Investigation on the Diffusion Behavior of Dry Modified SBS at the Asphalt-Aggregate Interface: Molecular Simulation and Experiments
Publication: Journal of Materials in Civil Engineering
Volume 36, Issue 2
Abstract
Dry modified Styrene-Butadiene-Styrene block copolymer (SBS) is an innovative method of modifying asphalt mixture that has gained attention due to its convenience, low carbon footprint, and high efficiency. To understand the diffusion behavior and micromechanism of dry modified SBS at the asphalt-aggregate interface, molecular dynamic simulation technology was employed to investigate its behavior at various temperatures. The mean square displacement, diffusion coefficient, statistical relative concentration distribution, and interfacial energy were used to calculate the diffusion and migration mechanism of dry modified SBS at the asphalt-aggregate interface. Additionally, the water-boiling test and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) test were conducted to analyze the interfacial stripping form and SBS dispersion in the asphalt film. The results indicated that at high temperatures, dry modified SBS exhibited the highest mean square displacement and diffusion coefficient, suggesting that higher temperatures promoted its diffusion toward the asphalt layer. Dry modified SBS clusters and asphalt displayed opposite migration diffusion tendencies, with the migration of dry modified SBS toward the asphalt film becoming more pronounced over time. The introduction of SBS altered the distribution of asphalt components on the aggregate surface, increasing the interfacial energy and adhesion strength between asphalt and aggregate. Laboratory experiments supported these findings, confirming that dry modified SBS enhanced diffusion distribution and interfacial strength. The diffusion distribution of dry modification was found to be similar to that of wet-process SBS modified asphalt under sufficient temperature and time. Therefore, in engineering applications, raising the mixing temperature can improve the diffusion distribution of dry modified SBS, further enhancing its modification efficiency and effectiveness.
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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 the National Key R&D Program of China (2021YFB2601200) and the National Natural Science Foundation of China (52278451).
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Published In
Journal of Materials in Civil Engineering
Volume 36 • Issue 2 • February 2024
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© 2023 American Society of Civil Engineers.
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Received: Apr 25, 2023
Accepted: Jul 18, 2023
Published online: Nov 23, 2023
Published in print: Feb 1, 2024
Discussion open until: Apr 23, 2024
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