Atlantic Canadian highways are vulnerable to impacts of climate change, including more frequent cycles of both wetting and drying, and freezing and thawing. These climate impacts coupled with continued increases in truck traffic can cause more severe and premature permanent deformation at high service temperature, fatigue and thermal cracking at low service temperatures, surface wear resistance, and ageing of the pavement. Such negative impacts can be mitigated with changes to the binder. However, replacing a local binder with a different imported binder can increase construction costs and cause supply problems. Alternatively, modifying agents can be used to adjust binder properties as required, but can also cause an increase in construction costs mainly due to their high cost and the need for highly specialized production techniques. The objective of this research project was to investigate the feasibility of utilizing underutilized household and packaging recycled plastics, that are generated in Atlantic Canada, as more cost effective alternatives or as co-modifiers to displace the amount of virgin modifiers used in hot mix asphalt application. The research study entailed analyzing physical characteristics of an array of modified binders and hot mix asphalt mixtures containing recycled low-density polyethylene, recycled polystyrene and the typical engineered virgin modifier (styrene-butadiene-styrene). The analysis included tests used commonly in pavement engineering to evaluate binders and asphalt mixtures. Results of this study suggests that these recycled plastics can be successfully utilized in asphalt binder as modifiers to enhance the functional properties of the mixture and reduce construction costs, thus creating an engineered value-added application of these underutilized resources as opposed to a disposal mechanism.

nÃo hà / A reduÃÃo das temperaturas de usinagem e de compactaÃÃo de misturas asfÃlticas à considerada uma alternativa na produÃÃo de revestimentos asfÃlticos, podendo proporcionar vantagens tÃcnicas, econÃmicas e ambientais. Diversas tecnologias sÃo utilizadas na produÃÃo dessas misturas denominadas usualmente de misturas asfÃlticas mornas. Esta pesquisa se propÃs a comparar algumas destas tecnologias com uma mistura asfÃltica que foi produzida na temperatura obtida atravÃs da curva de viscosidade versus temperatura para o ligante asfÃltico, a qual à comumente utilizada na produÃÃo de misturas asfÃlticas a quente. O ligante utilizado foi o Cimento AsfÃltico de PetrÃleo classificado por penetraÃÃo como CAP 50-70. A mistura denominada âControleâ refere-se Ãquela em que nÃo ocorreu nenhum tipo de modificaÃÃo (ligante e/ou processo de produÃÃo) enquanto que outros dois tipos de misturas estudadas foram produzidas modificando-se o CAP 50-70 original com dois aditivos diferentes. Uma quarta mistura foi produzida com agregado Ãmido com 2%. As misturas avaliadas foram elaboradas contendo em sua composiÃÃo: (i) CAP puro; (ii) CAP c/ um aditivo surfactante comercial denominado GemulÂ; (iii) CAP com cera de carnaÃba do tipo CT4; (iv) CAP puro com a inserÃÃo de agregado miÃdo Ãmido. Os ligantes e os agregados foram caracterizados de acordo com as especificaÃÃes vigentes. Para proporcionar uma maior resistÃncia à deformaÃÃo permanente, especialmente na fase de compactaÃÃo da mistura optou-se por utilizar a metodologia Bailey para gerar uma curva granulomÃtrica com maior intertravamento entre os agregados. A definiÃÃo da temperatura de compactaÃÃo dos corpos de prova se deu pelos parÃmetros CDI e TDIm procurando-se obter valores de trabalhabilidade semelhantes Ãqueles encontrados na mistura de controle e que, simultaneamente, se mostrassem em condiÃÃes adequadas para resistir à deformaÃÃo permanente. Estes parÃmetros (CDI e TDIm) sÃo calculados por meio da saÃda de dados do compactador giratÃrio Superpave, tendo sido escolhido por este motivo, o mÃtodo de dosagem Superpave. Com o intuito de se avaliar o efeito da reduÃÃo de temperatura e a influÃncia dos aditivos no comportamento mecÃnico das misturas asfÃlticas, as mesmas foram submetidas a ensaios relacionados à resistÃncia a deformaÃÃo permanente, fadiga, rigidez e sensibilidade ao dano por umidade. Pode-se dizer que todas as misturas modificadas se comportaram de forma semelhante Ãquela mistura produzida sem qualquer alteraÃÃo no ligante ou na temperatura de produÃÃo e compactaÃÃo. Buscou-se tambÃm avaliar os custos de cada mistura com o intuito de se verificar a viabilidade econÃmica das amostras estudadas. Como jà era esperado, a mistura com agregado Ãmido gerou o menor custo, por nÃo ter utilizado aditivo e pela reduÃÃo das temperaturas. A mistura com o aditivo Gemul gerou um custo praticamente igual aquele encontrado para a mistura de Controle, enquanto que a mistura com a Cera CT4 sofreu um acrÃscimo de custo em cerca de 6% se comparado com a mistura de Controle. Espera-se que esta pesquisa juntamente com outras jà publicadas no Brasil possam demonstrar que as misturas mornas podem nÃo somente contribuir para mitigaÃÃo de danos ambientais, mas tambÃm que apresentam viabilidade tÃcnica e econÃmica para serem produzidas no paÃs / The reduction in mixing and compaction temperatures of asphalt mixtures is considered an alternative for the production of asphalt pavements and can offer technical economical and environmental advantages. Several technologies are used in the production of these mixtures usually called warm mix asphalt (WMA). This research aimed to compare some of these technologies with a hot mix asphalt produced at the temperature obtained from the commonly used viscosity versus temperature curve. The binder used was the AC classified by penetration as AC 50-70. The so called "Control mix" refers to the mix that was no was (binder and / or production process) while the other two mixtures studied were produced by modifying the original AC 50-70 with two different additives. A 4th mixture was produced with 2% moisture. Thus, the mixtures studied were distributed as follows: (i) Pure AC; (ii) AC with commercial surfactant additive known as GemulÂ; (iii) AC with carnauba wax CT4; (iv) Pure AC with moist aggregates. The binders and the aggregates were characterized according to current Brazilian specifications. To provide greater resistance to permanent deformation especially during compaction the Bailey methodology was used to generate the gradation curve. Thus, more interlocking between the aggregates was expected. The compaction temperature of the specimens was determined by CDI and TDIm parameters, seeking to obtain similar workability to the control mixture and that simultaneously show themselves in appropriate conditions to resist permanent deformation. These parameters (CDI and TDIm) are calculated from output data from the gyratory compactor, and for this reason the Superpave design method was used. To evaluate the effect of temperature reduction and different additives on mechanical properties, tests related to mixture permanent deformation, stiffness and sensitivity to moisture damage were performed. After comparison and analysis of the mechanical tests, an assessment of costs of each mixture was performed to evaluate the economic viability of the studied samples. It can be said that all modified mixtures behaved in a similar manner to the mixture produced with no modification in the binder or in mix/compaction temperature. It is attempted to perform a cost assessment of each mixture in order to evaluate the economic viability. As expected, the mixture with moist aggregate had the lowest value, for not having used additive and due to temperature reduction. The mixture with the additive Gemul had almost the same cost of the control mixture, while the mixture with wax CT4 had the cost increased by about 6% compared to the Control mixture. It is expected this research along with others already published in Brazil can demonstrate that WMA not only contributes to the environmental damage mitigation, but also presents technical and economic advantages and, therefore it is a technique that can be used in this country to be produced

This thesis deals with the modification of asphalt binder 50/70 with fast reacting SBS. This is a relatively new additive that should be able to improve the binder properties during mixing of the asphalt mix at the plant. In the theoretical part, the issue of asphalt-mixing plant and polymer modification additives is presented. Furthermore, the test methods used such as needle penetration, softening point, determination of the elastic recovery, DSR and MSCR are described. Several modified binder samples were developed for the tests, in which mixing temperature, mixing time and SBS content were combined. The results of each test were compared and evaluated at the end of the thesis.