Freeze-thaw (FT) cycles and moisture susceptibility are important factors influencing the geotechnical characteristics of soil-aggregates. Given the lack of published information on the behavior of cement-bitumen emulsion-treated base (CBETB) under environmental conditions, especially freezing and thawing, this study investigated the effects of these additives on the CBETB performance. The primary goal was to evaluate the resistance of CBETB to moisture damage by performing FT, Marshall conditioning, and AASHTO T-283 tests and to evaluate the long-term stripping susceptibility of CBETB while also predicting the liquid antistripping additives to assess the mixture’s durability and workability. Specimens were stabilized with Portland cement (0%–6%), bitumen emulsion (0%–5%), and Portland cement-bitumen emulsion mixtures and cured for 7 days, and their short- and long-term performances were studied. Evaluation results of both the Marshall stability ratio and the tensile strength ratio show that the additions of additives increase the resistance of the mixtures to moisture damage. Results of durability tests performed for determining the resistance of compacted specimens to repeated FT cycles indicate that the specimen with the 4% cement-3% bitumen emulsion mixture significantly improves water absorption, volume changes, and weight losses. This indicates the effectiveness of this additive as a road base stabilizer with excellent engineering properties for cold regions.

Freeze–thaw (FT) cycles and moisture susceptibility are important factors influencing the geotechnical characteristics of soil–aggregates. Given the lack of published information on the behaviour of base course materials stabilised with styrene butadiene emulsions (SBE) and cement–SBE-treated base (CSBETB) under environmental conditions, especially freezing and thawing, this study investigated the effects of these additives on the CSBETB performance. The primary goal was to evaluate the resistance of CSBETB to moisture damage by performing FT, Marshall conditioning and AASHTO T-283 tests and to evaluate the long-term stripping susceptibility of CSBETB while also predicting the liquid antistripping additives to assess the mixture’s durability and workability. Specimens were stabilised with Portland cement, SBE and a Portland cement–SBE mixture and cured for 7 days, and their short- and long-term performances were studied. Test evaluation results show that the additions of additives increase the resistance of the mixtures to moisture damage. Results of durability tests performed for determining the resistance of compacted specimens to repeated FT cycles indicate that the specimen with the 4% cement–8% SBE mixture significantly improves water absorption, volume changes and weight losses. This indicates the effectiveness of this additive as a road base stabiliser with excellent engineering properties.

This study investigated the effects of the addition of a carboxylated styrene–butadiene emulsion (CSBE) and Portland cement on the long-term performance of road base. The specimens stabilised with Portland cement (0–6%) and CSBE (5–10%) were subjected to different stress sequences in order to study the unconfined compressive strength, flexural strength (FS), soaked and unsoaked California bearing ratio, dynamic creep and wheel-tracking characteristics of seven-day-cured specimens. The FS tests showed that the addition of a 4% Portland cement–7% CSBE mixture resulted in improvements of 48.9% of modulus of rupture as compared to the sample with 4% cement. The permanent strain behaviour of the samples was assessed by the Zhou three-stage creep model. The results of dynamic creep and wheel-tracking tests showed that the permanent deformation characteristics were considerably improved by the addition of a 4% Portland cement–7% CSBE mixture, which resulted in reduction of permanent strain of the mixture. Therefore, this research presents a new polymer additive with outstanding engineering properties for use in road bases.