Short-term aging of asphalt mixtures
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2015 Taylor & Francis. In the last two decades, changes in asphalt mixture components, production parameters, and plant design have occurred and raised the question of the validity of the current mix design procedures in adequately assessing the volumetric needs of asphalt mixtures and the physical characteristics required to meet performance expectations. A study of short-term aging of asphalt mixtures was performed considering the impacts of various asphalt mixture components and production parameters, including binder source, aggregate absorption, warm mix asphalt (WMA) technology, inclusion of recycled materials, plant type, and production temperature. In this study, the laboratory short-term oven aging (STOA) protocols of two hours at 135C for hot mix asphalt (HMA) and two hours at 116C for WMA were used to fabricate laboratory mixed and laboratory compacted (LMLC) specimens for volumetric analysis and performance evaluation by Resilient Modulus (Mg) test, Dynamic Modulus (E) test, and Hamburg Wheel Tracking Test (HWTT). The simulation of asphalt aging and absorption during plant production and construction by the laboratory STOA protocols was evaluated by comparing mixture volumetrics and laboratory test results with those for plant mixed and plant compacted (PMPC) specimens and cores at construction. In addition, the laboratory test results were used to identify those mixture components and production parameters with significant effects on the performance of short-term aged asphalt mixtures. Correlations for LMLC specimens and PMPC specimens and cores at construction in terms of mixture volumetrics and laboratory test results indicated that the laboratory STOA protocols of two hours at 135C for HMA and two hours at 116C for WMA were able to simulate the asphalt aging and absorption that occurred during plant production and construction. According to the laboratory test results, among those factors investigated in this study; binder source, aggregate absorption, WMA technology, and inclusion of recycled materials had significant effects on the performance of short-term aged asphalt mixtures. However, no significant effects from mixture production temperature and plant type were observed.
