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Low temperature performance evaluation of asphalt binders and mastics based on relaxation characteristics

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Abstract

Low temperature cracking is one of the main distresses of asphalt pavement in cold regions. Stress relaxation characteristics is critical for cracking resistance of asphalt materials, especially at low temperatures, but there are few studies on the relaxation characteristic of asphalt mastics. To evaluate the effects of relaxation characteristics of asphalt binders and mastics on its low temperature performance, beam bending relaxation test was carried out through dynamic thermomechanical analyzer at low temperatures. Relaxation rate and relaxation time were proposed to illustrate the relaxation characteristics of asphalt binders and mastics. Then, the low-temperature performance of asphalt binders and mastics was evaluated by bending beam rheometer (BBR), glass transition temperature (Tg), and single edge notch beam bending test. Finally, the correlation of relaxation characteristics with low-temperature properties was analyzed based on Pearson’s correlation coefficient and Spearman rank correlation coefficient. The results show that the elasticity of asphalt mastics increases with incorporation of mineral fillers and thus the viscous deformation potential is reduced, which affects the stress relaxation capability. The low-temperature cracking performance of asphalt mastics is indeed compromised as compared with asphalt binders, and the asphalt mastics prepared with fly ash performs the worst since it presents a stronger hardening effect. Fracture energy is determined not to be suitable for evaluating the low-temperature performance of asphalt mastics since its results contradict the BBR and Tg tests. The maximum displacement at fracture can better characterize the brittleness of asphalt materials at low temperatures. The relaxation characteristic index has the strongest correlation with Tg of asphalt binders and mastics, followed by maximum displacement at fracture and comprehensive compliance parameter (Jc). The correlation coefficients are almost larger than 0.5, suggesting that relaxation time and relaxation rate can characterize the low-temperature properties of asphalt binders and mastics.

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Acknowledgements

The authors gratefully acknowledge the financial supports by the National Science Foundation of China (52078047).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Highway, Chang’an University, Middle Section of Nanerhuan Road, Xi’an, 710064, Shaanxi, China

    Wenhua Zheng, Yi Yang, Yu Chen & Yang Yu

  2. Department of Civil Engineering, CHRIST University, Kumbalgodu, Bengaluru, Karnataka, 560074, India

    Nabil Hossiney

  3. Department of Engineering and Architecture, University of Parma, 43125, Parma, Italy

    Gabriele Tebaldi

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  1. Wenhua Zheng
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Contributions

WW: Original draft preparation and writing, Experiment and data analysis. YY: Experiment and data analysis. YC: Original draft preparation, Visualization, Project administration. NH: Validation, Writing—Reviewing and Editing. GT: Validation, Writing—Reviewing and Editing.

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Correspondence to Yu Chen.

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Zheng, W., Yang, Y., Chen, Y. et al. Low temperature performance evaluation of asphalt binders and mastics based on relaxation characteristics. Mater Struct 55, 204 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1617/s11527-022-02039-y

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