Glass transition measurements of asphalts by DSC

The glass transition temperature (T_g), measured by Modulated Differential Scanning Calorimetry (MDSC), is related to the flow characteristics of asphalt at low temperatures as is the rate of change of the creep stiffnessm. This study compared the glass transition temperature of different asphalts (neat, chemically modified, and crumb rubber modified asphalts) with the creep stiffness, the rate of change of creep stiffness, and the low specification temperature of the continuous PG grading of those asphalts.From the rheological data (BBR) and the thermal data (MDSC) for the virgin and the modified asphalts, the modified products had the same variations of values ofm, S, and T_g at lower temperatures as those of their corresponding virgin asphalts. A correlation between the T_g andm value was observed for both the modified and unmodified asphalts. Since DSC measurements for asphalt low temperature properties use less operator time, less sample, and have less measurement and operator error than rheological methods, T_g has promise to be considered as a fast and easy laboratory method to obtain the low temperature useful range of asphalts in pavements.The authors would like to acknowledge Susan P. Needham for her work in conducting rheological testing for the modified and unmodified asphalts.     

Non-isothermal kinetics of styrene-butadiene-styrene asphalt combustion

The combustion characteristics of styrene-butadiene-styrene （SBS） asphalt are studied by thermogravimetric analysis （TG/DTG） at four different heating rates. According to the saturates/aromatics/resins/asphaltenes （SARA） fractionation method, the combustion process of SBS asphalt can be divided by Gaussian peak fitting into three main stages： oil content release, resin pyrolysis, and asphaltene and char combustion. When the heating rate increases, the mass losses of the oil content and resin pyrolysis increase, and less asphaltenes are formed at a higher temperature. The activation energy values are calculated by the Coats-Redfern method to be in the range 61.6 kJ/mol-142.9 kJ/mol. The Popescu method is used for the kinetic analysis, and the result shows that the three stages of asphalt combustion can be explained by the sphere phase boundary reaction model, the second order chemical reaction model, nucleation, and its subsequent growth model, respectively.     

Unlocking the Hidden Potential of Cosmetics Waste for Building Sustainable Green Pavements in the Future: A Case Study of Discarded Lipsticks

This investigation is dedicated to unlocking the hidden potential of discarded cosmetics towards building green sustainable road pavements in the future. It is particularly aiming at exploring waste lipstick (WLS) as a high-quality functional additive for advanced asphalt mix technologies. To fuel this novel innovation, the effect of various WLS doses (e.g., 5, 10, and 15 wt.%) on the performance of base AP-5 asphalt cement was studied in detail. A wide array of cutting-edge analytical lab techniques was employed to inspect in-depth the physicochemical, microstructural, thermo-morphological, and rheological properties of resultant admixtures including: elemental analysis, Fourier transform-infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), thin-layer chromatography-flame ionization detection (TLC-FID), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), atomic force microscopy (AFM), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), needle penetration, ring and ball softening point, Brookfield viscometer, ductility, and dynamic shear rheometer (DSR) tests. Unlike the unstable response of asphaltenes, the additive/artificial aging treatments increased the fraction of resins the most, and decreased that of aromatics; however, asphaltenes did not impair the saturates portion, according to Iatroscan research. FT-IR scan divulged that the WLS-asphalt interaction was physical rather than chemical. XRD diagnosis not only revealed an obvious correlation between the asphaltenes content and the fresh-binder crystallinity but also revealed the presence of fillers in the WLS, which may generate outstanding technical qualities to bituminous mixes. According to AFM/SEM analyses, the stepwise incorporation of WLS grew the magnitude of the “bee-shaped” microstructures and extended the roughness rate of unaged/aged binders. The prolonged consumption of the high thermal-stable additive caused a remarkable drop in the onset degradation and glass transition temperature of mixtures, thus enhancing their workability and low-temperature performance, according to TGA/DTGA/DSC data. The DSR and empirical rheological experiments demonstrated that the WLS could effectively lower the manufacturing and compaction temperatures of asphalt mixes and impart them with valuable anti-aging/fatigue-cracking assets. In a nutshell, the use of waste lipstick as an asphalt modifier is viable and cost-effective and could attenuate the pollution arisen from the beauty sector, while improving the performance of hot/warm asphalt mixes (HAM/WAM) and extending the service life of roadways.     

Research on nonlinear constitutive relationship of permanent deformation in asphalt pavements

To predict correctly the rut depths in asphalt pavements, a new nonlinear viscoelastic-elastoplastic constitutive model of permanent deformation in asphalt pavements is presented. The model combines a generalized Maxwell model with an elastoplastic one. Then from the creep theory, the linear and nonlinear constitutive equations of the generalized Maxwell model are obtained. From the nonlinear finite element method for the rutting of the asphalt pavement, the rut depths of 4 asphalt-aggregate mixtures are obtained. And the results are compared with the ones from the finite element method by SHRP and the experiments by SWK/UN. The results in this paper are better than the ones by SHRP, and agree with the ones of the experiment by SWK/UN. This shows that the nonlinear viscoelastic-elastoplastic constitutive model, which is presented in this paper for the rutting of the asphalt pavement, is effective. The properties, such as nonlinear elasticity, plasticity, viscoelasticity and nonlinear viscoelasticity, which affect the rutting of an asphalt pavement, can be shown in the model. And the characteristics of the permanent deformation of the asphalt pavement can be presented entirely in the model.     

Multi-instrumental analysis of asphalts of archaeological interest

Use was made of thermal and other techniques to characterise three native asphalt samples. The purpose was to support archaeological investigations reconstructing their thermal history and composition. The first sample (from a Roman quarry in central Italy) proved to have 37% impurities, no sign of oxidation or degradation and to have never been heated to above 100°C. The second sample (from a Roman ship sunk south of France) was pure, but partially oxidised, with a saturated fraction in its structure. Analyses of the latter sample, obtained from the eye of a Thracian bronze head, revealed that the asphalt had been heated to over 100°C and then mixed with natural wax.     

废旧橡胶改性沥青的老化研究现状

废旧橡胶改性沥青可显著延长路面寿命。本文综述了国内外废旧橡胶改性沥青的热氧老化、紫外老化和水老化行为,使用宏观性能和微观结构变化分析了橡胶改性沥青老化特点。橡胶改性沥青在热、氧、紫外、水的作用下发生老化,软化点升高,针入度降低,羰基含量增加。特别是光、氧老化对经过水老化后的橡胶改性沥青老化作用尤为明显,水溶解了部分老化产物促进了沥青的老化。目前对于橡胶改性沥青老化过程中胶粉、沥青的结构性能变化和其环境耦合因素对橡胶改性沥青的老化研究及分析手段还很少,在今后的研究中须引起重视。     

Influence of M w of LDPE and vinyl acetate content of EVA on the rheology of polymer modified asphalt

Asphalt binder was modified by low-density polyethylene (LDPE) and ethyl vinyl acetate (EVA) polymers to investigate the structure–property relationships of polymer-modified asphalt (PMA). The PMA was prepared in a high-shear blender at 160 °C. The optimum blending time (OBT) for each polymer was determined following a separate investigation. OBT was influenced by M_w, MWD, and polymer structure. The influence of M_w of LDPE and vinyl acetate (VA) content of EVA on PMAs was studied by rheological tools. Polymer modification improved the rheological properties of base asphalt. EVA–PMAs were found to be less temperature sensitive than LDPE-modified asphalts. LDPE modification increased flow activation energy (E_a) but EVA modification decreased E_a. Both VA content and M_w of LDPE have influenced the storage stability of PMAs. The low-temperature properties of PMAs and short ageing tests were not influenced by polymer type. On the other hand, the high-temperature properties of PMAs were strongly influenced by M_w of LDPE and VA content of EVA. Overall, EVA with low VA content showed the best temperature resistance to high- temperature deformations, the highest upper service temperature as well as the best storage stability.     

现场实测结构温度对半刚性沥青路面性能的影响

针对中国特色的半刚性基层沥青路面,在广韶高速公路瓮城段进行为期一个月高温期的现场温度观测。运用三维有限元方法,结合现场实测温度,分析了半刚性沥青路面结构的最大拉应力、最大剪应力和最大路表弯沉在荷载和荷载耦合作用下的变化情况。结果表明,随着路面深度增加,温度波动的幅度逐渐减小;路面内的最高温度相对大气和路表温度滞后约1小时;沥青路面内部温度高于表面温度;大气、路表和路面内部温度变化基本同步,温度波峰与波谷的出现频率相同;在温度和荷载综合作用下,路表以下2cm深度范围内易出现因拉应力不足造成的开裂破坏;路表以下10cm深度范围内,较易出现剪切破坏;高温温度场的存在虽不会明显增大路面结构各层的拉应力与剪应力,但会明显增大路表弯沉,故易产生车辙破坏。     

Elastodynamic analysis of a thin layer bonded on a visco-elastic medium under combined in-plane and lateral pulse loads

An analytic solution of a thin layer bonded on a visco-elastic medium under the action of in-plane and lateral pulse loads is presented. The analysis is based on double integral transforms with respect to space and time. Representative examples are studied and discussed to determine the influence of the (a) damping and elastic coefficients of visco-elastic medium, and (b) in-plane compression and stretching of the thin layer on wave propagation.     

中子法测量沥青含量

讨论了沥青混合料中沥青含量的中子测量方法，比较了几种测量结构，给出了最佳测量结构及其测量结果与离心分离法的比较．