A Laboratory Investigation Regarding Storage Stability of the CRM-Modified Bitumen—CRM Processing Method (Untreated vs. Treated)

Abstract

The aim of this study is to analyze the phase separation that occurs between treated and untreated rubber crumb particles produced by wet processes in the laboratory. The percentage of replacement used for both the treated and untreated crumb rubber-modified asphalt (CRMA) was 5%, 10%, 15%, and 20%. Tests to evaluate binder properties were performed using a rotational viscometer and a DSR, and the following properties were determined—viscosity, G*/sinδ, % recovery, and Jnr. The phase separation study was analyzed using the viscosity and G*/sinδ results. In general, the results of the study show the following. (1) The treated CRMA binders had higher viscosity values than untreated CRMA binders, although some values could not be measured due to the high viscosity values. (2) The G*/sinδ, % recovery and Jnr results also had a similar trend with viscosity results. (3) The viscosity and G*/sinδ phase separation values demonstrate that treated CRMA binders perform better than untreated CRMA binders. (4) Different experimental methods have shown variations in the calculated SI value; hence, a more improved approach should be explored to accurately assess the storage stability of asphalt binders containing various additives.