A state-of-the-art review on interfacial behavior between asphalt binder and mineral aggregate

The interface between asphalt binder and mineral aggregate directly affects the service life of pavement because the defects and stress concentration occur more easily there. The interaction between asphalt binder and mineral aggregate is the main cause of forming the interface. This paper presents an extensive review on the test technologies and analysis methods of interfacial interaction, including molecular dynamics simulation, phase field approach, absorption tests, rheological methods and macro mechanical tests. All of the studies conducted on this topic clearly indicated that the interfacial interaction between asphalt binder and mineral aggregate is a physical-chemical process, and can be qualitatively characterized by microscopical technique (such as SEM and AFM), and also can be quantitatively evaluated by rheological methods and interfacial mechanical tests. Molecular dynamics simulation and phase field approach were also demonstrated to be effective methods to study the interfacial behavior and its mechanism.