Asphalt, as a key binder material in road construction, is susceptible to ultraviolet (UV) radiation-induced aging, leading to embrittlement and reduced durability. Despite the significance of UV aging, research in this area remains limited compared to that on thermal aging. This paper comprehensively reviews the current state of research on UV aging in asphalt, focusing on its mechanism, evaluation indicators, and methods to delay or avoid UV aging. The structural components, rheological properties, and aging mechanisms of asphalt are discussed. Various UV aging simulation methods, including the use of UV chambers and accelerated aging tests, are presented along with their evaluation tests such as dynamic shear rheometry, rutting tests, Fourier infrared spectroscopy, and bending beam rheology. Key indicators used to assess UV aging, including physical properties, rheological parameters, and chemical composition changes, are summarized. The mechanisms underlying UV aging, particularly the changes in asphalt’s structural components and rheological properties, are examined. The impact of factors like radiation intensity, temperature, chemical composition, and asphalt film thickness on UV aging is discussed. Additionally, various additives and modifiers, including modified bitumen, UV shielding agents, UV absorbers, antioxidants, and nanomodifiers, are reviewed for their potential to mitigate UV aging. This paper concludes by highlighting the challenges in developing standardized test equipment and evaluation criteria, the limitations of organic modifiers, and the need for further research on nanomaterials to improve asphalt’s UV aging resistance.

Asphalt pavement durability significantly impacts the service life of roads, and hence, understanding the performance of high-performance asphalt mixtures is crucial. This study investigates the performance of four high-performance asphalt mixtures: heavy-load AC-20, high-viscosity AC-20, heavy-load SMA-13, and heavy-load SMA-10. Linear Amplitude Sweep (LAS) tests revealed that heavy-load asphalt mixtures exhibit superior fatigue resistances, with the fatigue life of heavy-load SMA-13 exceeding 1.5 times that of high-viscosity AC-20 under similar stress levels. Bending Beam Rheometer (BBR) tests at −6 °C, −12 °C, and −18 °C demonstrated that both heavy-load and high-viscosity asphalts had comparable low-temperature crack resistance, with heavy-load SMA-13 showing a stiffness modulus of 627 MPa at −18 °C. Marshall tests indicated that heavy-load AC-20 had the highest stability (14.3 kN) among the tested mixtures, while heavy-load SMA-13 exhibited the highest density (2.603 g/cm³). Dynamic modulus tests spanning a frequency range of 10⁻⁴ Hz to 10⁵ Hz at various temperatures showed that heavy-load SMA-13 had a higher dynamic modulus than heavy-load SMA-10, particularly at lower frequencies (higher temperatures). Rutting tests at 60 °C indicated that heavy-load SMA-13 had the lowest rut depth (18.5 mm), outperforming other mixtures by up to 25%. The heavy-load SMA-13 asphalt mixture demonstrated the best overall performance, especially in terms of high-temperature stability, fatigue resistance, and rutting resistance. This study provides essential material performance parameters for the development of durable high-performance asphalt pavement structures.

To address the research bottlenecks in the performance mechanism and engineering application of high-content SBS-modified asphalt (SBS content ≥ 6%), this study used 70# and 90# base asphalts as raw materials to prepare modified asphalts with SBS contents of 5%, 8%, 10%, and 12% via a high-speed shearing-stirring process. Combined with conventional performance tests (penetration, ductility, elastic recovery), rheological analysis (dynamic shear rheology (DSR), rotational viscosity), and micro-characterization (Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS)), the regulatory mechanisms of SBS content, base asphalt type, and aging process (RTFOT short-term aging, PAV long-term aging) on asphalt performance were systematically investigated. The results showed that with the increase in SBS content, the asphalt’s increased consistency (as indicated by decreased penetration), low-temperature crack resistance (5 °C ductility increased by more than 5 times), and high-temperature rutting resistance (60 °C complex shear modulus G* increased by 17 times) were significantly enhanced. Due to its higher content of light components, the 90# base asphalt exhibited a better modification effect than the 70# base asphalt. At 12% SBS content, the 5 °C ductility and 60 °C G* of the 90# base asphalt system reached 49.42 cm and 41.62 kPa, respectively. High-content SBS optimized the viscoelastic balance of asphalt: the 70# base asphalt system with 10–12% SBS content showed a phase angle δ < 45° (elasticity-dominated), and the modified asphalt with 12% SBS content exhibited a decrease in fatigue factor (G*sinδ) after PAV aging, indicating excellent fatigue resistance stability. The aging process significantly increased asphalt viscosity (the viscosity of 70# base asphalt with 10% SBS increased by 242% after PAV aging at 135 °C), while high-content SBS inhibited aging deterioration—the penetration ratio of both systems exceeded 96% at 10% SBS content. At the microscale, 10% SBS content enabled the asphalt to form a continuous and dense network structure, reducing carbon loss and slowing oxygen incorporation. Based on PG classification, the modified asphalt with 12% SBS content reached the PG100 grade, which can meet the needs of heavy-load and high-temperature scenarios such as high-toughness ultra-thin asphalt wearing courses. This study provides a key theoretical basis and data support for the content design and engineering promotion of high-content SBS-modified asphalt.