In this paper, first the aging level of Stone Mastic Asphalt (SMA): one of the widely applied asphalt mixture types for highway construction in South Korea, was analysed then those aging effects on various performance characteristics were studied. Then, a suitable methodology for improving performance on real asphalt pavement construction site was recommended. To fulfil the objective, Gel-Permeation Chromatography (GPC) experimental work was performed on various aged SMA mixtures by measuring Large Molecular Size (LMS) then the Absolute Viscosity (AV) value was predicted based on the findings in the previous step. As results, it was found that types of performance change on aged asphalt binders could be estimated by computed Estimated Absolute Viscosity (EAV) values. It also should be mentioned that the performances of tested SMA mixture presented negative trend after aging effect increases; even though the performance deterioration level of SMA is lower than that of regular Dense Grade Asphalt (DGA) mixture, which means proper reactions are recommended to keep its quality. Moreover, better resistance against aging effect was found by applying Hydrated-Lime (HL) or Low Density Poly-Ethylene (LDPE) compared to any other additives on asphalt mixtures. A unique Aging Quantity (AQ) model for SMA mixtures was developed by using two factors: collected aging time data set from field (and/or laboratory) and AV values based on different temperature conditions. The Predicted Absolute Viscosity (PAV) on SMA mixtures was computed by using the introduced AQ model then the aging level of asphalt binder was estimated as a final step. Additionally, five performance characteristics of asphalt binder: Dynamic Shear Rheometer(DSR) high temperature limit, Bending Beam Rheometer (BBR) low temperature limit, G*/sinδ, Creep stiffness, and m-value, were analysed. The value of AV showed the best performance for predicting and representing aging level. Finally, the aging level of given asphalt mixtures in the field can be easily predicted by choosing one of three approaches presented in this research. It can be concluded that the performance of asphalt pavement can be increased by selecting proper materials and performance prediction methodologies introduced in this study. However, only limited number of specimens were considered in this study due to limit of raw materials and laboratory equipment condition. Therefore, extensive experimental works with various types of asphalt materials are recommended for strengthen findings in this thesis as a future research.

If asphalt-aggregate mixture is produced at a high temperature, the mixture will suffer a significant higher shortterm aging (STA) due to the elevated temperature. The binder in that mixture will be oxidized (aged) more than expected during STA due to the highly elevated temperature. The STA at the high-temperature level is one of the reasons why the hot-mix asphalt (HMA) mixture shows many distresses in the early stage of service life. In this respect, adopting warm-mix asphalt (WMA) technology is another advantage in the asphalt pavement industry. In this study, various levels of STA were used to evaluate aging levels of the binder in the mixture before and after STA. A gel-permeation chromatography (GPC) test was performed on the mixture particles without binder recovery to estimate the significance of aging for each case of STA. Statistical analyses were carried out to determine the difference in aging levels among STA temperatures. Statistical test results found that the aging level of the binder after STA was significantly higher than that of binders before STA at an α = 0.05 level. It was also found that the aging level of binders in the WMA mixture was significantly lower than that of binders in HMA after STA at an α = 0.05 level. It was observed that if an HMA mixture was produced at high-temperature STA, its aging level was estimated to be approximately four years in service.

PURPOSES: This study aims to show the difference of the binder aging level in the hot-mix asphalt (HMA) mixture after short-term aging (SA) under different aging conditions, such as mixture temperature and duration in hour. METHODS: Three SA times (i.e., 1 h, 2 h, and 4 h) at two temperatures (i.e., 160℃ and 180℃) were used for the normal mixtures prepared using a PG64-22 asphalt. The field long-term aging (LA) was simulated by applying the same LA procedure (65 h at 110℃) to all compacted specimens, prepared at the air void of 7% using each SA-treated mixture, in a convection oven. The binder aging level was measured in terms of large molecular size by gel-permeation chromatography (GPC) from the mixture and the absolute viscosity (AV) from the recovered binder. The aging levels were evaluated using those two properties after SA and LA, and then compared based on the normal SA (NSA) mixture (1 h at 160℃). The service life reduction caused by SA in various conditions was estimated based on the aging level of the field cores from different locations in various service lives. RESULTS: The results of the laboratory evaluation indicated that the binder of the mixture, which was treated at longer SA time and higher temperature, showed a significantly higher aging level than the NSA mixture. The binder aging level from a longer time, such as 2 h and 4 h SA, or at a higher temperature (180℃), were estimated to be similar to that of the mixtures, which had already been in field service for several years. CONCLUSIONS : The HMA mixture should be produced at a moderate temperature, such as 160℃, and placed within a limited hauling and queuing time to avoid a significant short-term aging of the binder before placement in the field pavement. The SA for a longer time at a higher temperature than the NSA condition was found to be detrimental to the service life of the asphalt pavement.

본 연구는 재활용 아스팔트 혼합물의 역학적 특성과 재생혼합물 내 바인더의 대형분자(Large molecular size : LMS)와의 상관성을 조사하였다. 재생 혼합물은 여러 가지 혼합 방법으로 제작하여 역학적 강도 시험을 수행하였고 재생혼합물 내의 RAP 굵은골재(R), 매트릭스(M) 및 신규 굵은골재(V) 시료에 코팅된 바인더의 노화 상태를 gel-permeation chromatography(GPC)를 통해 조사하였다. 재생혼합물 내 바인더의 노화상태 분석을 위한 혼합물 제조에는 원형골재 (13mm 강자갈)가 굵은골재로 사용되었다. GPC를 통한 재생혼합물 내 바인더의 노화상태를 분석한 결과 신 구 바인더의 노화 정도에 차이를 확인했으며, 혼합 방법에 따라 재생혼합물의 바인더 노화 상태가 서로 상이함을 확인하였다. 역학적 강도 특성과 R, M, V시료의 LMS에 대한 상관성분석결과 재생혼합물의 역학적 특성이 혼합물 내의 재료 중 어느 특정 재료의 바인더 LMS와 더 밀접한 상관관계를 보였다. 또한 LMS가 어느 정도 증가될 때까지는 강도특성이 향상되나 LMS가 보다 더 커지면 강도성능이 저하되는 경향을 보여 혼합물 제조시 제대로 회복되지 못한 노화된 아스팔트가 향후 노화가 더욱 진행되면 재생혼합물의 강도 성능이 저하될 것으로 판단되었다.

산화는 아스팔트에서 대형분자(LMS : Large Molecular Size) 양의 증가를 야기하고 바인더의 경화에 주요 원인이 되므로 바인더 산화를 저감시키면 도로 및 공항 포장의 공용수명 연장을 기대할 수 있다. 바인더 산화는 혼합물을 도로에 깔기 전에 가열된 골재와 혼합하는 동안과 아스팔트 포장이 시공된 후 공용기간 동안에 일어난다. 본 연구에서는 바인더를 단기 및 장기노화 처리 후 LMS의 양적 증가를 HP-GPC (High-Pressure Gel-Permeation Chromatography)의 자료에 근거하여 해석하였다 개질 아스팔트는 LMS의 증가율이 아스팔트의 종류에 따라 다를 지라도 단기노화 후 LMS의 20-30%증가. 장기노화 후 2배 이상의 증가를 나타냈다. 본 연구에서 개질 아스팔트의 노화특성을 관찰하기 위하여 사용된 개질제는 선행 연구에서 큰 역학적 특성 향상을 보인 LDPE(Low-Density Polyethylene)와 SBS(Styrene-Butadiene-Styrene block copolymers) 를 사용하였다. LDPE로 개질한 바인더는 단 장기노화 후 LMS의 증가 비율이 상당히 낮았다. 이와 같이 낮은 LMS의 증가는 LDPE 개질 아스팔트가 노화 처리되는 동안에 일반 아스팔트보다 덜 노화가 진행된다는 것을 의미한다 이는 아스팔트 시멘트 내에 분산된 LDPE 입자가 산화 노화작용을 방해하기 때문인 것으로 보인다.

한외여과막의 분획분자량을 결정하기 위하여 dead-end형 셀내에 평막을 설치하고 분자량 분포가 수천 내지 수백만의 혼합 dextran 수용액으로 투과 실험하였다. 원료 용액과 투과액을 GPC로 분석하여 각 분자량에 대한 배제율을 구하고 90% 배제율에 해당하는 dextran분자량을 분획분자량를 결정하였다. 투과압력을 0.5에서 2.0 bar까지 증가시킬 경우, Millipore사의 PBTK막은 63,000 내지 68,000 daltons로 10% 이내에서 변화하였지만 Millipore사의 PBQK 막 또는 (주)새한의 UE1812막의 분획분자량은 각각 3.5 및 4.3 배 증가하였다. 또한 투과액을 원료용액의 10내지 40%까지 분리막을 증가시키면서 배제율을 측정한 결과, PBTK의 분획분자량은 25% 증가하였다.