MODIFIED BITUMEN-Product, Purpose, Advantages Including Global and Indian Scenario

Dr Sunil Bose Deputy Director Central Road Research Institute New Delhi

TYPICAL PROBLEMS IN INDIA

Severe Overloading
Extreme variation of climatic conditions Premature cracking of pavements

LIMITATIONS OF CONVENTIONAL BITUMEN

BRITTLENESS AT LOW TEMPERATURE BECOMES SOFT IN HOT CLIMATIC CONDITIONS HIGH TEMPERATURE SUSCEPTIBILITY SUSCEPTIBLE TO VISCOELASTIC DEFORMATION (RUTTING) FATIGUE FAILURE (CRACKING) POOR ADHESION

CRACKING AT LOW TEMPERATURE

CRRI

Hot Temperature Failure, Rutting

CRRI

 Bitumen produced by the traditional

methods of vacuum reduction and air blowing of petroleum crude can not meet all the requirements of increasing severe service conditions namely :

1. Roads with high traffic intensity of expressways & highways 2. Road locations subjected to heavy traffic stress e.g. bus stops, intersections, roundabouts & bridge decks.

3. Reflection cracks in bituminous overlays

over cracked concrete pavements

4. Urban roads where reduced surfacing

thickness is desired

5. Surfacing for low temperature snow

bound areas

6. Airfield surfacing where high stiffness

and thermal stability is required

A S0LUTION FOR ALL THESE PROBLEMS LIES IN USE OF POLYMER MODIFIED BITUMEN

WHAT ARE POLYMERS?

When small chemical units, called monomers, are joined together in chains they form polymers. When monomers such as styrene and butadiene are reacted into chains, for example, they form polystyrene and polybutadiene, respectively.

EFFECTS OF POLYMERS ON BITUMEN PROPERTIES

Reduced temperature Susceptibility resulting in : Increased stiffness at high Road temperatures (reducing permanent deformation) Reduced stiffness at low road Temperatures (reduced cracking)

 Classification of Polymer Modifiers There are mainly two types of polymers used for development of Polymer Modified Bitumen (PMB) Thermoplastic:

Plastomers: e.g low density Polyethylene (LDPE)

Ethylene Vinyl Acetate (EVA) Elastomers: Ethylene Butyl Acrylate (EBA) .

Styrene Butadiene Rubber (SBR) Styrene Butadiene Styrene (SBS) Polyisoprene, chloroprene Polybutadiene, Ethylene Ter Polymer Natural Rubber,

Waste Tyre Rubber

Thermosets :
Epoxy Resins

 Properties Improved by Rubber/Polymer

A sufficient increase in viscosity, prevents

plastic deformation. An increase in flexibility and elasticity of binder at low temperatures to delay the crack formation (mainly due to fatigue failure) and

loss of chipping.

High thermostability, improved homogeneity and aging resistance, thus helping to reduce the

hardening of the binder during mixing, laying and

pavement service life.

Development of PMB
Melting Behaviour of Polymers
LDPE - 114 C EVA - 90 C Ethylene Ter Polymer - 60 C

Degradation Behaviour
Above 250 C

Basic Blending Plant

~15-20 HP
Ability to add polymers

~100 RPM

Temperature of Asphalt 160 C.

Polymers Interaction with Bitumen

Polymer Dispersed in Bitumen

CRRI

Polymers Interaction with Bitumen

Bitumen Dispersed in Polymer

Polymers Interaction with Bitumen

Polymer Network in Bitumen

CRRI

Polymers Interaction with Bitumen

Polymer Network Grafted to Bitumen

CRRI

 PRODUCT (MODIFIED BITUMEN)

Be compatible with bitumen

Resist degradation of bitumen at mixing temperature Be capable of being processed by conventional mixing and laying machinery
Produce coating viscosity at application temperature

Maintain premium properties during storage, application and in service

Be cost-effective on a lifecycle-cost basis.

 Advantages of PMB

- Lower susceptibility to daily and seasonal

temperature variations

- Higher resistance to deformation at elevated

pavement temperature - Better age resistance properties - Higher fatigue life of mixes

Better adhesion between aggregates and

binder

- Prevention of cracking and reflective

cracking

- Overall improved performance in extreme

climatic conditions and under heavy traffic conditions.

Extreme climatic conditions require different grades of bitumen similar to different grades of engine oil in vehicles

CRRI

With Polymer Modification, use the same bitumen for areas with extreme climatic conditions

CRRI

APPLICATIONS OF POLYMER AND RUBBER MODIFIED BITUMEN

Stress Absorbing Membranes (SAM) Stress Absorbing Membranes Interlayer (SAMI)

Renewal courses as a part of maintenance High traffic loads, e.g., Highways and Airfield Pavements

Flexural Fatigue Test

100 Cycles/Minute

Measured Strain

37.6mmX 37.6 mm X 200 mm size Mix Beam Apply Cyclic load till failure

FLEXURAL FATIGUE LIFE RESULTS

Beam Size- 200 mm x 37. 6 mm x 37.6 mm (Temp 25 C )
SAMPLE CYCLES
TO FAILURE A 80/100 4500 A+2 % LDPE

SAMPLE

CYCLES
TO FAILURE 4080

B 60/70
A+2 % SBS A+5% SBS A+10% SBS A+2% EVA A+5% EVA A+10% EVA

11500
48802 91000 63800 4900 8800 10100

A+5 % LDPE
A+10% LDPE A+2 % PE+2% EVA A+2% PE+5% EVA B+2 % PPW B+1% HTPB B+2% HTPB

4800
750 10840 14750 8800 46500 16500

 Global scenario
Modifiers as an individual or as a group of materials have made successful path

into the road and other construction

industries in advanced countries.

Elastomer modified binders

(SBS, SBR, SIS) Plastomer modified binders (EVA, LDPE, EMA, EBA) Rubber and other miscellaneous 15% 75%

modified bituminous binders

10%

APPLICATIONS AND TYPE OF MODIFIERS

USED IN DIFFERENTCOUNTRIES

 INDIAN SCENARIO
LABORATORY RESEARCH

In India, the Flexible Pavements Division

of CRRI initiated laboratory research on

polymer modified bitumen in 1980. Since

then number of polymer/rubber modifiers

were investigated for their feasibility of

using for hot mix as well as cold mix

paving applications. These modifiers are :

LDPE EVA

SBS GILSONITE
NATURAL RUBBER POLYBUTADIENE RUBBER

ETHYLENE TER POLYMER SYNTHETIC RUBBER PLASTIC WASTE

SEALOFLEX STARFLEX CRUMB/TYRE RUBBER

CHEMICALLY TREATED CRUMB

RUBBER

 Field Trials :
Field trials using PMB products patented by CRRI were carried out in different climatic regions of

India. A list of such trials is given below :

R-54 Ministry of Surface Transport Research Scheme Test Tracks were Kanpur Modified Varanasi laid on NH-2 on with Bitumen

with LDPE, EVA, SBS and

Crumb Rubber

PMB Test Tracks using SBS and EVA were laid on :

NH-3 near Bombay SH-45 Km. 308.8 to 309.0 Joshimath

Badrinath Road
-

Manali Kulu Road

Hindustan Tibet Road near Shimla

Chemically Treated Crumb Rubber

Test Tracks were laid on NH-1 near Ambala Ring Road Opposite Rajghat near Delhi Natural Rubber Modified Bitumen M.C. Road Trivandrum

- -

ETHYLENE TERPOLYMER Jaipur Agra Road near Jaipur Goa Airfield

PERFORMANCE OF TRIAL SECTIONS Periodic performance evaluation of test

section laid with PMB/CRMB upto five

years after construction proved their better performance over conventional surfacing. Maintenance period of 12 years on a National Highway with a heavy traffic, two renewal coats will be enough instead of three as required under the existing specification.

The use of SAMI of modified bitumen in

between old surface having extensive cracks and renewal renewal by 2-3 years. coats, extends life of

The cost of periodic maintenance may be

reduced by 20-30 Percent.

PMB Road after 7 years

CRRI

Extensive potholes on the existing surface

prior to laying

Hump formation due to bleeding on the existing surface

Ravelling on the surface before laying the test section

Cracking on the existing surface before laying of test section

View of the test section in 2003

Surface condition of test section in 2006

Crumb Rubber Modifier for Use in Modified Bitumen

CONSTRUCTION OF A PMB SECTION IN PROGRESS

Laying in progress

View of Ahmedabad Vadodara Expressway

CRMB SECTION ON NH-8

EXTENSION OF LIFE BY USE OF PMB/CRMB

SPECIFICATION 25 mm Thick SDBC 60/70 25 mm Thick BC 60/70* 25 mm Thick BC 80/100* 25 mm Thick BC 60/70 SAM-CRMB SAMI+25 mm Thick BC 80/100 SAMI+25 mm Thick BC 60/70 SAMI+40 mm Thick BC 80/100 SAMI+40 mm Thick BC 60/70 SAMI+25 mm Thick BC (CRMB) 25 mm Thick BC (EVA+LDPE) 25 mm Thick SDBC (SBS) 25 mm Thick SDBC (EVA+LDPE) 25 mm Thick BC (CRMB) COST (Rs)/m2 70 80 74 96 28 102 108 110 116 116 90 88 84 84 LIFE (Years) 3-4 4 5 4 5 5-6 4-5 6-7 6-7 7-8 7-8 7-8 7-8 7-8 6-7 6-7 EXTRA LIFE (Years)* -1 --+1 -+2 +2 +3 +3 +3 +3 +3 +2 +3

* with reference to 25 mm thick BC of conventional bitumen, cost 1999