This article discusses the results of bitumen foam properties optimisation with respect to three factors: air pressure, bitumen temperature and amount of water. The test materials were unmodified bitumen 50/70 and bitumen 50/70 modified with 2.5% synthetic wax. The experiment was designed according to the 3⁽³⁻¹⁾ fractional factorial design. The distribution of parameters of bitumen foam were measured with the authors’ original apparatus using a laser beam. This measurement method increased the accuracy of maximum expansion ratio (ER) and half-life (HL) estimation. Based on HL and ER results, it was found that the foaming process increased bitumen stiffness due to the dynamic ageing of the bitumen. The experimental design allows more effective control over the properties of foamed bitumen with respect to its intended use. The presence of synthetic wax extended the half-life of the bitumen foam.

The study investigated the effects of laboratory ageing on the fluxed and water-foamed asphalt binders in scope of Fourier transform infrared spectroscopic measurements of ageing indicators and changes in their chemical composition. The investigated binders included two paving grades, two polymer modified asphalt binders, and a highly modified asphalt binder. The bio-flux additive was produced from rapeseed methyl esters in an oxidation reaction in the presence of a metal catalyst and organic peroxide. The use of the bio-origin additive, in particular oil derivatives, was aimed at softening and better foaming of asphalt binders. This modification is possible due to the good mixability of vegetable oils with an asphalt binder, which gives a homogeneous product with reduced stiffness. The study involved the rolling thin film oven, short-term, and the pressure ageing vessel, long term, and ageing to induce oxidation on the evaluated asphalt binders. The addition of the bio-flux additive has significantly decreased the measured content of ketone compounds related to oxidation in both non-aged and aged asphalt binders, although this effect after ageing were far smaller in magnitude. Additionally, both ageing processes decreased significantly the absorbances in the ester spectral bands specific to the bio-flux additive. All mentioned effects were similar in magnitude in all tested asphalt binders.

This paper presents findings of a study concerning the influence of binder type on the mechanical properties of road base in the cold recycling technology. The principal aim of this investigation was to evaluate the mixes in scope of susceptibility to moisture and low-temperatures. In the comparative research foamed bitumen and bitumen emulsion were used in four different concentrations (2.0%, 2.5%, 3.0%, 3.5%). The materials used in the study were reclaimed from an existing road construction layers: reclaimed aggregate from the road base and reclaimed asphalt pavement obtained by milling the surface and binder course. Portland cement in 2.0% concentration was used as a hydraulic binder. The evaluated parameters were: indirect tensile strengths, tensile strength retained and indirect tensile stiffness modulus at 25 °C. These tests were complemented by an evaluation of susceptibility to moisture and frost according to modified procedures implemented by American researchers: Tunnicliff, Root and Lottman. Moreover, tests for low-temperature cracking were conducted according to Finnish standard. The investigations showed that the use of foamed bitumen for road base layer produced in the cold recycling technology results in better mechanical properties and resistance to moisture and frost compared to using bitumen emulsion. The use of 2.5% of foamed bitumen and 2.0% of Portland cement in the recycled road base allowed to meet the established criteria.

The process of water-based foaming of bitumen produces binders that can be incorporated in cold recycled asphalt mixes and pavement upper structural layers made of half-warm mix asphalt prepared at 100–130 °C. During the foaming process, cold water and air act on hot bitumen (160–170 °C), which results in the explosive vaporization of water leading to changes in the binder structure. The impact of foaming on the properties of bitumen 70/100 was evaluated by investigating the binder characteristics before and after foaming. Determination of two foaming parameters, maximum expansion and half-life, was followed by measurements of penetration at 25 °C, softening point, Fraass breaking point, and dynamic viscosity at 60, 90, and 135 °C. Rheological and low-temperature tests were also performed before and after foaming bitumen 70/100. The Bending Beam Rheometer method was applied to determine the low temperature stiffness modulus. A DHR-2 rheometer was used to determine the dynamic modulus and phase angle of the tested binder. The Black and master curves before and after foaming were plotted in the 2S2P1D model and the model parameters were analysed. Analysis of the test results confirmed the effects of the foaming process on the basic, low-temperature, and rheological characteristics of the bitumen.

This article presents the test results for the physical and mechanical properties and fracture toughness of polymer-modified hydraulically-bound mixtures (HBM) produced with Portland cement for road base layers. The modifier used was a redispersible polymer powder (RPP) based on a vinyl ethylene acetate (EVA) copolymer obtained by spray drying. A three-level full factorial design with two factors was applied to determine the contents of Portland cement and polymer powder in the cement-bound mixture (CBM). Both Portland cement and polymer powder were added at three levels: 0%, 2%, and 4%. The assessment included basic physical properties (water absorption, density, and bulk density) and mechanical properties (stiffness modulus, axial compressive strength, and indirect tensile strength) of the CBM. Particular attention was paid to the assessment of fracture toughness in the semi-circular bending test. The results of the research show that polymer powder positively influenced the mechanical properties of CBM by improving its cohesion while maintaining its stiffness. Another benefit coming from the use of polymer powder was the CBM’s increased resistance to cracking, which is the desired characteristic from the perspective of pavement durability.

Mineral fines are a waste product of aggregate production in quarries and asphalt mixing plants. The incorporation of mineral gabbro dust into foam bitumen causes developing of a mesh reinforcement in the recycled base mixture. This mesh reinforcement, observed in a recycled base structure, induces an increase in stiffness modulus, where its elastic part of complex modulus dominates over the imaginary part. Therefore, it is possible to create a recycled mixture with a lower susceptibility to loading time/temperature. In result, the presence of gabbro dust in recycled mixture limits the magnitude of strains induced by the traffic load. This paper presents the results of the tests carried out on the mineral dusts derived from gabbro rock. Structural and functional properties of the fines were determined to prepare their characteristics. Then, the cold recycled mixtures for the road base were designed with the 5–20% mineral fines content. The mixtures were prepared in cold recycling technology with foamed bitumen. Further tests involved determining mechanical and physical properties of the recycled mixes, including air voids content, Marshall stability, Marshall quotient (stiffness), indirect tensile strength and stiffness modulus at 20°C). The results indicated a positive influence of the gabbro dusts on the investigated parameters. With the use of ANOVA tests, the significance of the influence of the gabbro dust and foamed bitumen on these properties was evaluated. Harrington’s multicriteria method was employed to establish gabbro dust and foamed bitumen amounts, the addition of which would guarantee optimal properties of the recycled base mixture.