The reuse of recycled waste plastics has long been attempted in pavement engineering as bitumen modifier. It was revealed that waste plastics can significantly enhance the high-temperature performance of bitumen and bitumen mixtures. Even so, the application of waste plastics as a bitumen modifier is still not widespread. This is attributable to the generally poor low-temperature performance of plastic-modified bitumen, which often fails to meet specification requirements. For this purpose, styrene butadiene rubber (SBR) was selected to improve the low-temperature performance of plastic-modified bitumen. However, due to the long-term aging process, the composite and structure of the modified bitumen will change, which negatively impacts its performance. The objective of this study is to investigate the long-term aging behavior of plastic/SBR composite-modified bitumen. For this purpose, waste polyethylene was used as a plastic modifier and was mixed with base bitumen and 3% SBR at ratios 4.5%, 6% and 7.5%. The rheological properties and molecular weight distribution of base bitumen, plastic and plastic/SBR-modified bitumen before and after long-term aging were measured. Results show that the incorporation of plastic can improve the complex modulus, rutting factor and percent recovery of bitumen and reduce the non-recoverable creep compliance of the bitumen, indicating the modification process enhances the high-temperature performance of bitumen. The enhancement effect is more pronounced with the increase of plastic content. For modified bitumen with 7.5% plastic modifier, the complex modulus of modified bitumen is increased by 1127.55% compared to base bitumen. The addition of 3% SBR modifier can further improve the high-temperature performance of the modified bitumen. In addition, the modification process also increases the large molecule size percentage (LMSP) and weight average molecular weight of bitumen. Compared with weight average molecular weight, the LMSP correlates well with the rheological properties of modified bitumen. In accordance with the complex modulus, using the LMSP and weight average molecular weight of bitumen before and after aging, the corresponding aging index was calculated. The quantitative results showed that the addition of plastic modifier can improve the aging resistance of bitumen, but the enhancement effect is not as obvious as that of SBR modifier.

Rutting is the most common distress of the asphalt pavement with a semirigid base, mainly when located on a steep longitudinal slope. Previous studies have shown that shear stress is the leading cause of rutting. Therefore, it is essential to analyze the distribution characteristics of shear stress to evaluate pavement rutting performance. Firstly, the truck speed was measured at different locations on the steep longitudinal slope section. Then, the calculation method of shear stress was improved based on the method of “systematic clustering.” The distribution characteristics of shear stress were studied under the different gradients, slope lengths, horizontal forces, and interlayer bond conditions. Finally, the rutting prediction model was used to evaluate the rutting performance of the steep longitudinal slope section. The results show two critical parameters of a steep longitudinal slope: gradient and slope length can be quantified by establishing the relationship between truck speed and those parameters. The improved shear stress calculation method can correspond well with the layer where maximum rutting occurs. Gradients and slope lengths have little effect on shear stresses, while horizontal forces and interlayer bond conditions significantly change the shear stress distribution characteristics within the pavement. For the steep longitudinal slope sections, the rutting prediction model should consider the truck speed separately. With increasing gradient and slope length, the rutting increases the fastest in the middle layer. For sections with horizontal forces and poor interlayer bonding, the layers with the highest rutting accumulation are the upper layer and the lower layer, respectively.