Laboratory Investigation of the Fracture Properties of Nanoclay-Modified Asphalt Materials Under Direct Tensile Test
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Laboratory Investigation of the Fracture Properties of Nanoclay-Modified Asphalt Materials under Direct Tensile Test Mohammad Hossein Esfahani1, Ali Asadollahi baboli2, Sunil Deshpande3 & Amir Asadollahi Baboli4 1Dept of Civil Engineering, Imam Khomeini International University, Qazvin, Iran 2&3Dept of Civil Engineering, Bharati Vidyapeeth University, Pune, India 4Dept of Civil Engineering, Islamic Azad University Qaemshahr, Gaemshahr,Iran E-mail : [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected] they contain carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen, sulfur, oxygen, Abstract – Increasing traffic loads and traffic volume, combined with the rising cost of asphalt, have led to an etc. Researchers have been trying to use different kinds urgent need to improve the durability, safety and efficiency of additives to modify the base asphalt in order to of asphalt pavements through asphalt modification. In this increase the resistance to pavement distress. In general, research, we have tried to use a kind of additives to modify fibers and polymers are two main materials used in the the base asphalt in order to increase the resistance to asphalt modification [1–5]. Fiber was one of the most pavement distress. The objective of this study is to review widely used additives to enhance the bonding between existing literature in the area of nano-modification of asphalt and aggregates or within asphalt since 4000 asphalt and proceed to apply nano-materials to asphalt to years old ago [6–12]. In addition, scientist and engineers improve the performance. This study integrates literature tried to use the polymer Styrene Butadiene Styrene review, preparation, and characterization of nano- modified asphalt materials. In the experimental testing (SBS) to improve pavement fatigue and rutting montmorillonite, nanoclay at 2% by weight of asphalt was resistance of asphalt [13–16]. Performance of asphalt blended in asphalt binder at a high temperature to binder modified with SBS was investigated using exfoliate the nanoclay within the asphalt. The asphalt different test methods. Properties such as the asphalt binder was then characterized using the Superpave™ composition, reaction between the modifier and asphalt direct tension test. The direct tension strength results or within asphalt, asphalt microstructure and rheology indicate that the use of Nanoclay reduced the strain failure features, were evaluated by Fourier transform infrared rate of the original binder while the secant or direct (FTIR), atomic force microscopy (AFM) and Dynamic tension moduli showed increase with the addition of the Shear Rheometer (DSR). Results show that SBS nanoclays. modified asphalt mixture can significantly improve the Keywords: Nanoclay, Asphalt, Fracture Properties, and asphalt binder performance under both high and low Direct Tensile Test temperatures [14, 15, 17–20]. I. INTRODUCTION Polymer modified asphalts have increasingly been used over the last decade to minimize low-temperature Increasing traffic loads and traffic volume, cracking and high-temperature rutting while improving combined with the rising cost of asphalt, have led to an the fatigue cracking resistance of asphalt concrete urgent need to improve the durability, safety and [21,22]. Polymer modifiers fall into one of two major efficiency of asphalt pavements through asphalt categories:(1) elastomeric (rubber/polymer) modifiers modification. Asphalt mixtures are composed of very including styrene/butadiene polymers, natural rubber, irregular aggregates bound together with hydrocarbon- and crumb rubbers (both virgin and recycled) [23–38] based asphalt, with a low volume fraction of voids and (2) plastomeric modifiers such as polypropylene and dispersed within the matrix. Asphalt mixture is polyethylene [39]. composed of asphalt, graded aggregates and air voids. Asphalt is a time–temperature viscoelastic material and In the last decade or so, nanotechnology has its behaviors depend on both temperature and loading emerged as the potential solution to greatly enhance the time. The components of asphalt are rather complex and performance and durability of construction materials. Nano materials are defined as materials with at least one ISSN (Print): 2321-5747, Volume-1, Issue-1, 2013 63 International Journal on Mechanical Engineering and Robotics (IJMER) dimension that falls in the length scale of 1–100 nm. nano, and to quantum scales. Although improvements in Due to the small size and high surface area, the property asphalt performance have been achieved through of nano materials is much different from normal size polymer modification, it will be interesting to explore materials. what nanotechnology offers in improving asphalt pavement performance. Therefore, research engineers tried to apply nano materials into the pavement engineering. Some research In August 2006, the NSF Workshop on Nano showed that the rutting and fatigue cracking resistance modification of Cementitious Materials was held to of asphalt binders and mixtures improved with the develop a „„Roadmap for Research” for Portland cement addition of nano materials. Nanoclay and carbon nano- concrete and asphalt concrete using nanotechnology. fiber were used as additives to modify the asphalt Part l [51] states that nano-science and nanotechnology binder. The complex shear modulus of nano-modified may lead to progress in asphalt pavement technology. asphalt binders increased relative to the control asphalt Researchers [52] are planning to form an ad hoc binder, as well as the failure temperature and high consortium to study and develop tools to model temperature performance grade. The rutting resistance asphalt‟s physio-chemical properties that effectively performance of nanoclay and carbon fiber modified establishes the field of „„asphalt nano-material science. asphalt mixtures would be enhanced [40–45]. Recently, Greenfield [53] has studied the molecular simulation of the nanosized hydrated lime was selected as the additive asphalt-like materials. Birgisson [54] envisions that to blend with warm-mix-asphalt (WMA) mixture. The nano studies are needed to develop safe and sustainable moisture susceptibility of WMA mixture was pavement infrastructure, stating that the future life of investigated in the study [46]. In addition, the pavements could reach two to three times their current combination of Nano-SiO2 and SBS were used to mix life. Other researchers have also initiated investigations with stone matrix asphalt, and the physical and into the use of nanotechnology in Portland cement mechanical properties of asphalt binders and mixtures concrete [55–62]. Ideal asphalt t[63] should possess were improved [47]. both: (1) high relative stiffness at high service FTIR methodology, or a simple failure analysis temperatures (summer) to reduce rutting and shoving technique, can detect molecular vibrations that may be and; (2) increased adhesion between asphalt and in the form of two atoms in a diatomic molecule aggregate in the presence of moisture to reduce experiencing a simple coupled motion to each individual stripping. The project team conducted preliminary tests, atom in a large poly functional molecule undergoing blending small percentages of nanoclay-composites into motion. From the infrared spectra of test, the material virgin asphalt with the hope of producing a binder that is information about chemical bonding and materials less susceptible to high-temperature rutting and low- structure would be obtained [48]. temperature cracking. The motivation is to significantly reduce the temperature sensitivity of the binder at Nano materials possess an extraordinary potential service temperatures while maintaining workability at for improving the performance of asphalt binders and construction temperatures. Nano-modified asphalt may mixtures. It is anticipated that these may enhance or potentially improve the rutting, crack and fatigue modify the properties of asphalt pavement. You et al. resistance of asphalt mixtures. presented that nanoclay modified asphalt could increase the shear complex modulus and reduced the strain III. LITERATURE REVIEW failure rate of base asphalt. Furthermore, the addition of nanoclay would decrease the moisture damage of A. Asphalt Chemical Components and Modification asphalt mixture [40, 43]. Efforts Most asphalt molecules, primarily consisting of II. NANOTECHNOLOGY AND THE CURRENT carbon and hydrogen, also contain one or more of the DEVELOPMENT IN PAVEMENT MATERIALS elements sulfur, nitrogen, and/or oxygen [63]. Within Nanotechnology is the creation of new materials, asphalt, heteroatoms typically replace carbon atoms in devices, and systems at the molecular level as the asphalt molecule; the interaction of heteroatoms and phenomena associated with atomic and molecular the hydrocarbons leads to the unique chemical and interactions strongly influence macroscopic material physical properties of various asphalt mixtures [64]. properties [49]. Even though engineers are interested in Asphalt molecules are classified in two major material properties at the macro and meso scales, the fractions based on solubility. These fractions are the nano and micro scales provide fundamental insight for asphaltenes and maltenes [64]. Both the asphaltenes and the development of science and technology. Figure. 1 maltenes constitute the non-volatile, high-molecular- illustrates the evolution of length scales of an asphalt weight fractions of petroleum but the maltenes concrete material (in macro