Enhancing Asphalt Binder Sustainability with Nano Size Additives

Abstract

The Asphalt binder usually practices changes in its physical and rheological properties throughout its service life. This can exhibit losses of the required flexibility, its cohesion and adhesion properties. Implication of Nano size additives into the asphalt cement can enhance its required quality and can extend its service life. In this work, two penetration grades of asphalt cement (60-70, and 40-50) have experience modification with Nano size additive (silica fumes and Fumed silica). The modified binders were subjected to testing for temperature susceptibility and other rheological properties. It was detected that for (60-70) and (40-50) binders, the penetration viscosity number declines by (1.2, and 2.1) % and (0.3, and 1.4) % for (fumed silica, and silica fumes) treated binders respectively. For (60-70) and (40-50) asphalt binder, the viscosity exhibit significant increase of (135.5, and 112) % and (33.4, and 54.4) % for (fumed silica, and silica fumes) treated binders respectively. However, the creep stiffness increases for (60-70) and (40-50) binders by (12.5, and 18.7) % and (25, and 35) % when the fumed silica, and silica fumes, additives were implemented. It can be concluded that the implementation of Nano size additives into both grades of asphalt cement can significantly lower the temperature susceptibility and increase the creep stiffness. Such properties are favorite for sustainable asphalt binder.