EXPERIMENTAL STUDIES ON PROPERTIES OF SULFUR MODIFIED BINDER WITH AGING

Abstract

The bituminous pavement failure occurs due to excessive traffic loads and different climatic conditions. To protect the pavement failure one of the measure is to enhance the properties of bitumen and its quality and it may achieved by modification of the bitumen. In this research work, sulfur is used as modifier due to it's readily availability in local market with less cost. The huge production of sulfur from petro chemical as well as gas, oil refining industries in our country with less utilization should be the main encouraging source for using it as modifier. The addition of sulfur with bitumen can improve the characteristics as well as physical properties of bitumen. Inside the research, sulfur is being mixed with virgin bitumen (1 to 9% with increasing1% by total weight of binder) at a specified mixing time and temperature. The aging effect of virgin and SMB is also discussed through carrying out "Rolling thin-film oven (RTFO) and Pressure aging vessel (PAV) tests". The outcome of the present investigations represents that the bitumen binder becomes harder after modification with sulfur producing appropriate results as per provision of code but the aging of modified binder not becoming much harder as compared with virgin bitumen and it also satisfying the guidelines.