This study was carried out to evaluate the use of heated reclaimed asphalt pavement materials with emulsion and the use of hot mix asphalt with wax (Sasobit) as base course materials. Mixes with lower than optimum and optimum emulsion, as well as with heated reclaimed asphalt pavement material and optimum emulsion were made; also, mixes with conventional asphalt binder and those with asphalt binder and Sasobit were produced at relatively lower temperatures. These mixes were tested for workability, and all but one of the mixes were used for preparation of approximately 0.9 m (35 inches) by 0.9 m (35 inches) 0.125 m (5 inches) slabs. The rates of densification during the compaction of these slabs were compared. Samples cored from the slabs were tested for stiffness, and dry retained tensile strengths. The results showed that heating of reclaimed asphalt pavement material can improve the dispersion as well as densification significantly. The use of asphalt binder was found to be beneficial in improving strength and stiffness, and the use of Sasobit helped to achieve almost similar workabilities and compactabilities at lower temperatures, as compared to those of hot mix asphalt with neat asphalt binder. No significant difference was found between the modulus of the Sasobit and hot mix asphalt samples. The dispersion of asphalt binder seemed to improve with the use of Sasobit at lower mixing temperature. A field project is recommended for evaluating performance of emulsion mixes with heated reclaimed asphalt pavements and asphalt binder mixes with Sasobit.

Master of Science / Civil Engineering / Mustaque A. Hossain / Approximately 89% of 11,000 miles of Kansas roads are surfaced with asphalt. Hundreds of thousands of tons of reclaimed asphalt pavement (RAP) are produced annually in the United States, including in Kansas. This bulk volume of RAP must be economically managed in order to achieve environmental friendliness. Recycling of RAP conserves natural resources and reduces landfill usage. However, many agencies have reported that increased RAP content produces drier hot-mix asphalt (HMA) mixtures than virgin mixtures that are susceptible to premature cracking. In this research, laboratory-produced Superpave HMA mixtures containing increased percentages (20, 30, and 40%) of RAP materials from three RAP sources (Shilling Construction Co., Konza Co., and the Kansas Department of Transportation’s project, US 73) were studied for cracking performance. Mix designs were produced using Superpave design criteria for 12.5-mm nominal maximum aggregate size mixture. The static and repetitive Semicircular Bending (SCB) test, the Texas Overlay Tester test, the dynamic modulus test, and Viscoelastic Continuum Damage (VECD) tests were performed on laboratory-prepared samples. In general, cracking performance decreased with increased RAP content. The RAP from the US 73 project performed most consistently compared to other two sources of RAPs. Test results were analyzed using two-way Analysis of Variance (ANOVA), proving that mixtures containing 4.5% to 4.9% binder performed the best against cracking. The RAP source was found to have more effect on cracking propensity than RAP content. Mixtures with RAP content up to 40% performed satisfactorily. Tukey’s pairwise comparison method was used to compare results from all tests; VECD was determined to be the most appropriate test to evaluate cracking propensity of HMA mixtures.

abstract: This research focused on the structure-property relationships of a rejuvenator to understand the comprehensive rejuvenation mechanism of aged asphalt binder. Aged asphalt such as recycled asphalt shingles (RAS) and reclaimed asphalt pavement (RAP) contain various amounts of asphalt binder. However, the asphalt binder in RAS and RAP is severely aged and inferior in properties compared to a virgin binder. To address this issue, liquid additives have been used under the general title of rejuvenators. That poses an additional challenge associated with the lack of clear metrics to differentiate between softeners and rejuvenators. Therefore, there is a need for a thorough study of rejuvenators. In this study, diverse-sourced rejuvenators have been used in RAS and RAP-modified binders as well as laboratory-prepared aged binders. The properties of the rejuvenated aged binder were characterized at a macro-level and molecular level. The study showed that the performance of the RAS-modified binder was significantly improved after bio-modification by a bio-rejuvenator. This study further evaluated laboratory-prepared aged asphalt rejuvenated with different rejuvenators. The results found that oxidized bitumen became soft after adding rejuvenators, regardless of their source. Molecular dynamics simulation showed that the effective rejuvenator restored the molecular conformation and reduced the size of asphaltene nanoaggregates. The study results showed that due to the specific chemical composition of certain rejuvenators, they may negatively impact the durability of the mixture, especially about its resistance to moisture damage and aging. Computational analysis showed that while the restoration capacity of rejuvenators is related to their penetration into and peptizing of asphaltene nanoaggregates, the durability of the restored aged asphalt is mainly related to the polarizability values of the rejuvenator. Rejuvenators with lower polarizability showed better resistance to aging and moisture damage. In summary, this study develops the rheology-based indicators which relate to the molecular level phenomenon in the rejuvenation mechanism. The rheology-based indicators, for instance, crossover modulus and crossover frequency differentiated the rejuvenators from recycling agents. Moreover, the study found that rejuvenation efficiency and durability are depended on the chemistry of rejuvenators. Finally, based on the learning of chemistry, a chemically balanced rejuvenator is synthesized with superior rejuvenation properties. / Dissertation/Thesis / Doctoral Dissertation Civil, Environmental and Sustainable Engineering 2020

No description available.

The diploma thesis deals with the design of an asphalt mixture for an abrasive layer with a standard R-material content (20 %) without the use of other softening additives, while the properties of the aged asphalt binder in the mixture were compensated by dosing "softer binder 70/100". Asphalt mixtures type ACO 11+ are designed to meet the requirements ČSN 73 6121: 2019. The aim of the work is to verify the expected properties of the asphalt mixture performed functional and empirical tests according to the standards for asphalt mixtures of the ČSN EN 12697 series.

Finding innovative technologies for building our roads has always been of paramount importance. From moving to warm mix asphalt to decrease our indulgence in high energy consumption to substituting fly ash for asphalt binders to reduce dependence on pure asphalt binders from petroleum, engineers have painstakingly tried to develop new ways to improve the ways that flexible pavements are made. The major problem facing the next generation of civil engineers is sustainable practices on the field. Over the years, significant progress has been made in this regard on the impacts of building pavements on the environment. Characterizing these improvements tends to be difficult, and that is where Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) comes in. LCA is a technique used to analyze and quantify the environmental impacts of a product, system, or process. LCA shows where the significant impacts occur and how improvements can be made while recommending better practices. Even with its many advantages, its use is very constrained, especially in the United States, as it is still a very novel approach in design coupled with limited datasets and protocol for its operation. With modern technologies of substitute materials for binders like bio-oil from food waste, reclaimed asphalt pavement (RAP), and fly ash, there is a need to understand their environmental impacts. Furthermore, in this regard is where LCA can help using three significant areas: selection of materials, normalization, and characterization. Characterization refers to the identification and quantification of the relationships between the life cycle results and the environmental impacts. This research explores the environmental impacts of substituting other materials for asphalt binders using LCA. With variations in modifying levels of substitutes, results show promising levels in emissions of harmful gasses to both the air and water. This study explores ways used in normalizing this process as well as setting up a pathway for other asphalt binder substitutes. / Civil Engineering

Esta dissertação contempla um estudo da avaliação do efeito de diferentes teores de material fresado, conhecido como RAP (do inglês, Reclaimed Asphalt Pavement), na dosagem e no comportamento mecânico de misturas asfálticas recicladas a quente, para aplicação em camadas de revestimento de pavimento. Em uma primeira etapa, foram avaliadas, em laboratório, misturas com a incorporação de 0, 10, 20, 25, 35, 50 e 65% de material fresado, sem adição de agente rejuvenescedor (AR). Na segunda etapa, foi avaliado o comportamento das misturas com 25 e 50% de RAP, após adição de um AR de base vegetal. As misturas foram dosadas de acordo com o método Marshall e, em seguida, foram realizados os seguintes ensaios: resistência à tração por compressão diametral (RT), dano por umidade induzida (DUI), módulo de resiliência (MR), módulo dinâmico (MD), uniaxial de carga repetida para determinação do flow number e fadiga na flexão de quatro pontos. Embora o teor de ligante virgem adicionado tenha sido maior que o calculado (assumindo-se que todo o ligante asfáltico remanescente no RAP seria ativado e estaria disponível para se misturar com o ligante novo), foi possível obter uma significativa redução no consumo de ligante virgem. Em relação à RT e ao DUI, todas as misturas atenderam aos parâmetros estabelecidos nas especificações do Departamento Nacional de Infraestrutura de Transportes (DNIT) e do Departamento de Estradas de Rodagem do estado de São Paulo (DER/SP). Observou-se um aumento dos módulos de resiliência (a 25°C) para as misturas com altos teores de RAP, assim como um aumento dos módulos dinâmicos nas zonas de baixas frequências (ou elevadas temperaturas), indicando boa resistência à deformação permanente, o que foi corroborado pelos resultados de flow number. Além disso, verificou-se que, com relação à vida de fadiga, é possível produzir misturas com altos teores de RAP com propriedades similares a uma mistura convencional, ou até melhor, uma vez adicionado o agente rejuvenescedor. Adicionalmente, foram construídos três trechos experimentais, com 25% (sem AR), 25% (com AR) e 35% (com AR) de RAP na camada final de rolamento da Rodovia dos Bandeirantes (SP-348). Até o momento de conclusão desta pesquisa, observou-se um bom desempenho das misturas recicladas aplicadas. Por fim, o estudo mostrou que, não apenas o teor, mas sobretudo as características do material reciclado (tipo e propriedade do ligante envelhecido; granulometria e massas específicas do RAP), influenciam diretamente na dosagem e no comportamento mecânico das misturas. O uso de RAP com diferentes teores, de forma tecnicamente consciente, em camadas de revestimentos de pavimento é promissor em um futuro que busca cada vez mais a sustentabilidade das construções. / The aim of this study is to evaluate the effect of different RAP (Reclaimed Asphalt Pavement) contents on the design and mechanical behavior of hot recycled asphalt mixtures for application in wearing courses of pavements. In a first step, mixes with the incorporation of 0, 10, 20, 25, 35, 50 and 65% of RAP were evaluated in the laboratory without the addition of rejuvenating agent (RA). In the second step, the behavior of the mixtures with 25 and 50% of RAP was evaluated after the addition of an engineered bio-based rejuvenator. The mixtures were designed according to the Marshall method and then, the tests of indirect tensile strength (ITS), moisture susceptibility, resilient modulus, dynamic modulus, repeated uniaxial test to determine the flow number and four-point bending fatigue test were performed. Although the added virgin binder content was higher than that calculated (assuming that all the RAP binder would be active and available to blend with the neat binder), a significant reduction in the virgin binder consumption was achieved. Regarding the ITS and the moisture susceptibility results, all mixes met the requirements set by the National Department of Transportation Infrastructure (DNIT) and São Paulo DOT (DER/SP). An increase of the resilient modulus (at 25°C) was observed for high RAP mixes, as well as an increase of the dynamic modulus in low frequencies (or high temperatures) zones, indicating a good resistance to permanent deformation that was further confirmed by the flow number results. In addition, it has been found that, regarding the fatigue life, it is possible to produce high RAP mixes with similar or even better properties than a conventional mix, once the rejuvenating agent is added. Additionally, three trial sections were constructed, with 25% (without RA), 25% (with RA) and 35% (with RA) of RAP in the wearing course layer of the Bandeirantes Highway (SP-348). Until the end of this research, a good performance of the applied recycled mixtures was observed. Finally, the study showed that not only the RAP content, but also the properties of the recycled material (type and properties of the aged binder, aggregate particle size and RAP specific densities) directly influence the design and the mechanical behavior of the mixes. The use of different RAP contents in wearing courses, when technically sound, is a promising technique in the future that increasingly seeks for sustainable constructions.

A infraestrutura de transportes traz benefícios sociais e econômicos, porém traz também inevitáveis impactos ambientais que não podem ser negligenciados, como supressão da vegetação local e poluição atmosférica. Esses impactos ambientais podem ser quantificados e analisados pela técnica Avaliação do Ciclo de Vida (ACV), que cria a possibilidade de contemplar o aspecto ambiental na tomada de decisões e pode trazer melhor compreensão da cadeia produtiva. Na última década, é crescente a utilização dessa técnica na área de pavimentação, entretanto ainda é pouco usual no Brasil. O objetivo dessa dissertação é avaliar os impactos ambientais produzidos por duas técnicas de restauração de pavimentos asfálticos, comparando-se os resultados de ACV que observaram as fases de produção de materiais e de transportes. Dois cenários de restauração foram estudados, o primeiro considerou uma mistura asfáltica composta exclusivamente por materiais virgens (restauração convencional), e o segundo, considerou uma mistura asfáltica composta por 35% de Reciclado de Pavimento Asfáltico (RPA). As ACV foram procedidas de três maneiras distintas: (a) com o banco de dados e software alemão GaBi e o método EDIP 1997, (b) com o banco de dados da USLCI e pelo método do EDIP 1997, e (c) com software PavementLCA e o método TRACI. Os resultados obtidos a partir dos três diferentes procedimentos indicaram que a restauração com RPA apresentou redução dos impactos ambientais potencias quando comparada com a restauração convencional. Observou-se também que, para a maioria das análises, a atividade que mais contribuiu para os impactos das duas estratégias de restauração foi a de produção dos materiais. A análise de sensibilidade dos resultados obtidos com o GaBi e com o USLCI mostrou diferenças consideráveis, causadas pelas diferentes fontes de dados. Apesar de ser uma técnica em crescimento, a ACV ainda apresenta limitações quando aplicada a pavimentos, sobretudo, pela complexidade de seu ciclo de vida e pelas incertezas que envolvem sua elaboração, assim, estudos sobre ACV devem continuar, a fim de padronizar a técnica para a área e, com o tempo, obter resultados cada vez mais precisos. / Transportation infrastructure brings social and economic benefits, but it also brings unavoidable environmental impacts that can not be neglected, such as suppression of local vegetation and air pollution. These environmental impacts can be quantified and analyzed by the Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) technique, which creates the possibility of contemplating the environmental aspect in decision making and can provide a better understanding of the production chain. In the last decade, the use of this technique in the area of pavement is increasing, although not very usual in Brazil. The goal of this thesis is to analyze the environmental impacts produced by two asphalt pavement rehabilitation techniques, comparing the LCA results of material production and transportation phases. Two rehabilitation scenarios were studied, the first one considering an asphalt mixture composed exclusively by raw materials (conventional rehabilitation), and the second one considered an asphalt mixture composed by 35% of Reclaimed Asphalt Pavement (RAP). The LCA was done in three different ways: (a) with the German database and software GaBi and the EDIP 1997 method, (b) with the USLCI database and the EDIP 1997 method, and (c) with PavementLCA software and the TRACI method. The results obtained from the three different procedures indicated that the rehabilitation with RPA showed reduction of the potential environmental impacts when compared with the conventional rehabilitation. It was also observed that for the majority of the analysis, the activity that contributed the most to the impacts of the two rehabilitation strategies was the material production one. The sensitivity analysis of the results obtained with GaBi and with USLCI showed considerable differences in their values, caused by the different data sources. Although it is a growing technique, LCA still presents limitations when applied to pavements, mainly due to the complexity of its life cycle and the uncertainties involved in its elaboration, so studies about LCA should continue with the aim of standardizing the technique for the area and, over time, achieve increasingly more accurate results.

A infraestrutura de transportes traz benefícios sociais e econômicos, porém traz também inevitáveis impactos ambientais que não podem ser negligenciados, como supressão da vegetação local e poluição atmosférica. Esses impactos ambientais podem ser quantificados e analisados pela técnica Avaliação do Ciclo de Vida (ACV), que cria a possibilidade de contemplar o aspecto ambiental na tomada de decisões e pode trazer melhor compreensão da cadeia produtiva. Na última década, é crescente a utilização dessa técnica na área de pavimentação, entretanto ainda é pouco usual no Brasil. O objetivo dessa dissertação é avaliar os impactos ambientais produzidos por duas técnicas de restauração de pavimentos asfálticos, comparando-se os resultados de ACV que observaram as fases de produção de materiais e de transportes. Dois cenários de restauração foram estudados, o primeiro considerou uma mistura asfáltica composta exclusivamente por materiais virgens (restauração convencional), e o segundo, considerou uma mistura asfáltica composta por 35% de Reciclado de Pavimento Asfáltico (RPA). As ACV foram procedidas de três maneiras distintas: (a) com o banco de dados e software alemão GaBi e o método EDIP 1997, (b) com o banco de dados da USLCI e pelo método do EDIP 1997, e (c) com software PavementLCA e o método TRACI. Os resultados obtidos a partir dos três diferentes procedimentos indicaram que a restauração com RPA apresentou redução dos impactos ambientais potencias quando comparada com a restauração convencional. Observou-se também que, para a maioria das análises, a atividade que mais contribuiu para os impactos das duas estratégias de restauração foi a de produção dos materiais. A análise de sensibilidade dos resultados obtidos com o GaBi e com o USLCI mostrou diferenças consideráveis, causadas pelas diferentes fontes de dados. Apesar de ser uma técnica em crescimento, a ACV ainda apresenta limitações quando aplicada a pavimentos, sobretudo, pela complexidade de seu ciclo de vida e pelas incertezas que envolvem sua elaboração, assim, estudos sobre ACV devem continuar, a fim de padronizar a técnica para a área e, com o tempo, obter resultados cada vez mais precisos. / Transportation infrastructure brings social and economic benefits, but it also brings unavoidable environmental impacts that can not be neglected, such as suppression of local vegetation and air pollution. These environmental impacts can be quantified and analyzed by the Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) technique, which creates the possibility of contemplating the environmental aspect in decision making and can provide a better understanding of the production chain. In the last decade, the use of this technique in the area of pavement is increasing, although not very usual in Brazil. The goal of this thesis is to analyze the environmental impacts produced by two asphalt pavement rehabilitation techniques, comparing the LCA results of material production and transportation phases. Two rehabilitation scenarios were studied, the first one considering an asphalt mixture composed exclusively by raw materials (conventional rehabilitation), and the second one considered an asphalt mixture composed by 35% of Reclaimed Asphalt Pavement (RAP). The LCA was done in three different ways: (a) with the German database and software GaBi and the EDIP 1997 method, (b) with the USLCI database and the EDIP 1997 method, and (c) with PavementLCA software and the TRACI method. The results obtained from the three different procedures indicated that the rehabilitation with RPA showed reduction of the potential environmental impacts when compared with the conventional rehabilitation. It was also observed that for the majority of the analysis, the activity that contributed the most to the impacts of the two rehabilitation strategies was the material production one. The sensitivity analysis of the results obtained with GaBi and with USLCI showed considerable differences in their values, caused by the different data sources. Although it is a growing technique, LCA still presents limitations when applied to pavements, mainly due to the complexity of its life cycle and the uncertainties involved in its elaboration, so studies about LCA should continue with the aim of standardizing the technique for the area and, over time, achieve increasingly more accurate results.

Recently, Sustainable engineering has become a necessity due to the limited availability of virgin materials, environmental concerns, and the lack of economic resources. According to the United Nations, "Sustainable engineering is the process of using resources in a way that does not compromise the environment or deplete the materials for future generations." However, developing cost-efficient and long-term road infrastructure has always been a challenge. Therefore, novel solutions are required to extend the pavement life cycle and minimize raw materials utilization to overcome this challenge. This research focuses on integrating the waste material to produce rheological engineered asphalt mixtures as pavement material. This study utilized three wastes, which are Off-spec fly ash (OFA), Reclaimed Asphalt Pavement (RAP), and finally, a bio-oil extracted from Spent Coffee Ground (SCG). OFA is a viable source for recycling due to the quantities produced yearly and deposited in landfills. For many years fly ash has been effectively used as a partial replacement for Portland cement in producing different types of concrete, embankments, and soil stabilization. Most of the underutilized fly ash is Off-Spec. That was the motive behind adopting the OFA in this study. This study aims to investigate the fly ash's interaction with the asphalt binder as an additive rather than a filler. Few studies evaluated this hypothesis regarding fly ash as an additive. Moreover, this research's novelty comes as there is a lack of research evaluating the fly ash-asphalt physio-chemical interaction. RAP utilization in roads infrastructure became a current state of practice. Most state Departments of Transportation (DOTs) have been using RAP at a composition average of about 20% of the mix by mass. This study focuses on maximizing the utilization of the RAP content through using a bio-oil extracted from the SCG as a new promising rejuvenator. Spent coffee ground is not well recycled, and almost six million tons are sent to landfills every year. This waste was found to release methane into the atmosphere; methane is the second-most abundant greenhouse gas and has a global warming potential up to 86 times greater than CO2, which is highly harmful to the environment. In this study, the overreaching goal is to develop a green, innovative, and sustainable approach by recycling three different types of wastes (OFA, RAP, and SCGO) to achieve high-performance asphalt pavements. In addition, this study documents the science-based approach to successfully integrating these wastes as substitutes to the asphalt binder. Results show that some OFAs are associated with improved rheological performance, damage healing, and cracking resistance as an asphalt binder additive. The improvement is attributed to the level of interaction between the binder and the physical and chemical characteristics of the OFA. The use of rejuvenators further improved the aging resistance of the ash blends, suggesting high potential synergy, especially the proposed SCGO rejuvenator, which promotes utilizing it as a promising eco-friendly rejuvenator in the asphalt pavement industry. After engineering a product built by OFA and rejuvenators, these results have been validated by mixtures’ scale testing. 62% optimum RAP content is suggested to be utilized with an 11% dosage of the proposed SCGO rejuvenator as binder replacement. For the new engineered OFA/rejuvenators products, a 30% optimum RAP content is suggested to be used. Finally, Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) is conducted to evaluate the environmental potential of utilizing multi recycled materials in the Hot Mix Asphalt (HMA) industry. The results show a reduction in environmental impacts with RAP utilization and the new eco-friendly products (OFA and SCGO rejuvenator). Shifting HMA plant fuel to natural gas instead of Heavy Fuel Oil (HFO) offers considerable potential environmental benefits. Adopting the Ultrasonic Assisted-oil Extraction (UAE) as SCGO rejuvenator extraction method showed less energy and solvent consumption than the Soxhlet extraction, resulting in less environmental impacts. / Civil Engineering