Viscoelastic Behavior and Characterization of Bitumen under Natural Exposure Aging in the Tibetan Areas
Publication: Journal of Materials in Civil Engineering
Volume 36, Issue 4
Abstract
This study investigates the aging mechanisms and effects of outdoor natural exposure aging (NEA) on bitumen in the Tibetan Autonomous Region of China. Unmodified bitumen (No. 90) and styrene–butadiene–styrene (SBS)-modified bitumen were exposed to natural weathering for 0, 4, and 8 months, and their aged samples were collected and analyzed. Dynamic shear rheology (DSR) and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) were employed to examine the changes in rheological properties and chemical composition of the samples during NEA. The study also assessed the aging extent of bitumen using the complex modulus aging index (CMI), phase angle aging index (PAI), and rutting factor growth rate. FTIR was utilized to quantitatively evaluate the variations in functional group indices with NEA time. The correlation analysis between the conventional binder properties and functional group indices facilitated a deeper understanding of the aging behavior. The results revealed the differences in temperature sensitivity and aging resistance between unmodified bitumen (No. 90) and SBS-modified bitumen under NEA. This research offers insights into bitumen aging in high-altitude regions and emphasizes the intrinsic role of chemical functional group changes in inducing macroscopic indicator changes during NEA.
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Data Availability Statement
All data, models, and code generated or used during the study appear in the published article.
Acknowledgments
This study was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 51978116).
Author contributions: Longfei Ran contributed to the methodology, data curation, and writing (original draft preparation). Qun Li contributed to the software and writing (reviewing and editing). Wenrui Luo contributed to the methodology. Hao Xu contributed to the conceptualization and validation. Lin Kong contributed to the software and supervision.
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Published In
Journal of Materials in Civil Engineering
Volume 36 • Issue 4 • April 2024
Copyright
© 2024 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Received: Jun 2, 2023
Accepted: Sep 27, 2023
Published online: Jan 23, 2024
Published in print: Apr 1, 2024
Discussion open until: Jun 23, 2024
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