evaluation. The study finds that the magnitude of rejuvenation efficiency for four rejuvenators is Bio-oil > Engine-oil > Naphthenic-oil > Aromatic-oil, and the linear correlations between the critical chemical and rheological indices, together with their rejuvenation percentages, are significantly affected by the rejuvenator type and aging level of bitumen., Pavement Engineering

The goal of this study was to investigate the effect of styrene-butadiene-styrene (SBS) polymer on the aging properties of high-content terminal blend rubber modified asphalt (HCTBMA). All asphalt was tested for chemo-rheological properties using an attenuated total reflection-Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR) test, temperature sweep test, frequency sweep tests, and multiple stress creep recovery (MSCR) test. According to ATR-FTIR observations, SBS can retard the oxidation effect of HCTBMA during short-term aging, but its inhibitory effect is reduced during long-term aging. Furthermore, aging aggravates the degree of desulfurization of crumb rubber in HCTBMA as the SBS content increases. Compared with HCTBMA, neat asphalt has a lower elasticity at high temperatures and a higher elasticity at low temperatures. The addition of SBS to HCTBMA improves the elasticity of the material. The elasticity of HCTBMA decreases and then increases after aging, and SBS can reduce the aging degree of HCTBMA after aging. Moreover, based on Pearson correlation analysis, the correlation between the desulfurization of rubber and the degradation of polybutadiene in HCTBMA during aging is high., Green Open Access added to TU Delft Institutional Repository ‘You share, we take care!’ – Taverne project https://www.openaccess.nl/en/you-share-we-take-care Otherwise as indicated in the copyright section: the publisher is the copyright holder of this work and the author uses the Dutch legislation to make this work public., Pavement Engineering

Terminal blended rubberized asphalt binder (TB) technology, which blends crumb tire rubber (CR) with asphalt under high interaction conditions, offers a promising waste tire recycling solution for pavement construction. By precisely controlling the degradation progress of CR, it is possible to prepare TB with specific property requirements. However, the degradation progress of CR and its impact on TB property during the TB preparation process remain ambiguous. This hinders the potential for efficient preparation of TB with specific property requirements. This study aims to understand the degradation progress of TB by analyzing binders, soluble fractions, and insoluble fractions obtained at various interaction durations. Microscopic analysis characterizes the chemical composition, morphology, and molecular weight distribution of insoluble and soluble fractions, while macroscopic analysis evaluates the solubility, viscosity, compatibility, and mechanical properties of binders. The results reveal that the degradation of CR during the preparation of TB consists of a desulfurization reaction, depolymerization reaction, and release behavior (carbon black and fillers). Depending on the degradation progress of CR, the interaction process can be classified into three stages: initial (desulfurization reaction dominant stage), middle (depolymerization reaction dominant stage), and last (release behavior dominant stage). The desulfurization reaction of CR is almost completed in the initial stage. The depolymerization reactions and release behavior occur throughout the process. The most pronounced depolymerization reactions occur in the initial stage for natural rubber and in the middle stage for synthetic rubber, while the most significant release behavior occurs in the last stage. Accordingly, in the initial stage, TB shows a rapid evolution in macro properties due to the significant development of degradation reactions, specifically, the notable improvement in viscosity, c, Green Open Access added to TU Delft Institutional Repository ‘You share, we take care!’ – Taverne project https://www.openaccess.nl/en/you-share-we-take-care Otherwise as indicated in the copyright section: the publisher is the copyright holder of this work and the author uses the Dutch legislation to make this work public., Pavement Engineering

Pavement Engineering

Two types of elastomer/plastic compound-modified bitumen were developed by means of incorporating the reactive elastomeric terpolymer (RET) into the plastic (high-density polyethylene HDPE or recycled polyethylene RPE) modified bitumen and adding the wax residue (WR) into the bitumen/elastomer (crumb rubber CR or styrene–butadiene–styrene SBS) blends. The rheological properties, morphology microstructure and storage stability of these novel elastomer/plastic compound-modified binders were characterised. The results revealed that RET elastomer positively improved the high-temperature modulus, temperature insensitivity, rut resistant, elastic recovery and shear-resistance of HDPE- and RPE-modified bitumen. However, excessive RET dosage adversely influenced the cracking resistance of plastic-modified bitumen, and its optimum dosage was recommended as 1 wt%. Moreover, RET elastomer significantly strengthened the storage stability of HDPE and RPE-modified binders. The elasticity improvement effect of RET was attributed to the generated polymer network. On the other hand, adding WR limitedly deteriorated the rutting resistance and weakened the elastic recovery performance of elastomer (CR and SBS) modified bitumen. To ensure the low-temperature performance, the optimum level of WR was 2 wt%. Furthermore, the addition of WR promoted the compatibility and dispersion of CR and SBS modifiers in bitumen., Pavement Engineering

High-Content SBS Polymer Modified Asphalt Mixtures (HCPMA) combined with fibers have gained popularity in porous pavement construction due to their superior performance. Although the aging behavior of HCPMA has been extensively studied, the impact of fibers on performance and aging susceptibility remains unclear. This research investigates the influence of two representative fibers (lignin and polyester) on the raveling, cracking, fatigue, and rutting resistance of HCPMA before and after aging using Cantabro loss tests, SCB strength tests, SCB fatigue tests, and Hamburg Wheel-Tracking tests. The results indicate that in the original state, polyester fiber slightly enhances HCPMA performance, while lignin fiber shows limited or even adverse effects on cracking, raveling, fatigue, and rutting resistance. However, both fibers exhibit a more pronounced enhancement effect after short- and long-term aging. FTIR analysis reveals that fiber addition does not significantly impact bitumen oxidation and polymer degradation. The excellent properties of High-Content SBS Polymer Modified Bitumen (HCPMB) in the original state create a "masking" effect that conceals the enhancement effect of fibers, which becomes more evident after long-term aging. Consequently, it is recommended that the performance evaluation and design of open-graded asphalt mixtures containing HCPMB be based on post-aging performance., Pavement Engineering

With the increasing awareness of environmental protection and attention to resource reuse, the development of high-performance and degradable green biomass pavement materials attracts a lot of interest. Lignin and bio-oil effectively combined to play a synergistic role can improve various properties of asphalt and partially replace petroleum-based asphalt. Therefore, this paper aims to study the rheological and aging properties of bio-oil/lignin composite modified asphalt (OLMA) and determine the optimal dosage by Dynamic Shear Rheometer (DSR), Bending Beam Rheometer (BBR), and Fourier transforms infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) tests. From the DSR tests, it can be seen that OLMA can improve the high-temperature, fatigue, cracking, and relaxation performance of asphalt. BBR test obtained that OLMA can improve the asphalt's low-temperature performance and critical temperature. The method for evaluating the aging degree of composite modified asphalt was proposed. FTIR test results revealed that OLMA could reduce the increased rate of the aging index. The optimum dosage of 10% bio-oil and 20% lignin composite modified asphalt was determined. It proved that lignin and bio-oil are promising asphalt additives, modifiers, and replacements., Pavement Engineering

With the increasing shortage of resources, the reuse of recycled asphalt pavements (RAP) in pavement engineering is considered as a sustainable technology. Challenges posed by common extraction and recovery methods may result in misjudgment of asphalt pavement performance. In this study, we investigate the optimization of extraction and recovery processes in recycled asphalt pavement (RAP) recycling, aiming to promote sustainable development within the pavement engineering sector. We prepared eleven asphalt samples to simulate common extraction and recovery scenarios, using virgin SBS-modified asphalt as a reference. Employing Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) analysis, thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), and Dynamic Shear Rheometer (DSR) testing, we assessed the samples' rheological and chemical properties. We pointed out three common but easily overlooked problems in the extraction and recovery process, namely residual mineral powder, residual trichloroethylene, and incomplete extraction. Residual mineral powder and trichloroethylene greatly influence extraction recovery accuracy; high-speed centrifugation effectively addresses trichloroethylene, but completely removing mineral powder remains challenging. Accurate evaluation of residual substances in recycled asphalt is achievable through FTIR, TGA, and rheological tests, providing valuable insights for material selection and processing. Additionally, it is crucial to fully recover the binder from RAP for precise performance evaluation, as the binder's interior exhibits lower aging levels compared to the surface. This aging heterogeneity should be considered when assessing RAP performance and developing effective rehabilitation strategies. Our findings hold significant implications for enhancing the efficiency and effectiveness of extraction and recovery processes in RAP recycling, ultimately contributing to sustainable development in pavement engineering., Pavement Engineering

Cold in-place recycling is gaining more attention worldwide because of its lower energy consumption, while the normally used asphalt emulsion and foamed asphalt cannot meet this requirement of short traffic disturbance and road performance of the surface layer. In this research, a polyurethane-modified cold binder (PMCB) was designed and investigated for the fast and high-quality cold in-place recycling of reclaimed asphalt. For the first step, functional group analysis and fluorescent microscopy were used to reveal the curing process and the modification mechanism of the PMCB. Then a series of rheological tests were used to comprehensively evaluate the viscoelastic properties of the PMCB at different curing stages. Finally, the mechanical performance of the PMCB mortar sample was evaluated with the monotonic tensile test and tensile fatigue test. The results indicated that the polymerization reaction in the PMCB consisted of three reactions, and the urethane/urea linkage led to the formation of the polymeric network. The polyurethane polymeric network led to a significant increase in the complex modulus and a decrease of the phase angle. The PMCB also exhibits suitable viscosity at environmental temperatures, good relaxation properties at low temperatures, and less temperature sensitivity. Compared to the base asphalt and styrene butadiene styrene polymer modified bitumen mortar samples, the PMCB mortar samples showed significant advantages in tensile strength, dissipation energy, and tensile fatigue properties. Furthermore, the polyurethane-modified cold asphalt mixture (PMCM) showed better indirect tensile strength than the porous asphalt mixture with fresh aggregate and fresh asphalt binder when the curing time of the PMCM reached 6 h., Green Open Access added to TU Delft Institutional Repository ‘You share, we take care!’ – Taverne project https://www.openaccess.nl/en/you-share-we-take-care Otherwise as indicated in the copyright section: the publisher is the copyright holder of this work and the author uses the Dutch legislation to make this work public., Pavement Engineering

Conventional Molecular Dynamics (MD) models of bitumen are built by homogeneously mixing molecules in a volume without considering that the molecules in bitumen are known to exhibit phase behavior and form distinctive molecular arrangements. These are known to have a significant impact in the behavior of bitumen, and considering their existence is paramount in producing improved representations of bitumen using computational models. This study explores whether MD models of bitumen that are conventionally assumed to be in equilibrium can still undergo significant phase separation over considerably long simulation times. It also aims to establish a more formal pathway to build and study models with highly heterogeneous arrangements of their molecules. Moreover, it aims to evaluate whether the presence of distinct morphologies have a significant impact in numerous physical properties of bitumen. The study shows that conventional and widely used models of bitumen exhibit significant molecular rearrangements over long times (>360 ns). It also shows that building heterogeneous morphologies is possible and result in energetically favorable conformations. Moreover, it proves that studying properties regularly used to validate MD models of bitumen (e.g., density) are insufficient in assessing the impact of different morphologies; more thorough methods are required to evaluate them., Pavement Engineering

This study aims to multiscale investigate the effects of rejuvenator type, temperature, and aging degree of bitumen on the diffusion behaviors of rejuvenators (bio-oil BO, engine-oil EO, naphthenic-oil NO, and aromatic-oil AO) in aged binders. The molecular dynamics (MD) simulation method is performed to detect the molecular-level diffusion characteristics of rejuvenators and predict their diffusion coefficient (D) parameters. At an atomic scale, the mutual but partial interfacial diffusion feature between rejuvenators and aged bitumen molecules is observed. Moreover, Fick’s Second Law well fits the concentration distribution of rejuvenator molecules in aged bitumen. The magnitude for D values of four rejuvenators varies from 10-11 to 10-10 m2/s, and the diffusive capacity order is BO > EO > NO > AO. Meanwhile, diffusion tests and dynamic shear rheometer (DSR) characterizations are employed to validate the MD simulation outputs. The experimental results in magnitude and order of D values agree well with MD simulation outputs. Lastly, the increased aging degree of bitumen exhibits a negative impact on the molecular diffusivity of BO, EO, and NO rejuvenators, while the D value of AO molecules enlarges as the aging level deepens. The underlying mechanism may be composed of the free volume fraction in aged bitumen and the intermolecular force between rejuvenator and aged bitumen molecules, which differs remarkably for various rejuvenators., Pavement Engineering

Molecular dynamics (MD) simulation is an advanced tool to explore the interaction mechanism between aged bitumen and rejuvenators at the nanoscale. However, the general MD molecular structures of rejuvenators led to the lower quantify and inaccuracy of the simulation outputs. This study aims at developing more realistic molecular models to represent the generic rejuvenators for MD simulation of aged bitumen recycling. Four types of rejuvenators (bio-oil, engine-oil, naphthenic-oil, and aromatic-oil) are characterized in terms of element analysis, functional groups distribution observed from Attenuated total reflectance-Fourier-transform infrared (ATR-FTIR) spectroscopy, and average molecular weight. Afterward, the average molecular structures of rejuvenators are determined and validated. Further, the MD simulations are performed to predict the energetic, dynamic, volumetric, and structural properties of various rejuvenators. Based on the chemical characteristics, the average chemical formula of bio-oil, engine-oil, naphthenic-oil, and aromatic-oil is derived as C19H36O2, C22H44, C26H48, C30H40. From MD simulations, the ranking of density and glass transition temperature for four different rejuvenators is AO > NO > BO > EO, which is same as the experimental results. It proves that the established average molecular structures of four rejuvenators are reasonable. Various rejuvenators display different thermodynamics and structural properties. The aromatic-oil exhibits the highest potential energy, cohesive energy density, and solubility parameter. Besides, the order of expansion coefficient and diffusion coefficient of the four rejuvenators is the same as BO > EO > NO > AO, while the viscosity presents the opposite sequence. Moreover, the fractional free volume values follow EO > BO > NO > AO. The occurrence probability between bio-oil and aromatic-oil molecules is higher than engine-oil and naphthenic-oil. This study develops the represe, Pavement Engineering

Asphalt pavements are prone to aging in construction and during service, which can affect the properties of the asphalt. The aging behaviors of high content crumb rubber modified asphalt (HCRMA) were investigated in this paper. The binders were aged in the laboratory and the performances before and after aging were tested using the attenuated total reflection-Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR) test, temperature sweep (TS) test, frequency sweep tests, multiple stress creep recovery (MSCR) test, zero shear viscosity (ZSV) test, bending beam rheometer (BBR) test, and linear amplitude sweep (LAS) test. The FTIR test result shows that as the aging progresses, the crumb rubber (CR) continues to undergo desulphurization and degradation reactions in the HCRMA, with the release of substances such as silica and S-C bonded material from the CR into the bituminous phase. The elasticity of HCRMA decreases and then increases as the degree of aging increases. Besides, the low temperature performance of HCRMA is controlled by the stiffness value, and the low temperature stress relaxation properties of HCRMA in the aging process are better than that of 20% content crumb rubber modified asphalt. Moreover, aging can reduce the integrity and fatigue resistance of HCRMA while increasing the compatibility of HCRMA., Pavement Engineering

Lignin, one of the most abundant natural polymers, has been extensively studied as an additive in bituminous binders. Even though the lignin improves the overall resistance against oxidative aging of bitumen, it could lead to high thermal cracking sensitivity. In this study, a bio-oil (i.e., rapeseed oil) is implemented in lignin-modified bitumen to ameliorate characteristics, such as the resistance to fatigue and cracking. The long-term aging of bitumens formulated by different proportions of bio-oil was simulated by the pressure aging vessel (PAV) method. Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopic (FTIR) results demonstrated lignin has a remarkable antiaging effect, but adding bio-oil will slightly deteriorate the antiaging effect. The Brookfield rotational viscometer showed that the addition of bio-oil was able to reduce the binder’s viscosity observably, thereby improving the workability of bitumen. The frequency sweep tests revealed that lignin increased the stiffness and improved the thermal stability. Also, the multiple stress creep recovery tests corroborated that lignin significantly enhanced the rutting resistance of binders. The fatigue and thermal cracking properties of lignin-modified binder could be strengthened by increasing bio-oil content which is confirmed from both linear amplitude sweep, Glover-Rowe parameter, and Bending Beam Rheometer (BBR) tests. Moreover, the relaxation test results demonstrated that bio-oil decreased the residual stress ratio and relaxation time dramatically. Overall, this study has shown preliminary conclusions on the incorporating of bio-oil to enhance the medium-low temperature properties of lignin-modified binders. In the meantime, bio-oil did not interfere with the improvement influence of lignin on the neat bitumen regarding high-temperature performance., Accepted Author Manuscript, Pavement Engineering

The influence of sulfur on the chemical, rheological, and aging resistance of terminal blend rubberized bitumen (TBRB) was studied. TB hybrid bitumen (TBHB) was prepared from with different sulfur contents (0.1, 0.2, 0.3, 0.4 wt%) and TBRB prepared with neat bitumen and crumb rubbers at 20% content. TBHB binders were aged by rolling thin film oven test (RTFOT) and pressure aging vessel (PAV), respectively. The chemical composition of TBHB binders was monitored by attenuated total reflection-Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR). Rheological properties of all TBHB samples were tested. Chemical composition results show that TBHB can inhibit the degradation of polybutadiene compared with TBRB in the RTFOT stage, and the polybutadiene degradation is the main process of TBHB in the RTFOT stage, while the TBHB is mainly desulfurized after PAV aging. Meanwhile, the increase in sulfur content in the TBHB can improve the desulfurization degree of the TBHB binder after PAV. TBRB containing sulfur can improve the mechanical properties and elasticity and reduce the hardening degree during aging. Moreover, blending sulfur into the TBRB caused a lower complex modulus aging index after aging, which indicates that TBHB has superior aging resistance, Pavement Engineering

High content rubber modified bitumen (HCRMB) prepared from the high content of waste tire rubber and bitumen has good performance while allowing greater use of the waste tires. However, HCRMB is subject to aging during use, which can affect its performance. The purpose of this paper was to investigate the effect of high content of waste tire rubber and sulfur on the aging behavior of bitumen. The properties of all bitumen were tested using rolling thin film oven aging (RTFOT) test, pressure aging vessel (PAV) test, frequency sweep tests, temperature sweep (TS) test, multiple stress creep recovery (MSCR) test, and attenuated total reflection-Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR) test. Test results show that the addition of sulfur to HCRMB leads to an improvement in the elasticity of HCRMB. The elasticity of HCRMB with different amounts of sulfur increases with aging. In addition, the increase in the amount of sulfur can improve the RTFOT aging resistance and the PAV aging resistance of HCRMB. Sulfur cannot reduce the degree of oxidation of HCRMB after aging, but can inhibit the degree of desulfurization of HCRMB. Furthermore, the aging process of HCRMB with different amounts of sulfur is dominated by the degradation of polybutadiene., Pavement Engineering

Molecular dynamics (MD) simulation plays an effective role in predicting the critical properties and explaining the macroscale phenomenon at the nanoscale. This review summarized the application cases of MD simulations in various bitumen systems, considering aging, modification, and rejuvenation factors. Meanwhile, the potential relationships between the nanoscale parameters predicted from MD simulations and macroscale properties measured from experimental tests were discussed for the first time. Different molecular models of virgin bitumen, commonly-used Forcefields, and validation parameters for MD simulations on bituminous materials were summarized. Based on the reactive MD simulation outputs, the oxidative aging reaction path at the atomic scale of bitumen molecules was reviewed. Furthermore, the influence of aging (short-term and long-term), modification (polymers, fillers, and bio-bitumen), and rejuvenation (various rejuvenators) on the molecular-scale properties of virgin bitumen models would be evaluated through MD simulations. This review could help us further explore the main functions of MD simulations in different bulk bitumen systems and build an integral multi-scale research method from the molecular design and performance prediction to material optimization and synthesis of bituminous materials without lots of experimental attempts., Pavement Engineering

To purify severe air pollution in traffic-intensive urban areas and tunnels, an innovative type of photocatalytic micro-surfacing mixture (PMM) was designed, which was enhanced by polypropylene (PP) fiber and nano-TiO2. In this work, the road performance of sixteen PMMs with the different contents of PP and nano-TiO2 were evaluated by wet-track abrasion test, wheel rutting deformation test and low-temperature splitting test. The vehicle exhaust (VE) gas degradation capacity of sixteen PMMs was characterized under ultraviolet (UV) light and visible light conditions. The life cycle assessment (LCA) methodology was applied to evaluate the environmental impact of PMM. The results showed that the road performances of PMM were improved with the increase of the PP fibers amount. The VE gas degradation capacity was significantly enhanced with the increase of nano-TiO2 amount. PMM with 0.2 wt% PP fibers and 60 wt% replacement of mineral filler with nano-TiO2 was a viable alternative to improve photocatalytic degradation of VE in pavement engineering. In addition, the modified micro-surfacing mixture facilitates a significant reduction in energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions., Green Open Access added to TU Delft Institutional Repository 'You share, we take care!' - Taverne project https://www.openaccess.nl/en/you-share-we-take-care Otherwise as indicated in the copyright section: the publisher is the copyright holder of this work and the author uses the Dutch legislation to make this work public., Pavement Engineering

The high viscosity and poor storage stability of crumb rubber-modified asphalt (CRMA) can be partially addressed by the appropriate degree of degradation of the crumb rubber modifier. However, the low-Temperature and fatigue characteristics of degraded crumb rubber-modified bitumen (DCRMB) in different aging states are not well understood. In this study, two types of DCRMB-namely, terminal blend rubberized asphalt (TBRA) and terminal blend hybrid asphalt (TBHA)-were prepared with sulfur, styrene-butadiene-styrene (SBS) polymer, and crumb rubber (CR). All DCRMB binders were short-Term aged with a rolling thin film oven test (RTFOT) and long-Term aged with a pressure aging vessel (PAV). Afterward, a bending beam rheometer (BBR) test and a linear amplitude sweep (LAS) test were conducted to characterize the low-Temperature and fatigue properties of DCRMB binders at different aging degrees, respectively. Based on the rheological test results, several conclusions can be drawn. First, the BBR results indicated that the increase in CR content led to a slight increase in creep rate and a significant decrease in stiffness. Especially in PAV aging, the low-Temperature properties of DCRMB were much better than those of neat asphalt. Meanwhile, DCRMB demonstrated an advantage over neat asphalt in integrity and fatigue resistance before and after aging. Finally, based on correlation analysis, the LAS test is recommended for evaluating the fatigue properties of DCRMB before and after aging., Green Open Access added to TU Delft Institutional Repository 'You share, we take care!' - Taverne project https://www.openaccess.nl/en/you-share-we-take-care Otherwise as indicated in the copyright section: the publisher is the copyright holder of this work and the author uses the Dutch legislation to make this work public., Pavement Engineering

SBS polymer modified bitumen (SPMB) can notably improve the performance of asphalt pavement and is widely employed on the surface layer of pavements. However, SBS polymer is sensitive to ageing and its degradation evolution is difficult to be quantitatively characterized due to the overlapping of GPC chromatograms. In this research, a chromatogram decomposition method (CDM) is proposed based on a combination of experimental quantitative analysis and mathematical deconvolution methods, which target simultaneous identification and quantification of degraded SBS polymers in SPMB. According to the experimental and analysis results, the overlapped chromatograph peaks of 24 different SPMB binders (different SBS contents, base bitumen types and ageing levels) were successfully decomposed and the degraded SBS polymer was quantitively analyzed by the CDM method. Meanwhile, the CDM analysis parameters of SPMB binders demonstrated a good correlation with the rheological characterization results, indicating the validity of the proposed CDM method. These results revealed the degradation process of SBS polymer during the aging of SPMB, and also provide a promising analytical strategy for the polymer modified bitumen with overlapped GPC chromatograms., Green Open Access added to TU Delft Institutional Repository ‘You share, we take care!’ – Taverne project https://www.openaccess.nl/en/you-share-we-take-care Otherwise as indicated in the copyright section: the publisher is the copyright holder of this work and the author uses the Dutch legislation to make this work public., Pavement Engineering

This study aims to comprehensively investigate the rejuvenation efficiency of various self-developed compound rejuvenators on the physical, mechanical, and aging properties of aged bitumen, asphalt mortar, and mixture. The results revealed that the restoration capacity of vacuum distilled-oil rejuvenators on high-and-low temperature performance-grade of aged bitumen is more significant. In contrast, an aromatic-oil based rejuvenator is good at enhancing low-temperature grade and aging resistance. Moreover, the temperature and time of the curing conditions for mixing recycling of asphalt mixture were optimized as 150 °C and 120 min. Furthermore, the sufficient anti-rutting, structural stability, and moisture resistance of recycled asphalt mixture affirmed the rejuvenation efficiency of compound rejuvenators., Pavement Engineering

The proper disposal of steel slag has always been a great challenge for the metallurgical industry in China and around the world. In this work, the steel slag aggregate (SSA) was surface pretreated (PSSA) and applied into asphalt mixture. The adhesive behavior between the bitumen and five different types of aggregates (i.e., limestone, diorite, diabase, SSA, PSSA) were evaluated based on the contact angle and binder bond strength tests. The pavement performance of three asphalt mixtures which contain normal aggregate, SSA and PSSA respectively, was analyzed by Marshall stability test, wheel-tracking rutting test, low-temperature bending creep test and water sensitivity test. The results showed that surface modification can improve the surface properties of SSA, reduce its contact angle with bitumen, and eventually lead to the improvement of adhesion between them. In addition to the satisfied low-temperature properties, PSSA was found to significantly improve the anti-rutting property and reduce the water sensitivity of asphalt mixture. This work is expected to promote an alternative application for recycling of SSA in pavement engineering., Pavement Engineering

The cohesive and adhesive performances of bituminous materials significantly affect the service life of asphalt pavement. The molecular dynamics (MD) simulation method has been proved as an effective tool to predict the thermodynamics parameters of different multisubstance and multi-phase bitumen models during different diffusion, self-healing, and interfacial interaction processes. This paper aims to comprehensively review the application cases of MD simulations on dynamic and interfacial bitumen systems. The diffusion behaviors of oxygen, moisture, and rejuvenator molecules in the bitumen matrix could be illustrated from MD simulations considering the influence of temperature, pressure, and humidity. Moreover, molecular mobility and distribution of bitumen molecules on the aggregate surface remarkably influenced the interfacial bonding level and moisture sensitivity. In addition, the molecularscale mechanism and evaluation indices for the self-healing potential of bitumen models were reviewed. Further, the representative bitumen-(moisture)-aggregate interfacial models, the corresponding evaluation parameters, and influence factors for the adhesive bonding strength in MD simulations were overviewed. Besides, the effects of bitumen components, aggregate type, moisture invasion, temperature variation, and pull-off tension rate on the adhesion performance of bitumen-aggregate models were summarized and discussed. This review can help us fundamentally understand the dynamic diffusion, self-healing behaviors, and interfacial characteristics of bitumen models at the atomic level and develop more potential functions of MD simulations in addressing the scientific issues of sustainable bituminous materials., Pavement Engineering

Molecular dynamics (MD) simulation plays an effective role in predicting the critical properties and explaining the macroscale phenomenon at the nanoscale. This review summarized the application cases of MD simulations in various bitumen systems, considering aging, modification, and rejuvenation factors. Meanwhile, the potential relationships between the nanoscale parameters predicted from MD simulations and macroscale properties measured from experimental tests were discussed for the first time. Different molecular models of virgin bitumen, commonly-used Forcefields, and validation parameters for MD simulations on bituminous materials were summarized. Based on the reactive MD simulation outputs, the oxidative aging reaction path at the atomic scale of bitumen molecules was reviewed. Furthermore, the influence of aging (short-term and long-term), modification (polymers, fillers, and bio-bitumen), and rejuvenation (various rejuvenators) on the molecular-scale properties of virgin bitumen models would be evaluated through MD simulations. This review could help us further explore the main functions of MD simulations in different bulk bitumen systems and build an integral multi-scale research method from the molecular design and performance prediction to material optimization and synthesis of bituminous materials without lots of experimental attempts., Pavement Engineering

High content rubber modified bitumen (HCRMB) prepared from the high content of waste tire rubber and bitumen has good performance while allowing greater use of the waste tires. However, HCRMB is subject to aging during use, which can affect its performance. The purpose of this paper was to investigate the effect of high content of waste tire rubber and sulfur on the aging behavior of bitumen. The properties of all bitumen were tested using rolling thin film oven aging (RTFOT) test, pressure aging vessel (PAV) test, frequency sweep tests, temperature sweep (TS) test, multiple stress creep recovery (MSCR) test, and attenuated total reflection-Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR) test. Test results show that the addition of sulfur to HCRMB leads to an improvement in the elasticity of HCRMB. The elasticity of HCRMB with different amounts of sulfur increases with aging. In addition, the increase in the amount of sulfur can improve the RTFOT aging resistance and the PAV aging resistance of HCRMB. Sulfur cannot reduce the degree of oxidation of HCRMB after aging, but can inhibit the degree of desulfurization of HCRMB. Furthermore, the aging process of HCRMB with different amounts of sulfur is dominated by the degradation of polybutadiene., Pavement Engineering

Molecular dynamics (MD) simulation is an advanced tool to explore the interaction mechanism between aged bitumen and rejuvenators at the nanoscale. However, the general MD molecular structures of rejuvenators led to the lower quantify and inaccuracy of the simulation outputs. This study aims at developing more realistic molecular models to represent the generic rejuvenators for MD simulation of aged bitumen recycling. Four types of rejuvenators (bio-oil, engine-oil, naphthenic-oil, and aromatic-oil) are characterized in terms of element analysis, functional groups distribution observed from Attenuated total reflectance-Fourier-transform infrared (ATR-FTIR) spectroscopy, and average molecular weight. Afterward, the average molecular structures of rejuvenators are determined and validated. Further, the MD simulations are performed to predict the energetic, dynamic, volumetric, and structural properties of various rejuvenators. Based on the chemical characteristics, the average chemical formula of bio-oil, engine-oil, naphthenic-oil, and aromatic-oil is derived as C19H36O2, C22H44, C26H48, C30H40. From MD simulations, the ranking of density and glass transition temperature for four different rejuvenators is AO > NO > BO > EO, which is same as the experimental results. It proves that the established average molecular structures of four rejuvenators are reasonable. Various rejuvenators display different thermodynamics and structural properties. The aromatic-oil exhibits the highest potential energy, cohesive energy density, and solubility parameter. Besides, the order of expansion coefficient and diffusion coefficient of the four rejuvenators is the same as BO > EO > NO > AO, while the viscosity presents the opposite sequence. Moreover, the fractional free volume values follow EO > BO > NO > AO. The occurrence probability between bio-oil and aromatic-oil molecules is higher than engine-oil and naphthenic-oil. This study develops the represe, Pavement Engineering

Asphalt pavements are prone to aging in construction and during service, which can affect the properties of the asphalt. The aging behaviors of high content crumb rubber modified asphalt (HCRMA) were investigated in this paper. The binders were aged in the laboratory and the performances before and after aging were tested using the attenuated total reflection-Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR) test, temperature sweep (TS) test, frequency sweep tests, multiple stress creep recovery (MSCR) test, zero shear viscosity (ZSV) test, bending beam rheometer (BBR) test, and linear amplitude sweep (LAS) test. The FTIR test result shows that as the aging progresses, the crumb rubber (CR) continues to undergo desulphurization and degradation reactions in the HCRMA, with the release of substances such as silica and S-C bonded material from the CR into the bituminous phase. The elasticity of HCRMA decreases and then increases as the degree of aging increases. Besides, the low temperature performance of HCRMA is controlled by the stiffness value, and the low temperature stress relaxation properties of HCRMA in the aging process are better than that of 20% content crumb rubber modified asphalt. Moreover, aging can reduce the integrity and fatigue resistance of HCRMA while increasing the compatibility of HCRMA., Pavement Engineering

The influence of sulfur on the chemical, rheological, and aging resistance of terminal blend rubberized bitumen (TBRB) was studied. TB hybrid bitumen (TBHB) was prepared from with different sulfur contents (0.1, 0.2, 0.3, 0.4 wt%) and TBRB prepared with neat bitumen and crumb rubbers at 20% content. TBHB binders were aged by rolling thin film oven test (RTFOT) and pressure aging vessel (PAV), respectively. The chemical composition of TBHB binders was monitored by attenuated total reflection-Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR). Rheological properties of all TBHB samples were tested. Chemical composition results show that TBHB can inhibit the degradation of polybutadiene compared with TBRB in the RTFOT stage, and the polybutadiene degradation is the main process of TBHB in the RTFOT stage, while the TBHB is mainly desulfurized after PAV aging. Meanwhile, the increase in sulfur content in the TBHB can improve the desulfurization degree of the TBHB binder after PAV. TBRB containing sulfur can improve the mechanical properties and elasticity and reduce the hardening degree during aging. Moreover, blending sulfur into the TBRB caused a lower complex modulus aging index after aging, which indicates that TBHB has superior aging resistance, Pavement Engineering

Lignin, one of the most abundant natural polymers, has been extensively studied as an additive in bituminous binders. Even though the lignin improves the overall resistance against oxidative aging of bitumen, it could lead to high thermal cracking sensitivity. In this study, a bio-oil (i.e., rapeseed oil) is implemented in lignin-modified bitumen to ameliorate characteristics, such as the resistance to fatigue and cracking. The long-term aging of bitumens formulated by different proportions of bio-oil was simulated by the pressure aging vessel (PAV) method. Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopic (FTIR) results demonstrated lignin has a remarkable antiaging effect, but adding bio-oil will slightly deteriorate the antiaging effect. The Brookfield rotational viscometer showed that the addition of bio-oil was able to reduce the binder’s viscosity observably, thereby improving the workability of bitumen. The frequency sweep tests revealed that lignin increased the stiffness and improved the thermal stability. Also, the multiple stress creep recovery tests corroborated that lignin significantly enhanced the rutting resistance of binders. The fatigue and thermal cracking properties of lignin-modified binder could be strengthened by increasing bio-oil content which is confirmed from both linear amplitude sweep, Glover-Rowe parameter, and Bending Beam Rheometer (BBR) tests. Moreover, the relaxation test results demonstrated that bio-oil decreased the residual stress ratio and relaxation time dramatically. Overall, this study has shown preliminary conclusions on the incorporating of bio-oil to enhance the medium-low temperature properties of lignin-modified binders. In the meantime, bio-oil did not interfere with the improvement influence of lignin on the neat bitumen regarding high-temperature performance., Green Open Access added to TU Delft Institutional Repository 'You share, we take care!' - Taverne project https://www.openaccess.nl/en/you-share-we-take-care Otherwise as indicated in the copyright section: the publisher is the copyright holder of this work and the author uses the Dutch legislation to make this work public., Pavement Engineering

This study elaborates the influence of blends formulated by waste oil (WO) and styrene-butadiene rubber (SBR) on thermo-mechanical and chemical compositional characteristics of rejuvenated bitumen. The results show that both WEO (waste engine oil) and WCO (waste cooking oil) can compensate viscous component for reclaimed bitumen, and the effect of WCO is more significant. However, WO-rejuvenated bitumen has considerable drawbacks in terms of temperature susceptibility and flow resistance, but dramatic improvement after being added with SBR has been noticed. Furthermore, the rejuvenation mechanism of WO/SBR blends is revealed by using FTIR tests, which shows that the physical blending mainly determines the rejuvenation mechanism when the WO/SBR blends are used in bitumen. The combination of WO and SBR is beneficial for improving the temperature susceptibility and rutting resistance of rejuvenated bitumen., Accepted Author Manuscript, Pavement Engineering

To further explore the long-term aging behaviors of bitumen from the multiscale perspectives, the experimental characterization and molecular dynamics (MD) simulation methods were performed. Series of chemical properties for the virgin and various aged bitumen were evaluated using the TCL-FID, ATR-FTIR, Elemental analysis and GPC tests. The molecular models of virgin and aged bitumen were established firstly, and the influence of long-term aging on the thermodynamics properties was predicted from the MD simulation results. The experimental results revealed that with the aging degree deepened, the resin and asphaltene fractions both increased dramatically, which resulted in the increment of average molecular weight and the more uneven molecular weight distribution in aged bitumen. Moreover, the aging of bitumen led to the increase of the oxidized functional groups (C=O and S=O) index, oxygen content, aromaticity and polarity, while the carbon, hydrogen element contents and the H/C ratio reduced. The density values from MD simulation agreed well with the experimental results, which significantly validated the reliability of molecular models for the virgin and different aged bitumen binders. The MD simulation results demonstrated that the long-term aging remarkably improved the cohesive energy density, solubility parameter and activation energy, however it deteriorated the surface free energy, work of cohesion and self-diffusion coefficient of the bitumen molecular system. This study develops the molecular models of virgin and aged bitumen with different long-term aging degrees, and provides a fundamental understanding regarding the influence of long-term aging influence on the chemo-physical and thermodynamic properties of bitumen., Pavement Engineering

Porous asphalt pavement is widely used due to its adequate water permeability, noise reduction and skid resistance. The study aims at exploring the potential of using the crumb rubber/styrene–butadienestyrene (CR/SBS) modified bitumen as high-viscosity binder for porous asphalt mixture, and investigating the effect of swelling and degradation degree of crumb rubber as well as SBS dosage on the performance of porous asphalt binder and mixture. The conventional, rheological and engineering properties of CR/SBS modified high-viscosity porous asphalt binders and mixtures were characterized. The results revealed that the CR swelling-degradation degree significantly affected the physical and viscoelastic properties of CR/SBS modified high-viscosity binders. With the swelling time prolonged, the viscosity of rubber bitumen enhanced gradually until reaching the equilibrium state, which kept falling during the degradation process dramatically. The full-swelling binders exhibited the highest complex modulus, zero-shear viscosity, rutting resistance, which deteriorated as the degradation degree increasing. However, the degradation of crumb rubber would be beneficial to improve the workability, thermal cracking resistance and deformation recovery ability of high-viscosity binder. Meanwhile, the incorporation of SBS copolymer could further strengthen both high-and-low temperatures viscoelastic performance of high-viscosity bitumen. In addition, the performance of porous asphalt with CR/SBS modified high-viscosity bitumen could meet the requirements of Marshall stability, air void content, Cantabro loss, run-off loss, anti-rutting, moisture damage resistance and permeability performance. Although the full-swelling asphalt mixture presented the best rutting resistance, it showed the poor adhesive and moisture damage resistance when compared with partial and full-degradation asphalt mixtures., Pavement Engineering, Electronic Components, Technology and Materials

The chemo-rheological properties of crumb rubber modified bitumen are always unstable due to the mutable and uncontrollable swelling-degradation degree of crumb rubber in bitumen matrix. The study aimed at exploring the continuous swelling and degradation behaviors of crumb rubber modified bitumen (CRMB) considering the influence of rubber size through monitoring the dynamic viscosity changes of CRMB binders. Moreover, the synergistic effects of swelling-degradation degree and rubber size on the chemical and rheological properties of CRMB were investigated. The results revealed that the rubber size significantly influenced the swelling and degradation behaviors of CRMB. The reduction of rubber size shortened the equilibrium swelling and degra-dation time, while increased the related viscosity dramatically. Moreover, during the degradation process, the decrease of rubber size could accelerate the continuous swelling rate, increase the maximum viscosity and reduce the continuous swelling time of CRMB. Meanwhile, the high swelling degree and large rubber size were bene-ficial to enhance the high temperature properties, while the CRMB binder with high degradation degree showed the better low-temperature property, workability and wider Newtonian flow region. Furthermore, the degra-dation degree promoted the formation of free hydroxide groups, aldehydes, carboxylic acids and esters, while the swelling process increased the average molecular weight of whole liquid phase in CRMB binder. The outputs from this fundamental study are beneficial to provide the guidance to preparation conditions optimization of CRMB binders with different viscous property standards, Pavement Engineering

Observing the microstructure of bituminous binders with an environmental scanning electron microscope (ESEM) can contribute significantly to reveal the underlying rejuvenation mechanism. In this study, three rejuvenators were selected to regenerate the aged SBS modified binders at five dosages, and their rheology was evaluated using a dynamic shear rheometer. ESEM was employed to examine the microstructure of binders as well, and a series of microstructure parameters were quantified with image analysis. The results demonstrated that the chemical composition changes correspond to the evolution of microstructure morphological and rheological properties. Moreover, the rheological and microstructure characteristics were analyzed with Principal Component Analysis (PCA) and regression analysis. Based on PCA results, the microstructure of rejuvenated binders has shown a good correlation with stiffness after combining various principal components. According to regression analysis, the distance between adjacent fibrils exhibited a significant correlation with Jnr3.2 and the complex modulus index. Overall, the results of this study strengthen the hypothesis that the ESEM microstructure is intimately correlated with chemical composition and rheological properties, rather than with irrelevant surface phenomena., Pavement Engineering

Rejuvenator encapsulation technique showed great potential for extrinsic asphalt pavement damage healing. Once the capsules are embedded within asphalt pavement, the healing is activated on-demand via progressing microcrack. When the microcrack encounters the capsule, the fracture energy at the tip opens the capsule and releases the rejuvenator. Then the released rejuvenator wets the crack surfaces, diffuses into and softens the aged bitumen, allowing two broken edges to come in the contact, preventing further asphalt pavement deterioration. The quality and speed of the damage repair process strongly depend on the quality of rejuvenator, thus it is important to choose a proper rejuvenator with good abilities to restore the lost properties of bitumen from ageing and show a sustainable performance after healing. To this aim, three different rejuvenators were studied and ranked based on the performance of their rejuvenated bitumen, including physical properties, rheological properties, chemical properties and the performance after re-ageing. Furthermore, these rejuvenators were encapsulated in calcium alginate capsules and the tests on these capsules indicate the diameter, mechanical resistance and thermal stability of the capsules are influenced by the encapsulated rejuvenator. The findings will benefit the development of rejuvenator encapsulation technique and the optimization of the capsule healing system towards a better healing effect in asphalt pavement., Materials and Environment, Pavement Engineering

This study elaborates the influence of blends formulated by waste oil (WO) and styrene-butadiene rubber (SBR) on thermo-mechanical and chemical compositional characteristics of rejuvenated bitumen. The results show that both WEO (waste engine oil) and WCO (waste cooking oil) can compensate viscous component for reclaimed bitumen, and the effect of WCO is more significant. However, WO-rejuvenated bitumen has considerable drawbacks in terms of temperature susceptibility and flow resistance, but dramatic improvement after being added with SBR has been noticed. Furthermore, the rejuvenation mechanism of WO/SBR blends is revealed by using FTIR tests, which shows that the physical blending mainly determines the rejuvenation mechanism when the WO/SBR blends are used in bitumen. The combination of WO and SBR is beneficial for improving the temperature susceptibility and rutting resistance of rejuvenated bitumen., Accepted Author Manuscript, Pavement Engineering

The chemo-rheological properties of crumb rubber modified bitumen are always unstable due to the mutable and uncontrollable swelling-degradation degree of crumb rubber in bitumen matrix. The study aimed at exploring the continuous swelling and degradation behaviors of crumb rubber modified bitumen (CRMB) considering the influence of rubber size through monitoring the dynamic viscosity changes of CRMB binders. Moreover, the synergistic effects of swelling-degradation degree and rubber size on the chemical and rheological properties of CRMB were investigated. The results revealed that the rubber size significantly influenced the swelling and degradation behaviors of CRMB. The reduction of rubber size shortened the equilibrium swelling and degra-dation time, while increased the related viscosity dramatically. Moreover, during the degradation process, the decrease of rubber size could accelerate the continuous swelling rate, increase the maximum viscosity and reduce the continuous swelling time of CRMB. Meanwhile, the high swelling degree and large rubber size were bene-ficial to enhance the high temperature properties, while the CRMB binder with high degradation degree showed the better low-temperature property, workability and wider Newtonian flow region. Furthermore, the degra-dation degree promoted the formation of free hydroxide groups, aldehydes, carboxylic acids and esters, while the swelling process increased the average molecular weight of whole liquid phase in CRMB binder. The outputs from this fundamental study are beneficial to provide the guidance to preparation conditions optimization of CRMB binders with different viscous property standards, Pavement Engineering

To further explore the long-term aging behaviors of bitumen from the multiscale perspectives, the experimental characterization and molecular dynamics (MD) simulation methods were performed. Series of chemical properties for the virgin and various aged bitumen were evaluated using the TCL-FID, ATR-FTIR, Elemental analysis and GPC tests. The molecular models of virgin and aged bitumen were established firstly, and the influence of long-term aging on the thermodynamics properties was predicted from the MD simulation results. The experimental results revealed that with the aging degree deepened, the resin and asphaltene fractions both increased dramatically, which resulted in the increment of average molecular weight and the more uneven molecular weight distribution in aged bitumen. Moreover, the aging of bitumen led to the increase of the oxidized functional groups (C=O and S=O) index, oxygen content, aromaticity and polarity, while the carbon, hydrogen element contents and the H/C ratio reduced. The density values from MD simulation agreed well with the experimental results, which significantly validated the reliability of molecular models for the virgin and different aged bitumen binders. The MD simulation results demonstrated that the long-term aging remarkably improved the cohesive energy density, solubility parameter and activation energy, however it deteriorated the surface free energy, work of cohesion and self-diffusion coefficient of the bitumen molecular system. This study develops the molecular models of virgin and aged bitumen with different long-term aging degrees, and provides a fundamental understanding regarding the influence of long-term aging influence on the chemo-physical and thermodynamic properties of bitumen., Pavement Engineering

Porous asphalt pavement is widely used due to its adequate water permeability, noise reduction and skid resistance. The study aims at exploring the potential of using the crumb rubber/styrene–butadienestyrene (CR/SBS) modified bitumen as high-viscosity binder for porous asphalt mixture, and investigating the effect of swelling and degradation degree of crumb rubber as well as SBS dosage on the performance of porous asphalt binder and mixture. The conventional, rheological and engineering properties of CR/SBS modified high-viscosity porous asphalt binders and mixtures were characterized. The results revealed that the CR swelling-degradation degree significantly affected the physical and viscoelastic properties of CR/SBS modified high-viscosity binders. With the swelling time prolonged, the viscosity of rubber bitumen enhanced gradually until reaching the equilibrium state, which kept falling during the degradation process dramatically. The full-swelling binders exhibited the highest complex modulus, zero-shear viscosity, rutting resistance, which deteriorated as the degradation degree increasing. However, the degradation of crumb rubber would be beneficial to improve the workability, thermal cracking resistance and deformation recovery ability of high-viscosity binder. Meanwhile, the incorporation of SBS copolymer could further strengthen both high-and-low temperatures viscoelastic performance of high-viscosity bitumen. In addition, the performance of porous asphalt with CR/SBS modified high-viscosity bitumen could meet the requirements of Marshall stability, air void content, Cantabro loss, run-off loss, anti-rutting, moisture damage resistance and permeability performance. Although the full-swelling asphalt mixture presented the best rutting resistance, it showed the poor adhesive and moisture damage resistance when compared with partial and full-degradation asphalt mixtures., Pavement Engineering, Electronic Components, Technology and Materials

Observing the microstructure of bituminous binders with an environmental scanning electron microscope (ESEM) can contribute significantly to reveal the underlying rejuvenation mechanism. In this study, three rejuvenators were selected to regenerate the aged SBS modified binders at five dosages, and their rheology was evaluated using a dynamic shear rheometer. ESEM was employed to examine the microstructure of binders as well, and a series of microstructure parameters were quantified with image analysis. The results demonstrated that the chemical composition changes correspond to the evolution of microstructure morphological and rheological properties. Moreover, the rheological and microstructure characteristics were analyzed with Principal Component Analysis (PCA) and regression analysis. Based on PCA results, the microstructure of rejuvenated binders has shown a good correlation with stiffness after combining various principal components. According to regression analysis, the distance between adjacent fibrils exhibited a significant correlation with Jnr3.2 and the complex modulus index. Overall, the results of this study strengthen the hypothesis that the ESEM microstructure is intimately correlated with chemical composition and rheological properties, rather than with irrelevant surface phenomena., Pavement Engineering

Rejuvenator encapsulation technique showed great potential for extrinsic asphalt pavement damage healing. Once the capsules are embedded within asphalt pavement, the healing is activated on-demand via progressing microcrack. When the microcrack encounters the capsule, the fracture energy at the tip opens the capsule and releases the rejuvenator. Then the released rejuvenator wets the crack surfaces, diffuses into and softens the aged bitumen, allowing two broken edges to come in the contact, preventing further asphalt pavement deterioration. The quality and speed of the damage repair process strongly depend on the quality of rejuvenator, thus it is important to choose a proper rejuvenator with good abilities to restore the lost properties of bitumen from ageing and show a sustainable performance after healing. To this aim, three different rejuvenators were studied and ranked based on the performance of their rejuvenated bitumen, including physical properties, rheological properties, chemical properties and the performance after re-ageing. Furthermore, these rejuvenators were encapsulated in calcium alginate capsules and the tests on these capsules indicate the diameter, mechanical resistance and thermal stability of the capsules are influenced by the encapsulated rejuvenator. The findings will benefit the development of rejuvenator encapsulation technique and the optimization of the capsule healing system towards a better healing effect in asphalt pavement., Materials and Environment, Pavement Engineering

Lignin, as a major waste from biofuel and paper industries, could be utilized as a modifier to enhance the relevant performance of bitumen. However, the effects of lignin on the thermodynamics properties and molecular structure of bitumen are rarely studied. Meanwhile, the potential modification mechanism of lignin modified bitumen is still unclear. Molecular dynamics (MD) simulation and laboratory experimental methods are combined to explore the influence of lignin on the thermodynamics characteristics, rheological properties as well as the molecular structure of bitumen. The lignin modified bitumen with different dosages of lignin (10, 20 and 30 wt%) were prepared. DSR results from a macroscale view reveal that lignin could significantly improve the modulus, elastic recovery and rutting resistance of bitumen, but it adversely affects the fatigue performance. Meanwhile, the MD simulation results from a microscale perspective show that lignin could increase the density, cohesive energy density, shear viscosity, modulus and adhesive strength of bitumen. However, the free volume, diffusion coefficient and self-healing ability of lignin modified bitumen are weakened with the increase of lignin dosage. The MD simulations results are consistent with the experimental data. Furthermore, the correlations between the microscale and macroscale properties of lignin modified bitumen indicate that the physical and rheological properties of bitumen both depend on the molecular structure dramatically. The findings of this research can provide insights for an in-depth understanding of the effect of lignin on bitumen., Pavement Engineering

One of the most widely used polymer-based modifiers in asphalt binders is styrene–butadiene–styrene (SBS), which results in binders of increased modulus, strength, toughness, and resistance to permanent deformation. These properties are further improved with the increase of SBS polymer content in asphalt binders, producing binders such as high-content polymer-modified asphalt (HCPMA). Although the HCPMA binders commonly are used in porous asphalt pavements, limited research has been conducted on their aging performance. This paper used gel permeation chromatography (GPC), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, and the dynamic shear rheometer (DSR) to explore the evolution of chemical and rheological properties of aging HCPMA binders. The study found that the aging of HCPMA is a combination of oxidation of the base asphalt binder and degradation of the SBS polymer, leading to modulus increase and phase angle decrease. The degradation of SBS happened mostly at the beginning and slowed after pressure-aging vessel (PAV) conditioning for 20 h, which resulted in the lowest rutting resistance of HCPMA binders. When SBS content was higher than 7.5%, more than half the SBS polymer remained after 80 h of PAV conditioning. Although the molecular weight of SBS decreased from 230,000 to 70,000 due to degradation, its modification effect was still significant. Moreover, high modification of SBS can retard the oxidation and hardening of base asphalt binder, especially after PAV conditioning for 20 h. Principal component analysis showed that 10 parameters used in this study could be explained by SBS content and asphalt binder aging extent. Based on PCA results, the complex modulus (G∗) and phase angle (δ) of HCPMA binders can be well fitted by the exponential function of SBS content and aging index., Accepted Author Manuscript, Pavement Engineering

Biodegradable porous magnesium (Mg) scaffolds are promising for application in the regeneration of critical-sized bone defects. Although additive manufacturing (AM) carries the promise of offering unique opportunities to fabricate porous Mg scaffolds, current attempts to apply the AM approach to fabricating Mg scaffolds have encountered some crucial issues, such as those related to safety in operation and to the difficulties in composition control. In this paper, we present a room-temperature extrusion-based AM method for the fabrication of topologically ordered porous Mg scaffolds. It is composed of three steps, namely (i) preparing a Mg powder loaded ink with desired rheological properties, (ii) solvent-cast 3D printing (SC-3DP) of the ink to form scaffolds with 0 °/ 90 °/ 0 ° layers, and (iii) debinding and sintering to remove the binder in the ink and then get Mg powder particles bonded by applying a liquid-phase sintering strategy. A rheological analysis of the prepared inks with 54, 58 and 62 vol% Mg powder loading was performed to reveal their viscoelastic properties. Thermal-gravimetric analysis (TGA), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), carbon/sulfur analysis and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) indicated the possibilities of debinding and sintering at one single step for fabricating pure Mg scaffolds with high fidelity and densification. The resulting scaffolds with high porosity contained hierarchical and interconnected pores. This study, for the first time, demonstrated that the SC-3DP technique presents unprecedented possibilities to fabricate Mg-based porous scaffolds that have the potential to be used as a bone-substituting material. Statement of Significance: Biodegradable porous magnesium scaffolds are promising for application in the regeneration of critical-sized bone defects. Although additive manufacturing (AM) carries the promise of offering unique opportunities to fabricate porous magnesium scaffolds, current attempts to apply, Biomaterials & Tissue Biomechanics, (OLD) MSE-3, BN/Marie-Eve Aubin-Tam Lab, ChemE/O&O groep, Pavement Engineering

Biodegradable porous magnesium (Mg) scaffolds are promising for application in the regeneration of critical-sized bone defects. Although additive manufacturing (AM) carries the promise of offering unique opportunities to fabricate porous Mg scaffolds, current attempts to apply the AM approach to fabricating Mg scaffolds have encountered some crucial issues, such as those related to safety in operation and to the difficulties in composition control. In this paper, we present a room-temperature extrusion-based AM method for the fabrication of topologically ordered porous Mg scaffolds. It is composed of three steps, namely (i) preparing a Mg powder loaded ink with desired rheological properties, (ii) solvent-cast 3D printing (SC-3DP) of the ink to form scaffolds with 0 °/ 90 °/ 0 ° layers, and (iii) debinding and sintering to remove the binder in the ink and then get Mg powder particles bonded by applying a liquid-phase sintering strategy. A rheological analysis of the prepared inks with 54, 58 and 62 vol% Mg powder loading was performed to reveal their viscoelastic properties. Thermal-gravimetric analysis (TGA), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), carbon/sulfur analysis and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) indicated the possibilities of debinding and sintering at one single step for fabricating pure Mg scaffolds with high fidelity and densification. The resulting scaffolds with high porosity contained hierarchical and interconnected pores. This study, for the first time, demonstrated that the SC-3DP technique presents unprecedented possibilities to fabricate Mg-based porous scaffolds that have the potential to be used as a bone-substituting material. Statement of Significance: Biodegradable porous magnesium scaffolds are promising for application in the regeneration of critical-sized bone defects. Although additive manufacturing (AM) carries the promise of offering unique opportunities to fabricate porous magnesium scaffolds, current attempts to apply, Biomaterials & Tissue Biomechanics, (OLD) MSE-3, BN/Marie-Eve Aubin-Tam Lab, ChemE/O&O groep, Pavement Engineering