The synergistic utilization of waste plastics and tires in asphalt modification is a highly promising sustainable strategy. However, the differential impacts of distinct plastic molecular architectures on the performance and network evolution of rubber-modified asphalt remain fundamentally unclear. This study systematically investigated the physical, rheological, and microstructural properties of composite asphalts modified with desulfurized rubber powder (DRP) and four representative plastics: polyethylene (PE), styrene–isoprene–styrene (SIS), styrene–ethylene–butylene–styrene (SEBS), and styrene–butadiene–styrene (SBS). Furthermore, the pavement performance of the asphalt mixtures prepared via dry and wet methods was comparatively evaluated. Microstructural and spectroscopic analyses revealed that the composite modification was primarily governed by physical blending and swelling. The non-polar, semi-crystalline PE resulted in severe phase separation and extreme low-temperature brittleness. Conversely, the saturated hydrogenated mid-blocks of SEBS endowed the asphalt with the highest high-temperature rutting resistance but severely compromised its low-temperature stress relaxation. Remarkably, SBS interacted synergistically with DRP to form a highly homogeneous and densely interwoven three-dimensional network, thereby achieving an optimal viscoelastic balance, outstanding storage stability, and superior low-temperature ductility. Pavement performance tests further demonstrated that the wet method significantly outperformed the dry method for block copolymers by facilitating sufficient pre-swelling. Overall, the SBS-DRP composite-modified asphalt prepared via the wet method exhibited the most exceptional and balanced comprehensive pavement performance, providing a robust theoretical foundation for the sustainable and high-value recycling of multi-source solid wastes in paving engineering.
To address the limited drainage capacity of conventional porous asphalt pavements under high-intensity rainfall, this study proposes the use of epoxy-modified bitumen to develop a large-void porous asphalt concrete (LV-PAC) with a target air void content of 25%. This approach represents a novel application of epoxy-modified bitumen to enhance permeability in porous pavement systems. The LV-PAC exhibited improved high-temperature stability, permeability, and clogging recovery capability compared with a conventional high-viscosity porous asphalt concrete (HV-PAC), though its low-temperature deformation capacity was relatively lower. All evaluated performance indicators met the required specifications, highlighting the potential of epoxy-modified bitumen for use in large-void porous pavements pending further field validation.
5 August 2026 in Journal of Materials Engineering and Performance