INVESTIGATING THE INTERACTION BETWEEN THE RECYCLED COMPONENTS AND THE ASPHALT BINDERS, PLANT, LAB, AND FIELD MIXES
"Modifying asphalt binders and mixes with recycled components is common practice due to their environmental and economic merits. Literature has indicated that different recycled components interact with (blend with) asphalt differently, ranging from no blending, partial blending, or full blending. The degree of blending between recycled components and virgin asphalt binders (VABs) and the exchanged components impact the performance of modified asphalt binders. However, the nature of the interaction process between the recycled components and the VABs is not fully understood. The primary objective of this study was to explore the interactions between recycled components and VABs. By understanding the changes that occur to the asphalt binders after interaction with the recycled components, better in-service performance of the asphalt binders could be achieved. Modified and extracted asphalt binders from field, plant, and lab-fabricated mixes containing recycled components were analyzed using rheological, thermal, and chemical testing. It was observed that more interactions and exchanged components occurred between recycled materials and VABs in plant mixes than in field mixes because plant mixes were reheated to compaction temperature in the lab. The fabrication mechanism used in lab mixes revealed more interactions and exchanged components between recycled materials and VABs than in field mixes. The use of a soft VAB in asphalt mixes counteracted the effect of aged and oxidized binders in recycled components. Utilizing rejuvenators (e.g., Evoflex) in mixes boosted the interactions between recycled components and VABs by increasing the mobility of aged binders in recycled components and the blending degree with VABs"--Abstract, p. iv
Civil and Environmental Engineering, Civil Engineering, Engineering
Missouri University of Science and Technology
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