Evaluation of the effects of asphalt binder on the properties of hot mix asphalt at intermediate temperatures

The asphalt binder is an essential component of asphaltic mixtures. The performance of an asphaltic mixture is directly related to mechanical characteristics of the binder. With the development of new material characterization methods for both asphalt binder and asphaltic mixture, there is a need to re-evaluate the relationship between the properties of binders and asphaltic mixtures such that a proper understanding and selection of an asphalt binder can be made to improve the performance of an asphaltic mixture. In this study, the effects of asphalt binder properties on asphaltic mixtures at intermediate temperatures were evaluated based on recent developments on material characterization methods for both binder and asphaltic mixture. Five asphalt binders and five asphalt mixtures containing these binders with one aggregate were tested. Four of the binders were based on a modification of a base binder with different techniques. Complex shear modulus and monotonic constant shear-rate tests were conducted on asphalt binders, whereas dynamic modulus and indirect tensile strength tests were conducted on the mixtures. The effects of modification techniques on the properties of asphalt binders and the relationships between the properties of binders and asphaltic mixtures were evaluated in this study .