The bond strength between asphalt and aggregate plays a fundamental role in evaluating the moisture sensitivity of HMA Mixtures. In this study the effect of water on adhesive and cohesive properties of asphalt-aggregate systems was investigated using a modified version of the PATTI. The device was used to measure the pull-off strength on different asphalt-aggregate combinations and to evaluate the influence of water immersion at two different temperatures. In particular, six asphalt binders were employed in combination with two aggregate types, having different asphalt affinity. The effect of the aggregate surface temperature during specimen preparation was also tested. In the first phase of the study the within-laboratory repeatability of the test procedure was investigated. The results showed the PATTI test is able to evaluate with good precision the pull-off strength and that its repeatability depends on the failure type (adhesive or cohesive). In the second phase of the study a full factorial experiment was employed to verify the reliability of the test for routine use in determining the adhesive and cohesive properties of asphalt-aggregate combinations and the effects of moisture damage. The results showed that, in the dry condition, the test was able to measure the internal cohesion of the asphalt binders. The results also showed the effects of water damage on the pull-off strength and the decisive role of asphalt-aggregate affinity was clearly highlighted. Using wet conditioning of the PATTI samples it was proven that water affects the adhesive bond between asphalt and aggregate much more than the asphalt cohesion. Moreover, the results indicate that aggregate temperature during sample preparation has only a limited effect on the adhesive strength.

Many studies have focused on modelling the stiffening effect of mineral filler on asphalt binder. However, the interaction between both constituents was always a challenge to address. Current European as well as North American specifications includes limits on stiffening effects of fillers that are mostly empirically driven and hard to include in a mixture design process. This study offers a model that allows estimation of stiffening effects based on primary binder and filler properties. This study builds on a conceptual model provided in an earlier publication for understanding the mechanism by which the filler stiffens the asphalt mastic. The model hypothesizes that change of mastic complex modulus with filler content follows two phases; a diluted phase and a concentrated phase. In the diluted phase, the stiffening effect of the filler on the binder follows a linear filling trend where interaction between filler and binder is minimal. On the other hand the effect of the filler departs from the linear trend once its concentration enters the concentrated phase. The deviation from the linear trend indicates the start of the significant interaction between the filler particles and the asphalt binder. In this study a model is proposed for the effect of mineral filler on asphalt binder complex modulus at given temperature and frequency. The model is defined using three main parameters, (a) Initial Stiffening Rate, (b) Terminal stiffening rate, and (c) Critical filler concentration. The results presented in this study provide measurable filler and binder properties that can be used to estimate these three parameters, which are indicators of the mineral filler interaction with asphalt binder. The model provides an effective tool to determine the role of basic filler and binder physical and chemical properties on the overall complex modulus of the mastic.

A field and laboratory study was carried out to study the effect of pressure and temperature on the compaction of asphalt pavements. Density, temperature, number of passes, and type of roller were recorded in the field at four different paving projects in Wisconsin, with binder and mixture samples obtained from each project. Compaction in the field occurred at temperatures that ranged from 125 to 60°C . Densification was achieved only for temperatures above the 70–80°C range. Roller contact pressures were estimated between 300 and 700 kPa during the compaction process. Laboratory compaction was performed with Superpave gyratory compactor using the field compaction temperatures and contact pressures. The lab compaction results confirmed that below a certain temperature limit densification decreased significantly. Binder testing was performed to determine the binder viscosities in the full range of field compaction temperatures observed. The upper limit of viscosity for significant reduction in densificatio...

In recent years, many studies have dealt with the inadequacy of the current Superpave performance grading (PG) specification for accurately capturing the performance properties of modified binders. An alternative binder testing mode that has gained much attention in recent years is the repeated creep and recovery (RCR) test, and more specifically, the multiple stress creep and recovery (MSCR) test. As with any new test procedure, a number of concerns and questions remain with regards to interpretation of results in terms of performance and sufficiency of the number of cycles and stress levels used, as well as representative temperature and stress levels to be used. This paper investigates the aforementioned issues using a set of modified and unmodified binders. The results show that the standard 10 cycles per stress level are not sufficient to reach a stable steady-state creep behavior for modified binders, thus the addition of 20 conditioning cycles are recommended, for a total of 30 cycles for e...