Comparative characterization of aged bitumen properties

Abstract

To provide higher rates of reclaimed bitumen uses in road industry better understanding about aging of bitumen is needed, which requires to get complete information about influence of aggressive environmental factors on bitumen. In this paper changes of bitumen structural and rheological parameters upon ageing are evaluated by using one of the most known method, RTFOT in comparison to alternative procedures, as thermally and ultraviolet light irradiation induced aging. Calorimetric properties of the raw and aged bitumens are determined by MDSC, chemical composition by FTIR and rheological parameters (viscosity, rutting resistance and fatigue cracking resistance) by DSR. The results confirm that mentioned alternative aging procedures can be used to some extent for prediction of real field-aged bitumen properties changes.