INFLUENCE OF VG 30 GRADE BITUMEN WITH AND WITHOUT ADDITIVE (EVA) ON SHORT TERM AGING

Civil Engineering (Transportation Engineering)

In the developing country like India, growth of urbanization is a vital process ultimately leads to the vehicle growth and thus the load on the pavement increases which leads to distress of the pavement. Major problem in pavement seen is the aging of the pavement and to overcome such problem an attempt is made formed polymer modified bitumen using different type of polymer. Age solidifying of bitumen is induced by chemical and/or physical changes and is usually accompanied by hardening of the binder. In road applications, binder is exposed to aging at three different stages: storage, mixing, transport and laying, as well as during service life. India is a country having varied climate and excessive stress and strains on the road in a limited road space is there. India is distinctive among developing countries for its fast-growing service sector and road transport is vital to India's economy, social integration and security needs of the country. Hence roads infrastructure from long run point of view with respect to quality in terms of load carrying capacity, performance, durability and economy is needed. But the aging of bituminous binders is one of the key factors determining the lifetime of an asphalt pavement. Aging in bitumen normally resulted from the weathering of the binder due to oxidation. Bitumen hardening occurs progressively during asphalt production, transportation, paving operation and thereafter during its service life. Gradual loss of visco-elastic properties of bitumen is due to hardening of asphalt material, consequently an increasing traffic loading will hasten performance failure of the pavement, frequency of traffic and changing environment. In the present study Ethylene Vinyl Acetate (EVA), a plastomer were used in various percentages (2 to 4%) as modifiers in VG30 grade bitumen for determine short term aging. The changing effects on physical properties in terms of the bituminous binders with and without EVA were measured before aging and after aging were measured. The results show that after ageing softening point increases, penetration decreases and elastic recovery increases with increasing percentage of EVA. The losses of volatile fractions recorded are within permissible limits of codal provision. Utilization of such modifier can be beneficial to road projects.

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