Author: Kevin D. Stuart

Publisher:

Published: 2000

Total Pages:

ISBN-13:

The overall objective of this study was to determine if the Superpave high-temperature rheological properties of polymer-modified asphalt binders correlate to asphalt mixture rutting resistance. An emphasis was placed on evaluating polymer-modified asphalt binders with identical (or close) high-temperature performance grades (PG's), but varied polymer chemistries. Eleven asphalt binders were obtained for this study: two unmodified asphalt binders, an air-blown asphalt binder, and eight polymer-modified asphalt binders. High-temperature asphalt binder properties were measured by a dynamic shear rheometer (DSR). Mixture rutting resistance was measured by repeated shear at constant height (RSCH), and the French Pavement Rutting Tester (French PRT). The first objective was to verify the findings of a previous study using a different aggregate. In the previous study, it was found that the Superpave high-temperature asphalt binder properties correlated to mixture rutting resistance with few outliers, and a change in high-temperature PG from 70 to 76 increased rutting resistance. However, the correlation between RSCH and asphalt binder G*/sind (delta) depended on DSR frequency. The data suggested that a low DSR frequency, such as 0.1 rad/s, might provide a better grading system than the standard DSR frequency of 10.0 rad/s. This would require a change in the current asphalt binder specification. A diabase aggregate was used in a previous study. The data using a second aggregate, a limestone aggregate, in combination with four of the asphalt binders, agreed with the findings from the diabase mixtures. The second objective was to retest the diabase mixtures at 70 degrees Celsius using RSCH. The test temperatures used in the previous study were 50 degrees Celsius for RSCH and 70 degrees Celsius for the French PRT. The polymer-modified asphalt binders had continuous high-temperature PG's ranging from 71 to 77. Therefore, it was recommended that the test temperature for RSCH be increased to 70 degrees Celsius. Again, the correlation between RSCH and G*/sind was dependent on DSR frequency. The data suggested that a low DSR frequency, such as 0.1 rad/s, might provide a better grading system. However, it is not known whether this finding applies to pavements, or is related to the accelerated nature of the RSCH test. Furthermore, G*/sind (delta) at 0.1 rad/s did not clearly provide a better correlation to RSCH than the high-temperature PG's of the asphalt binders. The degree of correlation between the French PRT and G*/sind at 70 degrees Celsius did not depend on DSR frequency, and there was only one outlier. A correlation between the French PRT and high-temperature PG provided no obvious outliers. No changes to the specification are recommended based on the French PRT results.