Engineering Properties of Polyethylene-Modified Asphalt Concrete

Abstract

Styrene-Butadiene-Styrene (SBS) is a thermoplastic elastomer that widely used for asphalt modification; Polyethylene is the most common plastomeric material In this study SBS virgin Low Density Polyethylene (LDPE) virgin Linear Low Density Polyethylene (LLDPE) and Recycled Low Density Polyethylene (RPE) as modifier added into asphalt then analysis the properties of these modified asphalt through basic asphalt properties test Morphology test Multiple Stress Creep and Recovery (MSCR) and the properties of modified asphalt concrete with mixtures test such as Marshall test Resilient Modulus test Indirect Tensile Strength test Moisture Damage Susceptibility test and Wheel Tracking test The Morphology test showed that the cross-linking of SBS improved stiffness and elastic recovery properties of asphalt binder; the coalescence of PE merely improved the stiffness of asphalt binder 5% virgin LDPE by weight of binder is not ideal for asphalt modification; 5% virgin LLDPE by weight of binder is optimum for asphalt modification which has high stiffness but poor elastic properties; RPE has similar modification effect compared to SBS The Indirect Tensile Strength test showed that SBS-modified asphalt concrete has better cracking resistance than PE-modified asphalt concrete PE-modified asphalt concrete and SBS-modified asphalt concrete has better moisture damage resistance than unmodified asphalt concrete whereas PE-modified asphalt concrete is relatively better The rutting resistance ability of asphalt concrete may not be acquired directly from the non-recoverable creep compliance (Jnr) of MSCR meanwhile Jnr and % Recovery should be considered

Date of Award	2020
Original language	English
Supervisor	Jian-Shiuh Chen (Supervisor)