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Title:

TOWARD AN UNDERSTANDING OF THE RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN BITUMEN CHEMISTRY AND PAVEMENT PERFORMANCE: THE SHRP BITUMEN RESEARCH PROGRAM

Accession Number:

00612021

Record Type:

Monograph

Abstract:

The Strategic Highway Research Program (SHRP) was begun in 1987 with the goal of producing but two products: performance-based specifications for asphaltic binders and mixtures. The asphalt (or bitumen) portion of this research has been distributed to a number of contractors in both the United States and Europe. The contract period is over halfway complete, and the data and results of the effort are pouring in at an astounding pace. The major pavement distress areas of fatigue cracking, low temperature cracking, rutting, aging, moisture damage and adhesion were designated to be the focus of the research program. Of the seven major contracts let, four focus on binder research, and three on mixtures. There is, of course, substantial overlap in subject areas, and interaction between the contracts is encouraged, with the results of the binder effort forming the foundation for the mixture research. This paper gives an overview of several of the major analytical techniques that have been applied to the analysis and understanding of bitumen. The two most useful tools to understanding the structure-performance relationships of bitumen that have been applied in the SHRP program are Ion Exchange Chromatography (IEC) and Size Exclusion Chromatography (SEC). In the research to date these chromatographic techniques have yielded new insight into the molecular structure of bitumen, revealing that the binder consists of two "phases", each making unique contributions to the bitumen's performance. The associated "phase" gives the bitumen its elastic properties, which contribute to high temperature performance, moisture resistance, and adhesion, and also plays a major role in the aging of the binder. The solvent "phase" affects primarily the low temperature properties of the binder, but also acts as a supporting fluid for the associated "phase" network of low energy polar-polar interactions.

Corporate Authors:

Strategic Highway Research Program

National Research Council, 2101 Constitution Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20418 United States

Authors:

Jones, D R
Youtcheff, J S

Pagination:

31 p.

Publication Date:

1991

Features:

Figures (16) ; References (7)

Uncontrolled Terms:

Size exclusion chromatography

Old TRIS Terms:

Subject Areas:

Highways; Materials; Research; I31: Bituminous Binders and Materials

Files:

TRIS, TRB

Created Date:

Aug 31 1991 12:00AM