Improvement of the resistance of bituminous layers to the phenomenon of rutting by modifying the hydrocarbon binder

The rutting of bituminous pavements is the phenomenon most encountered on roadways of desert regions, where the temperature is too high and which will cause a decrease in the stiffness modulus of asphalt mixture. In this experimental work, the results of resistance to the rutting phenomenon obtained on bituminous layers are presented. The hydrocarbon binder was modified by incorporating a low content of the rubber mixture of used tires into bitumen in order to assess the swelling effect of the rubber mixture (RM) on the stiffness of asphalt concrete. The rubber used was a mixture of different types, sections and brands of tires. The influence of adding 3%, 6% and 9% MC by weight of bitumen on the mechanical behavior of asphalt concrete was studied, with respect to the limit of the penetration index of modified bitumen. The recorded experimental results showed that the use of a low MC content as an additive to bitumen improved thermal susceptibility (PI index penetration), which entailed an improvement in Marshall stability, an increase in the modulus of stiffness of asphalt concrete at different temperatures. In addition, a remarkable reduction in the depth of the ruts was observed.