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Factors Affecting it
Durability of bituminous pavements helps to minimize maintenance cost.
There are different factors which affect the durability of bituminous
pavements are discussed.
The exposure to the oxygen and different temperature effects the bitumen
can harden
Bad Quality aggregates used in the road construction may break down
Aggregate poor quality affects their binding with the bitumen, under
continuous traffic load and weathering action
Higher void content and permeability problems creating deterioration of the
pavement.
There are mainly two aging process happens with bitumen. They are:
1. Oxidation Process
The process involves the combining of the oxygen from the air with the
aromatics and the resins. The reaction will give asphaltenes. This will
increase the polar high molecular weight fraction in bitumen. This increase
will make the viscosity of the bitumen to increase.
2. Loss of Volatiles
Presence of low molecular weighed substances in bitumen facilitated by
higher temperature will cause the loss of volatiles. The rate of loss of volatile
for the penetration grade bitumen is relatively small, once it is laid.
The aging of bitumen will cause the hardening condition. The hardening
condition is determined by the low penetration value or an increase in the
penetration index. This also tends to increase the softening point of the
bitumen sample. Such hardening will make the material brittle and cause
cracking in severe conditions.
The aging of bitumen can be represented by means of Ageing Index.
Where,
The figure-1, below shows the aging of the bitumen during mixing, storing,
transportation, application and throughout it service period.
Fig.1: Ageing of Bitumen represented by Ageing Index (From the Shell Bitumen
Handbook,2003)
Permeability as a Durability Factor of Bituminous
Pavements
The extent to which water and the air penetration will happen to the
bituminous mixture is dependent on the permeability of the bituminous
pavements.
Stone Mastic
10-4 to 10-2 Poor drainage Semi-effective
asphalt
1. Quantity of voids
2. The void distribution size
3. The void Continuity
Hence the compaction has a role in the decrease or increase of the void.
Here quality compaction is of greater concern.
The mineralogical and the physical nature of aggregates that are employed
for the bitumen design mix affect the adhesion property.
In general, the aggregates that have more siliceous content i.e. like
rhyolites, quartzites, granites etc. are more prone to the failure caused due
to lack of adhesion. But the lime stones and igneous rocks have worked well.
These own a complex material interaction.
Other factors that govern the adhesion is the surface behavior of the
aggregates. A surface energy is possessed by those aggregates that have
unbalanced surface charges. This will lead to the breaking of co-ordination
bonds in the whole crystal lattice and in the polar environment of the
minerals.
The total volume of the pore space that is permeable and the size of the
pores are the main two factors that affect the absorption of bitumen into the
aggregates.
The absorptive surface that is present in the bitumen can be increased with
the presence of fine microstructure of pores, voids and the micro cracks.
This, in turn, is dependent on the quality and weathering state of the
aggregate.
Greater the roughness of the aggregate surface, more is the adhesion. The
smooth surface of aggregates makes them wet. So, a balance must be
maintained so that wettability of the aggregate and the binding property in
aggregates is attained.
That is, the aggregate must not be too rough nor too smooth. The effect of
mineralogy is sometimes masked by owning a rough surface.
Viscosity and surface tension are the main characteristics of bitumen that
affect the adhesion of bitumen with the aggregates. The extent to which the
bitumen is absorbed into the pores of the aggregate is governed by these
factors mentioned.
The viscosity and surface tension are parameters that vary with the
temperature. Always the mixing of aggregates and the bitumen is carried
out a higher temperature. It is at maximum 180 degrees of 40/60 pen
bitumen. This is carried out at high temperatures to make bitumen
completely coat the aggregate.