Effect of Long-Term Aging on Polymer Degradation and Fatigue Resistance of Hybrid Polymer-Modified Bitumen
Publication: Journal of Materials in Civil Engineering
Volume 34, Issue 11
Abstract
Binder aging significantly affects the overall performance of asphalt pavements. For polymer-modified bitumen (PMB), this complex phenomenon is attributed to both polymer degradation and bitumen aging. This study aims to analyze whether the aging of hybrid PMB—combining styrene-butadiene-styrene (SBS) and recycled linear low-density polyethylene (RLLDPE) from waste plastic—is a result of bitumen aging, polymer degradation, or both aspects simultaneously. To further understand the aging process as a function of time, five different PMBs were subjected to long-term aging simulation using a pressure aging vessel (PAV) at three different durations (20, 40, and 60 h). SBS and RLLDPE (polymers only) were also aged under similar conditions, in order to isolate the polymer degradation from the bitumen aging. Tensile strength tests revealed that SBS is susceptible to polymer degradation and improves its elastic response as a result of aging. However, the tensile test results did not indicate whether RLLDPE underwent degradation. Results from the thermal analysis showed that RLLDPE did not significantly change the thermal events as the aging progressed. Hence, RLLDPE is assumed to have minimal degradation when subjected to long-term aging. Infrared spectroscopy results indicated that SBS underwent degradation, with aging promoting carbonyl formation, which is associated with bitumen hardening. Rheological results indicate that bitumen aging, due to thermal oxidation, is dominant compared to polymer degradation; as such, polymer degradation has minimal effects upon bitumen hardening.
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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.
Acknowledgments
This work was supported by Skim Latihan Akademik Bumiputera (SLAB); Universiti Malaysia Perlis (UniMAP); and the Ministry of Higher Education of Malaysia.
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Journal of Materials in Civil Engineering
Volume 34 • Issue 11 • November 2022
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© 2022 American Society of Civil Engineers.
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Received: Nov 8, 2021
Accepted: Mar 1, 2022
Published online: Aug 22, 2022
Published in print: Nov 1, 2022
Discussion open until: Jan 22, 2023
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