Comparative Evaluation of Aging Effect Difference between Aging Patterns for Asphalt Binder and Mixture

Aging simulation methods for asphalt materials can be generally classified into two types: for asphalt binder and for asphalt mixture. Nevertheless, there exists the aging effect difference between aging patterns for asphalt binder and mixture due to differences in aging experimental conditions. The comparison of the aging effect difference between aging patterns for asphalt binder and mixture contributes to building the relationship and thus achieving a conversion of asphalt aging degree between its binder and mixture aging patterns. In this research, aging effect differences between aging patterns for binder and mixture were investigated in terms of short-term aging, long-term aging, and ultraviolet radiation (UV) aging. The binders were collected before and after different aging patterns and then characterized by physical, rheological, and chemical tests. The results indicate that the aging effect difference between thin film oven test and short-term oven aging test is slight, whereas the aging effect of pressure aging vessel test significantly outweighs the effects of long-term aging patterns with loose or compacted specimens. As for photo oxidation aging, the aging effect ranking from the highest to the lowest is UV aging with loose specimen, UV aging for binder, and UV aging with compacted specimen. In addition, regardless of long-term or UV aging pattern for mixture, the aging degree of binder in loose specimen is more serious than that in compacted specimen.