Low-temperature rheological properties and micro-mechanism of DIBCH plasticizer modified bitumen

ABSTRACT

In this study, a diisobutyl cyclohexane dicarboxylate (DIBCH) plasticizer was used to modify bitumen for preventing cracking and improving the performance of bitumen pavements. The low-temperature rheological properties of the DIBCH plasticizer–incorporated bitumen were studied via bending beam rheometer (BBR) and dynamic shear rheometer (DSR) tests. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and saturate, aromatic, resin, and asphaltene (SARA) fraction tests were performed to investigate the mechanism of the modification of bitumen by the DIBCH plasticizer. The results indicated that the incorporation of DIBCH could enhance the low-temperature deformation ability and stress-relaxation ability of bitumen, and the higher the DIBCH content, the greater the improvement in the low-temperature performance of the bitumen. Furthermore, a microscopic analysis revealed that the modification mechanism of bitumen by the DIBCH plasticizer was that of physical blending, and they did not react chemically. Moreover, the incorporation of DIBCH increased the proportion of light components in the bitumen, thereby improving its low-temperature properties.

KEYWORDS:

• Road engineering
• modified bitumen
• plasticizer
• low-temperature rheological properties
• mechanism

Acknowledgments

Founding: This work was supported by National Key R&D Program of China [grant number 2018YFB1600203]; National Natural Science Foundation of China [52038001].

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China: [Grant Number 52038001]; National Key Research and Development Program of China: [Grant Number 2018YFB1600203].