Performance Assessment of Asphalt Mixture Produced with a Bio-Based Binder

Sustainable Asphalt Mixtures with Enhanced Water Resistance for Flood-Prone Regions Using Recycled LDPE and Carnauba-Soybean Oil Additive

This manuscript presents a comprehensive study on the sustainable optimization of asphalt mixtures tailored for regions prone to flooding. The research addresses the challenges associated with water damage to asphalt pavements by incorporating innovative additives. The study centers on incorporating recycled Low-Density Polyethylene (LDPE) and a tailored Carnauba-Soybean Oil Additive, advancing asphalt mixtures with a Control mix, LDPE (5%) + Control, and LDPE (5%) + 3% Oil + Control. A critical aspect of the research involves subjecting these mixtures to 30 wetting and drying cycles, simulating the conditions prevalent in tropical flood-prone areas. The incorporation of innovative additives in asphalt mixtures has demonstrated significant improvements across various performance parameters. Tensile Strength Ratio (TSR) tests revealed enhanced tensile strength, with the LDPE (5%) + 3% Oil-modified mixture exhibiting an impressive TSR of 85.7%. Dynamic Modulus tests highlighted improved rutting resistance, showcasing a remarkable increase to 214 MPa in the LDPE (5%) with a 3% Oil-modified mixture. The Semi-Circular Bending (SCB) test demonstrated increased fracture resistance and energy absorption, particularly in the LDPE (5%) with 3% Oil-modified mixture. Hamburg Wheel-Tracking (HWT) tests indicated enhanced moisture resistance and superior rutting resistance at 20,000 cycles for the same mixture. Cantabro tests underscored improved aggregate shatter resistance, with the LDPE (5%) + 3% Oil-modified mixture exhibiting the lowest weight loss rate at 9.820%. Field tests provided real-world insights, with the LDPE (5%) + 3% Oil mixture displaying superior stability, a 61% reduction in deflection, and a 256% improvement in surface modulus over the control mixture. This research lays the groundwork for advancing the development of sustainable, high-performance road pavement materials, marking a significant stride towards resilient infrastructure in flood-prone areas.

Performance of bio-asphalts: state of the art review

The global population spike, rise in industrialization, and highway infrastructure development induce focus on sustainable development. The ever-increasing consumption of non-renewable crude oil and asphalt levies a heavy toll on economic welfare of future generations. This enormous demand of asphalt is due to its wide applicability in flexible pavements. Therefore, the construction industry is exploring the partial substitution of renewable materials in asphalt with a focus on economical, social, and environmental benefits. The current decade has seen a rampant rise of bio-asphalt as an alternative to asphalt. Hence, it is imperative to explore the performance of bio-asphalt for its sustainable applicability. This review comprehensively summarizes the performance of bio-asphalt obtained from various biomass sources. It deals with elemental composition of bio-oil, preparation procedure, rheological performance, mixture performance, and aging mechanism of bio-asphalt along with modification required to improve the performance. The environmental impacts and field application of the bio-asphalts are also discussed.

A Review of Characteristics of Bio-Oils and Their Utilization as Additives of Asphalts

Transforming waste biomass materials into bio-oils in order to partially substitute petroleum asphalt can reduce environmental pollution and fossil energy consumption and has economic benefits. The characteristics of bio-oils and their utilization as additives of asphalts are the focus of this review. First, physicochemical properties of various bio-oils are characterized. Then, conventional, rheological, and chemical properties of bio-oil modified asphalt binders are synthetically reviewed, as well as road performance of bio-oil modified asphalt mixtures. Finally, performance optimization is discussed for bio-asphalt binders and mixtures. This review indicates that bio-oils are highly complex materials that contain various compounds. Moreover, bio-oils are source-depending materials for which its properties vary with different sources. Most bio-oils have a favorable stimulus upon the low temperature performance of asphalt binders and mixtures but exhibit a negative impact on their high-temperature performance. Moreover, a large amount of oxygen element, oxygen-comprising functional groups, and light components in plant-based bio-oils result in higher sensitivity to ageing of bio-oil modified asphalts. In order to increase the performance of bio-asphalts, most research has been limited to adding additive agents to bio-asphalts; therefore, more reasonable optimization methods need to be proposed. Furthermore, upcoming exploration is also needed to identify reasonable evaluation indicators of bio-oils, modification mechanisms of bio-asphalts, and long-term performance tracking in field applications of bio-asphalts during pavement service life.