Research on the Microstructure and Performance of Asphalt after the Salt Freezing Cycle

• Published in: Applied Mechanics and Materials Vol. 575; no. Materials Engineering and Automatic Control III; pp. 238 - 244
• Main Authors: Li, Zhen, Li, Chao, Han, Ji Wei, Liu, Zhen Zheng, Cui, Ya Nan
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Zurich Trans Tech Publications Ltd 01.06.2014
• Subjects: Asphalt; Freezing; Highways; Indicators; Microstructure; Pavements; Rubber; Scanning electron microscopy; High; Asphalt; Low Temperature Performance; Microstructure; Temperature Susceptibility; Salt Freezing Cycle
• DOI: 10.4028/www.scientific.net/AMM.575.238
• ISBN: 9783038351405; 3038351407
• ISSN: 1660-9336; 1662-7482

About more than 90% highway have adopted asphalt concrete pavement in China. A lot of quality problems appeared in the highway pavement due to freezing-thawing circulations under the condition of low temperature. The scanning electron microscope (SEM) was utilized to observe the microstructure of styrene-butadiene-styrene (SBS) modified asphalt and rubber powder modified asphalt before and after the salt freezing. Also three routine indicators (penetration, softening point and ductility) for the two kinds of asphalt were tested before and after the salt freezing. The analysis results showed that the temperature susceptibility of SBS modified asphalt and rubber powder modified asphalt were all increased and the high temperature performance and low temperature performance of both asphalt were reduced after the salt freezing cycles as the same time the performance of rubber modified asphalt after salt freezing cycle was superior to SBS modified asphalt by comparing the basic indicators of them.