Influence of rubber constituents on performance of asphalt paving mixtures

Abstract EN

Environmental problems created by discarded waste rubbers, such as potential fire and disease hazards, have become significant in recent years.

In connection with rubber recycling, a comparative study of laboratory performance of application of two polymer types : styrene butadiene rubber (SBR) and polyethylene–vinyl acetate (PVA) in asphalt paving mixtures is presented.

These mixtures are usually employed in construction the surface courses in Iraq.

These modified asphalt mixtures were prepared with asphalt cement previously modified by using three percents of polymer (1, 3 and 5) percent by weight of modified asphalt.

Two control mixes are adopted for comparison purpose.

The first control mix was produced with 40 / 50 penetration asphalt cement while the second was produced with 60 / 70 penetration asphalt cement.

To evaluate the mixture characteristics of the modified and conventional mixes : laboratory tests of Marshall, indirect tensile strength, indirect tensile resilient modulus, indirect tensile fatigue and incremental indirect tensile creep were conducted on a compacted Marshall specimens.

The VESYS 5W software program was used to investigate the effect of polymer type on rut depth occurring in whole selected pavement structure.

The results of the present study indicated that the modified mixtures exhibited higher tensile strength characteristics than the control mixtures.

The modified asphalt mixtures showed overall better performance indices (rut depth and fatigue cracks) than the corresponding control mixtures.

Also, the addition of (SBR) polymer type to the mixture improves asphalt mixture performance, especially, when it is added by 1 % by weight of asphalt.