Investigation of the Adhesion and Debonding Behaviors between Warm-Mix Recycled Asphalt and Aggregates Based on Molecular Dynamics Simulation
Publication: Journal of Materials in Civil Engineering
Volume 36, Issue 10
Abstract
Warm-mix recycling technology has gained increasing adoption in practical engineering owing to its notable environmental and economic advantages. Nevertheless, the intricate interfacial mechanisms governing the interaction between asphalt and aggregate during the reprocessing process remain unclear. The objective of this study is to investigate the adhesion and debonding behaviors between warm-mix recycled asphalt and aggregates through the utilization of molecular dynamics simulation. Molecular models representing the asphalt-aggregate interface in four different states (virgin, long-term aged, recycled, and warm-mix recycled) were developed to assess the interaction effects between various asphalt binders and aggregates. The aggregation of asphalt components under both dry and humid conditions was evaluated using mean square displacement and molecular radial distribution function. Furthermore, the debonding behaviors of different asphalt-aggregate interfaces were analyzed by defining the adhesion energy. The findings indicate that aging enhances the aggregation behavior of the molecular structure while diminishing the contact area and molecular activity between the asphalt binder and aggregate. Although the compound regenerant fails to fully degrade the oxidation functional groups in aged asphalt, it effectively penetrates and fills the intermolecular aggregation spaces, thereby increasing the contact area and molecular activity between the asphalt and aggregate. The warm-mix regeneration process primarily enhances the activity of lightweight components to improve adhesion between the aged asphalt and aggregates. The present study provides a certain research basis for the microinterface mechanism between warm-mix recycled asphalt-aggregate.
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Data Availability Statement
Some or all data, models, or code that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.
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Published In
Journal of Materials in Civil Engineering
Volume 36 • Issue 10 • October 2024
Copyright
© 2024 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Received: Dec 5, 2023
Accepted: Mar 6, 2024
Published online: Jul 17, 2024
Published in print: Oct 1, 2024
Discussion open until: Dec 17, 2024
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