Preparation and Road Performance Study of Rubber–Diatomite Composite-Modified Asphalt Mixture.

To examine the effect mechanism of rubber and diatomite on asphalt as well as the performance of asphalt mixtures for road applications, various composite-modified asphalts are prepared using rubber and diatomite. The performance of modified asphalts with various proportions is analyzed, and the optimal dosage ratio of modifiers is determined via the response surface approach. The microstructure of rubber–diatomite composite-modified asphalt is methodically examined using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy. The road performance, aging resistance, and long-term stability of asphalt mixtures are evaluated through Marshall tests, wheel tracking tests, aging wheel tracking tests, freeze–thaw splitting tests, and cyclic freeze–thaw drying aging splitting tests. The obtained results reveal that asphalt with 22% rubber and 4% diatomite exhibits the best overall performance. The composite-modified asphalt essentially demonstrates the physical blending between rubber powder, diatomite, and base asphalt. The asphalt built from them formed a uniform and stable overall structure. Compared with rubber asphalt and rubber–SBS composite-modified asphalt, rubber–diatomite composite-modified asphalt exhibits superior road performance, including better aging resistance and long-term water stability in asphalt mixtures. This study can promote the further extensive application of rubber–diatomite-modified asphalt in road engineering, while providing new ideas for cost-saving and environmentally friendly asphalt modification. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]