Evaluation of rutting properties of high density polyethylene modified binders

Rutting in asphalt pavements may reduce service life and endanger the safety of highway users. In this regard, high density polyethylene (HDPE) is one of the plastomers which can be used to modify asphalt binders and to reduce permanent deformation. However storage stability is a major problem for polyethylene-modified asphalt binders. The objective of this research is to measure the rutting potential of bitumen modified with HDPE while addressing the storage stability issue by using HDPE with low molecular weight. Superpave’s rutting criteria (G*/sin δ), Shenoy’s proposed rutting parameter (G*/(1 –(1/(tg sin δ)))), zero shear viscosity, non-recoverable compliance (Jnr) and recovery parameter(R) are used to characterize the complex rutting behavior of HDPE-modified binders. The results of the storage stability test showed that melt flow index has a significant impact on the increase of the solubility of HDPE which may contribute to a better storage stability of HDPE-modified binders. The results from different rutting parameters indicate that the addition of a 7 % HDPE (by weight) to neat binder, increases the complex modulus significantly and decreases the non-recoverable compliance which results in more rutting resistance.

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