Performance Evaluation of Aged Asphalt Mix for Hot In-Place Recycling

Despite increasing application, limited knowledge is known of in situ and laboratory properties of asphaltmixes placed through hot in-place recycling (HIR). This study conducted a preliminary investigation to inspect the individual and joint effects of binder (aged or rejuvenated) and gradation (decayed or normal) on respective performance indicators. Three mixes were designed and the properties were determined, including mix A collected from aged asphalt pavement, mix B designed with the same gradation of mix A but using virgin materials, and mix C designed with the initial construction aggregate gradation of the aged pavement section using virgin materials. The experimental program was carried out at the binder/aggregate, mortar and mix levels. The binder property, aggregate quality, and gradation of mix A were changed compared to the initial design, and the proper dosage of rejuvenator is able to restore the binder properties largely except for ductility. Asphalt mortars of mixes A and B were prepared and submitted for repeated shear at constant height (RSCH) and frequency sweep at constant height (FSCH) tests and found that the former has a better rutting resistance in terms of the G(v) (viscous component of creep stiffness) and complex shear modulus G*, whereas poorer low-temperature and fatigue performances in terms of the glassy modulus G(g)* and NP20. At the mix level, master curves of the three mixes were developed by dynamic modulus tests and revealed disparate viscoelastic properties, of which mix C is mostly desired. Binder aging and gradation decay work contradictorily, determining flow number test results so that mixes A and C have close and higher flow number values than mix B. Fatigue and low temperature fracture properties were evaluated by semi-circular bending tests and indicated the poorest performance for mix A because of binder aging and gradation decay.