Experimental evaluation of asphalt mixtures with emerging additives against cracking and moisture damage

The objective of this study was to evaluate and recommend an asphalt mixture design with emerging additive technologies that would provide superior performance against asphalt concrete(AC)stripping and cracking.To achieve this objective,a laboratory test program was developed to evaluate the use of nanomaterials(nanoclay and graphene nanoplatelet),an emerging anti-stripping agent(adhere),and warm-mix asphalt technologies(ZycoTherm,Sasobit,and EvoTherm).Two mix types were evaluated,which were a stone-matrix asphalt(SMA)and a dense-graded binder mix.In addition,the modified Lottman test(AASHTO T 283)and the indirect tensile asphalt cracking test(IDEAL-CT)test were used as performance indicators of moisture damage resistance and cracking susceptibility.Results were analyzed statistically to identify and quantify the effects of the design variables and selected additives on the performance,moisture damage resistance,and durability of asphalt mixes.Based on the cracking test results,a superior cracking resistance performance was observed with ZycoTherm,irrespective of the mix type.Adhere had the lowest average cracking indices for both mix types,which suggest that it would not perform as well as the other additives in terms of cracking resistance.Overall,SMA mixes displayed greater cracking resistance than the dense-graded mixtures,which may have been the result of the reclaimed asphalt pavement(RAP)material used in the dense-graded mix and its lower asphalt binder content.In terms of moisture resistance,both nanomaterials(graphene nanoplatelet and nanoclay)did not perform well as they did not meet the minimum required tensile strength ratio(TSR)criterion(>0.80).In addition,nanomaterials showed the lowest TSR values in both mix types suggesting that their effectiveness against moisture-induced damage may not be as good as warm-mix additives.On the other hand,warm-mix additives were expected to show enhanced performance in terms of moisture resistance as compared to the other additives evaluated in this study.

Effects of moisture damage on asphalt mixtures

The reduction in the ability of bitumen to bond with the aggregate surface due to the infiltration of moisture has been recognised for years, and this deterioration phenomenon is called moisture damage. In general, the loss of bonding between bitumen and aggregate shortens the service life of the top layer of the pavement. Many investigations have been conducted to understand the mechanisms of moisture damage due to the loss of bonding strength between bitumen and aggregate and to find ways to improve and strengthen the bond to mitigate the effect of moisture. This paper reviews the extensive literature on the loss of bitumen-aggregate bonding strength due to moisture damage in asphalt mixtures.The general description of the theories and mechanisms that explain the effect of the thermodynamic, chemical, physical and mechanical characteristics of the bitumen and aggregate on the bonding phenomenon are discussed in this paper. In addition, the causes of and contributing factors to moisture damage and methods to improve the bond between bitumen and aggregates are also discussed. Moreover, a description of the test methods that can be used to evaluate moisture damage in poorly bonded and compacted mixtures are also presented. Special attention is given to a well-known method, known as the pulloff test, which has been successfully used to evaluate aggregate-binder bond strength, both for laboratory and in-situ tests. This includes the test methods, the factors that affect the bonding strength results and their correlation with other test method. A review of the failure mode of bitumen under the pull-off loading test is discussed in the final section of this paper.

Study on the cohesion and adhesion of hot-poured crack sealants

Filling crack sealant is a main method to repair cracking of pavement. The cohesion and adhesion of crack sealant directly determine its service performance and durability. However, the competitive mechanism of cohesion and adhesion failure modes is not clear currently. This research proposed two methods to evaluate cohesion and adhesion of crack sealant, and analyzed the influence of temperature on cohesion and adhesion. The effect of moisture on low- temperature performance of crack sealant was also be evaluated by conducting a soaking test. Results show that with the decrease of temperature, the cohesion force of crack sealant increases significantly, while the adhesion force changes little. There is a critical temperature at which the cohesion force equals the adhesion force. When the temperature is higher, the adhesion force will be greater than cohesion force, and the cohesion failure will happen more easily. In contrast, the adhesion failure will happen more easily when the temperature is lower than the critical value. Soaking in 25 ℃ water for 24-48 hours will slightly improve the low-temperature tension performance of crack sealant. However, soaking in 60 ℃ water for 24 hours will decrease the failure energy of low-temperature tension and damage the durability of crack sealant.