High-Polymer Asphalt Binder and Asphalt Mixture for Enhanced Durability and Cost Effectiveness in Urban Transportation Infrastructure

While traditional materials have performed satisfactorily across a wide range of roads in the past, road failures are now occurring at an accelerated rate. Increased traffic loading— encompassing axle loads, tire pressures, and the number of load passes—has exposed limitations in the performance of asphalt binders and mixtures. To address this growing challenge, the asphalt industry has shifted over the past 50 years toward using polymers as modifiers for asphalt binders, especially in pavements exposed to severe climatic conditions and heavy truck traffic. More recently, researchers have developed polymer-modified asphalt with styrene-butadienestyrene (SBS) content of 7–8% by weight of the binder, offering enhanced elasticity and potentially improved pavement performance compared to traditional polymer-modified asphalt. An experimental study by the Florida Department of Transportation compared three asphalt binder types: a neat asphalt binder, a conventional polymer-modified asphalt binder (3% SBS), and a high-polymer asphalt binder (6% SBS). Results demonstrated that mixtures prepared with the high-polymer asphalt binder exhibited greater fracture energy, indicating superior fracture resistance compared to mixtures using conventional polymer-modified asphalt or neat asphalt binders. Furthermore, accelerated pavement testing showed that polymer-modified asphalt mixtures significantly outperformed mixtures prepared with neat asphalt binders in terms of rutting resistance. The ultimate goal of this study is to conduct a comprehensive laboratory evaluation of high-polymer modified asphalt binder and to assess the cost-effectiveness of this emerging class of asphalt binder as compared to conventional polymer-modified asphalt and neat asphalt binders. To this end, research activities will evaluate and compare the binder rheological, chemical, and aging characteristics of high-polymer asphalt, conventional polymer-modified asphalt, and neat asphalt binders. Based on the results of the binder study, researchers will evaluate the cracking, rutting, and moisture-damage resistances of asphalt mixtures prepared with high-polymer asphalt, conventional polymer-modified asphalt, and neat asphalt binders. In addition, cohesive and adhesive failure mechanisms will be evaluated for high-polymer asphalt, conventional polymer-modified asphalt, and neat asphalt binders. The tasks involve in this project are as follows: Task 1: Materials selection and development of test factorial; Task 2: Prepare and characterize asphalt binder blends; Task 3: Prepare and characterize the mechanistic properties and failure mechanisms of asphalt mixes; Task 4: Analyze performance and cost effectiveness of high-polymer asphalt and conventional polymer-modified asphalt, and Task 5: Prepare final report.

• Record URL:
  • https://www.sptc.org/cy2-lsu-06

Language

• English

Project

• Status: Active
• Funding: $61,628
• Contract Numbers:

  69A3552348306

  CY2-LSU-06

• Sponsor Organizations:

  Office of the Assistant Secretary for Research and Technology

  University Transportation Centers Program
  Department of Transportation
  Washington, DC  United States  20590
• Managing Organizations:

  Southern Plains Transportation Center

  University of Oklahoma
  202 W Boyd St, Room 213A
  Norman, OK  United States  73019
• Project Managers:

  Dunn, Denise

• Performing Organizations:

  Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge

  P.O. Box 94245, Capitol Station
  Baton Rouge, LA  United States  70803
• Principal Investigators:

  Elseifi, Mostafa

• Start Date: 20241001
• Expected Completion Date: 20250930
• Actual Completion Date: 0
• USDOT Program: University Transportation Centers

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Alternatives analysis; Binder content; Binders; Cost effectiveness; Cracking; Durability; Polymer asphalt; Rutting; Urban areas
• Subject Areas: Highways; Materials; Pavements;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01940486
• Record Type: Research project
• Source Agency: Southern Plains Transportation Center
• Contract Numbers: 69A3552348306, CY2-LSU-06
• Files: UTC, RIP
• Created Date: Dec 20 2024 7:46PM