Performance Evaluation of Waste Rubber-Modified Asphalt Mixtures: A Comparative Study of Asphalt Concrete and Stone Mastic Asphalt Gradings
Abstract
1. Introduction
2. Materials and Methods
2.1. Materials
2.2. Specimen Preparation
2.3. Volumetric Properties of HMA Mixtures
2.4. Mechanical Properties of HMA Mixtures
3. Results and Discussion
3.1. Volumetric Properties of HMA Mixtures
3.2. Mechanical Properties of HMA Mixtures
4. Conclusions
- In terms of the mixture’s maximum density determined from its constituent materials, CR modification was shown to have no significant effect on the analysed mixtures, regardless of the binder content. For dense-graded mixtures, CR slightly increased maximum density in all mixtures (approximately 0.2%), and for gap-graded mixtures, the maximum density decreased with CR presence in the mixtures (approximately 1.25%). In general, it can be concluded that gap-graded mixtures was shown to be more sensitive to the mixture’s maximum density change with the addition of CR, where the mixture’s sensitivity to CR modification increases by binder content.
- CR modification contributed to a general reduction in bulk density values for both mixture types and all binder contents. However, the decrease in bulk density values was within 5% for all CR-modified mixtures. Therefore, it can be concluded that there is no significant effect of CR modification on the bulk density of the investigated mixtures.
- Void characteristics were shown to be the most affected volumetric property of HMA mixtures by CR modification. In all mixtures, CR particles contributed to a significant increase in void content Va. Gap-graded mixtures were shown to be more sensitive to CR modification, especially for higher binder content, 6.5%, where Va content increased by more than 60% in comparison to the unmodified SMA mixture. This result indicates high sensitivity of Va to rubberised binder content change, requiring careful selection of optimal binder content for gap-graded modified mixtures. The void content in mineral aggregate filled with binder (VFB) was another analysed volumetric property of CR-modified mixtures, which was also shown to be significantly affected by CR presence. In all mixtures, VFB values decreased with CR modification, and dense-graded mixtures showed to be more sensitive, having 10–20% less VFB in comparison to unmodified mixtures. In gap-graded mixtures, the reduction in VFB was less emphasised, especially for mixtures with lower binder content (up to 10%)
- Marshall stability values for CR-modified mixtures observed a very different trend for different gradation types: CR dense-graded mixtures experienced a significant reduction in stability values, especially for higher binder content, where the reduction in the Marshall stability was more than 25% in comparison to the unmodified mixture. On the contrary, gap-graded mixtures modified with CR showed a steady increase in the Marshall stability of approximately 5%, regardless of the binder content. The highest Marshall stability value for all investigated mixtures was obtained for the SMA CR-modified mixture with 6.5% binder content, indicating the superior performance of mixtures modified with CR. However, the analysed flow values also showed an increase in comparison to unmodified mixtures, especially the dense-graded mixture with 6.5% binder content. By analysing stability and flow values of CR-modified mixtures, it can be concluded that the gap-graded mixture with the highest binder content of 6.5% showed the best overall performance in terms of the mixture’s resistance to permanent deformations in comparison to its unmodified equivalent.
Author Contributions
Funding
Data Availability Statement
Conflicts of Interest
References
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Production Process | Description | Advantages | Disadvantages |
---|---|---|---|
Dry process | CR mixed with the hot aggregates before mixing it with bitumen (aggregate modification) | Easy to use, good resistance to reflective cracking | Difficult compaction, unstable road performance |
Wet process | CR particles dissolved in hot liquid bitumen at high temperatures before mixing them with aggregates (binder modification) | Enhanced elasticity, higher resistance to permanent deformation (rutting), improved fatigue resistance | Production costs, storage instability |
Terminal blend process | Wet process but using fewer and finer CR particles (binder modification) | Improved storage stability | Requires more energy and cost, weak rutting resistance |
Asphalt rubber modifier pellets | CR mixed with hot bitumen and additives to form pellets by extruder granulation (binder modification) | Simplified CRMA production process, reduced energy consumption | Production of modifier pellets has not yet been industrialised, unknown long-term performance |
Binder Property | Test Method | Requirements | Measured Values |
---|---|---|---|
Density at 25 °C [Mg/m3] | EN ISO 3838 | - | 1.018 |
Penetration at 25 °C [dmm] | EN 1426 | 50–70 | 56 |
Softening point [°C] | EN 1427 | 46.0–54.0 | 52.0 |
Viscosity at 135 °C [mm2/s] | EN 12595 | Min. 295 | 456.0 |
Breaking point [°C] | EN 12593 | Max. −8 | −18.0 |
Flash point [°C] | EN ISO 2592 | Min. 230 | >300 |
Mix. Type | Filler Proportion [%] | Aggregate Proportion [%] | Binder Proportion [%] | Cellulose Fibre (CF) Proportion [%] | Crumb Rubber (CR) Proportion [%] |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
AC11_5.5% | 4.06 | 90.44 | 5.5 | - | - |
AC11_6.0% | 4.04 | 89.96 | 6.0 | - | - |
AC11_6.5% | 4.02 | 89.48 | 6.5 | - | - |
AC11_5.5%_R | 4.06 | 90.44 | 4.5 | - | 1.0 |
AC11_6.0%_R | 4.04 | 89.96 | 5.0 | - | 1.0 |
AC11_6.5%_R | 4.02 | 89.48 | 5.5 | - | 1.0 |
SMA_5.5% | 7.56 | 86.92 | 5.5 | 0.02 | - |
SMA_6.0% | 7.52 | 86.47 | 6.0 | 0.02 | - |
SMA_6.5% | 7.48 | 86.01 | 6.5 | 0.02 | - |
SMA_5.5%_R | 7.49 | 86.07 | 5.5 | 0.02 | 1.0 |
SMA_6.0%_R | 7.44 | 85.54 | 6.0 | 0.02 | 1.0 |
SMA_6.5%_R | 7.39 | 85.01 | 6.5 | 0.02 | 1.0 |
Mixture | Mixture Maximum Density [Mg/m3] | Specimen Bulk Density [Mg/m3] | Specimen Bulk Density CV [%] | Va [%] | Va CV [%] | VFB [%] | VFB CV [%] |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
AC11_5.5% | 2.499 | 2.171 | 0.43 | 13.1 | 2.86 | 47.2 | 1.73 |
AC11_6.0% | 2.480 | 2.197 | 0.84 | 11.4 | 6.56 | 53.2 | 3.49 |
AC11_6.5% | 2.461 | 2.208 | 0.86 | 10.3 | 7.52 | 57.8 | 3.53 |
AC11_5.5%_R | 2.504 | 2.117 | 0.44 | 15.4 | 2.41 | 42.3 | 1.64 |
AC11_6.0%_R | 2.485 | 2.093 | 0.59 | 15.8 | 3.13 | 43.6 | 2.10 |
AC11_6.5%_R | 2.466 | 2.105 | 0.66 | 14.7 | 3.83 | 47.5 | 2.37 |
SMA11_5.5% | 2.499 | 2.302 | 0.63 | 7.9 | 7.36 | 61.4 | 3.04 |
SMA11_6.0% | 2.479 | 2.307 | 0.85 | 7.3 | 2.70 | 65.1 | 0.65 |
SMA11_6.5% | 2.460 | 2.338 | 0.13 | 5.0 | 2.58 | 75.1 | 0.68 |
SMA11_5.5%_R | 2.469 | 2.207 | 0.92 | 10.6 | 7.75 | 56.6 | 3.77 |
SMA11_6.0%_R | 2.448 | 2.217 | 0.68 | 9.4 | 6.58 | 61.6 | 2.80 |
SMA11_6.5%_R | 2.427 | 2.227 | 0.55 | 8.2 | 6.07 | 66.5 | 2.20 |
Specimen Set | Marshall Stability [kN] | Flow [mm] | Rigidity [kN/mm] |
---|---|---|---|
AC11_5.5% | 9.060 | 6.237 | 1.482 |
AC11_6.0% | 9.619 | 5.940 | 1.654 |
AC11_6.5% | 11.178 | 3.743 | 2.994 |
AC11_5.5%_R | 8.437 | 10.397 | 0.852 |
AC11_6.0%_R | 7.527 | 8.670 | 0.881 |
AC11_6.5%_R | 8.047 | 9.377 | 0.862 |
SMA11_5.5% | 11.870 | 6.253 | 1.907 |
SMA11_6.0% | 12.311 | 6.330 | 1.956 |
SMA11_6.5% | 12.742 | 7.923 | 1.665 |
SMA11_5.5%_R | 12.671 | 8.373 | 1.538 |
SMA11_6.0%_R | 12.986 | 9.935 | 1.323 |
SMA11_6.5%_R | 13.475 | 9.343 | 1.469 |
Mixture Type | Peak Load [kN/mm] | Deformation [mm] | Load/Deformation Curve Slope [/] |
---|---|---|---|
AC 11 5.5% | 10.138 | 4.940 | 7.15 |
AC 11 5.5%_R | 10.440 | 7.545 | 4.46 |
AC 11 6.0% | 10.857 | 6.955 | 6.91 |
AC 11 6.0%_R | 10.373 | 8.791 | 3.67 |
AC 11 6.5% | 10.850 | 3.270 | 8.74 |
AC 11 6.5%_R | 10.395 | 10.200 | 2.87 |
SMA 11 5.5% | 12.888 | 6.711 | 6.94 |
SMA 11 5.5%_R | 14.033 | 8.751 | 5.28 |
SMA 11 6.0% | 13.951 | 5.992 | 6.49 |
SMA 11 6.0%_R | 15.075 | 11.136 | 6.80 |
SMA 11 6.5% | 13.695 | 8.133 | 7.26 |
SMA 11 6.5%_R | 16.102 | 9.895 | 6.34 |
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Ban, I.; Barišić, I.; Cuculić, M.; Zvonarić, M. Performance Evaluation of Waste Rubber-Modified Asphalt Mixtures: A Comparative Study of Asphalt Concrete and Stone Mastic Asphalt Gradings. Infrastructures 2025, 10, 107. https://doi.org/10.3390/infrastructures10050107
Ban I, Barišić I, Cuculić M, Zvonarić M. Performance Evaluation of Waste Rubber-Modified Asphalt Mixtures: A Comparative Study of Asphalt Concrete and Stone Mastic Asphalt Gradings. Infrastructures. 2025; 10(5):107. https://doi.org/10.3390/infrastructures10050107
Chicago/Turabian StyleBan, Ivana, Ivana Barišić, Marijana Cuculić, and Matija Zvonarić. 2025. "Performance Evaluation of Waste Rubber-Modified Asphalt Mixtures: A Comparative Study of Asphalt Concrete and Stone Mastic Asphalt Gradings" Infrastructures 10, no. 5: 107. https://doi.org/10.3390/infrastructures10050107
APA StyleBan, I., Barišić, I., Cuculić, M., & Zvonarić, M. (2025). Performance Evaluation of Waste Rubber-Modified Asphalt Mixtures: A Comparative Study of Asphalt Concrete and Stone Mastic Asphalt Gradings. Infrastructures, 10(5), 107. https://doi.org/10.3390/infrastructures10050107