Abstract

The formulation of ternary asphalt-additives blend composed of crumb rubber : low-density polyethylene (CR : LDPE) and crumb rubber : textile fiber (CR : TF) couples, and quaternary asphalt additives-blend composed of (CR : LDPE : TF) triplets on the virgin asphalt to optimize the asphalt basic and rheological properties and to use the extrusion process of two or three additives to obtain composite materials of them, as well as CR and TF in the form of single, may possibly be named novelty as there is no existing literature in this direction which is the main goal of this study. In addition to that, in this study, broad investigations of the effects of binary, ternary and quaternary asphalt polymer blends on the reinforcements of the virgin asphalt binder are performed. On one occasion, a technique implies a mixing process of virgin asphalt of (70/100) with the single additives of low-density polyethylene (LDPE) commercially obtained, and crumb rubber (CR) and textile fiber (TF) derived from scrap tires each in a separate way at different concentrations of 3–15 wt%. While in another technique, the mixing process involves virgin asphalt with composites of (CR:LDPE), (CR:TF) and (CR:LDPE:TF) separately. These composites are formally prepared in an extruder at different weight fractions. Then composites are cut into small pieces, subsequently were mechanically milled to obtain a less size of materials. Finally, binary, ternary and quaternary blends of asphalt and additives are prepared at 180 ± 2 oC and 3000 rpm for 60 min. The second part of the study implies the investigation of the effect of using grafted modifiers by the addition of maleic anhydride (MAH) on the basic and rheological properties of the asphalt binder. The process is carried out at 150 oC, and 1500 rpm under a nitrogen atmosphere for 60 min. Basic physical and rheological properties measurements, as well as wheel track test (WTT), were studied. Thin layer chromatography coupled with flame ionization detector (TLC–FID), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy(FTIR), Gel Permeation Chromatography (GPC), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) techniques are used to follow the reactions occurring in two different types of asphalt modification method.

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