Evaluation of the Effect of SBS on Performance Behavior of Stone Matrix Asphalt Mixture Containing Mineral Fiber

Annually, a great deal of money is spent repairing and maintaining pavements. As a result, several pavement experts have investigated the effects of various modifiers on pavement performance and service life. The present research evaluated the performance of a binder and asphalt mixture containing combined styrene–butadiene–styrene (SBS) (5% by binder weight) and ceramic fiber (CF) additives (0%, 2%, 4%, and 6% by binder weight). One virgin binder (AC 85/100) was used to fabricate mixtures. Several rheological binder tests and performance mixture experiments were carried out, including penetration degree, dynamic shear rheometer, rotational viscosity, ductility, softening point, four-point bending beam fatigue, wheel track, dynamic creep, resilient modulus ($Mr$), indirect tensile strength (ITS), linear amplitude sweep, and multiple stress creep recovery experiments. To analyze the data set, ANOVA was conducted. Rheological behavior test outcomes showed that adding compound additives led to an enhancement of high- and intermediate-temperature behaviors in bitumen. Low-temperature properties of bitumens became worse after applying ceramic fiber, whereas they were enhanced by the use of SBS. Storage stability experiments showed that utilizing ceramic fiber up to 4% improved the storage stability of binders, but as the percentages of ceramic fiber increased, phase separation of bitumens became worse. Rutting performance of binders improved with the addition of SBS and ceramic fiber. The fatigue performance of binders modified by SBS improved, whereas that of binders modified by ceramic fiber decreased. The resilient modulus and tensile strength of samples increased as CF was added up to 4%, and with the addition of more CF, the ITS and $Mr$ decreased. Therefore, results revealed that ceramic fiber can be used as an appropriate modifier to modify the binder and mixture, and its optimum content is 4%.