Assessment of Compatibility of Mineral Aggregates and Binders Used in Highway Construction and Maintenance Projects

The Arkansas Department of Transportation (ArDOT) has raised issues with the use of certain aggregates in asphalt concrete projects (both new and maintenance) as these aggregates pose serious durability and performance issues. In particular, aggregates originating from some quarries are suspected to be problematic and non-compatible with some asphalt products (e.g., hot mix asphalt and chip seals). The non-compatibility issues of these aggregates can be mitigated by selecting appropriate asphalt binder(s) as they can be acidic or basic based on their crude sources (e.g., Arabian and Canadian crude). The proposed study will seek to identify the problematic aggregates and their compatible asphalt binders through mechanistic and science-based approaches. Physical (e.g., absorption) and mechanical properties (e.g., abrasion resistance and sulfate resistance) of aggregates will be evaluated in the laboratory. The compatibility of these aggregates with different binder sources will be determined by measuring their surface free energy (SFE) and adhesion forces by using an Optical Contact Angle (OCA) Analyzer and an Atomic Force Microscope (AFM), respectively. A comprehensive database of compatible aggregate-binder systems will be developed, and it can be followed by asphalt contractors to choose the best compatible system to build longer lasting roadways.

• Record URL:
  https://transet.lsu.edu/research-in-progress/
• Supplemental Notes:
  • 19BASU02

Language

• English

Project

• Status: Completed
• Funding: $102013
• Contract Numbers:

  69A3551747106

• 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:

  Transportation Consortium of South-Central States (Tran-SET)

  Louisiana State University
  Baton Rouge, LA  United States  70803
• Project Managers:

  Melson, Christopher

• Performing Organizations:

  Arkansas State University

  Department of Engineering
  P.O. Box 1740
  State University, AR  United States  72467
• Principal Investigators:

  Hossain, Zahid

  Elsayed, Ashraf

• Start Date: 20190815
• Expected Completion Date: 20210215
• Actual Completion Date: 0
• USDOT Program: University Transportation Centers Program

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Aggregates; Asphalt concrete; Bituminous binders; Construction projects; Databases; Evaluation and assessment; Highways; Moisture damage
• Identifier Terms: Atomic Force Microscopy-Infrared Spectroscopy
• Geographic Terms: Arkansas
• Subject Areas: Construction; Highways; Maintenance and Preservation; Materials; Pavements;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01713204
• Record Type: Research project
• Source Agency: Transportation Consortium of South-Central States (Tran-SET)
• Contract Numbers: 69A3551747106
• Files: UTC, RIP
• Created Date: Aug 1 2019 4:06PM