Evaluation of long-term oven aging protocols on field cracking performance of asphalt binders containing reclaimed asphaltic materials (RAP/RAS)

This study compared two loose mixes' long-term oven aging (LTOA) protocols (i.e., 5-day at 95 degrees C and 8-hour at 135 degrees C) based on asphalt binder rheological and chemical properties. The protocols were then correlated with field aging conditions. Extracted and recovered asphalt binders from four asphalt mixtures were tested in the Dynamic Shear Rheometer (DSR), Bending Beam Rheometer (BBR), Double-Edge-Notched-Tension (DENT) Test, and Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy by Attenuated Total Reflectance (FTIR-ATR). Based on the research results, the loose mix aging protocol of 5-day at 95 degrees C replicates the effects of 2- and 3-year field oxidative aging on the rheological and chemical properties of the binders. The laboratory protocol of 8-hour at 135 degrees C yielded a higher level of aging to the binders compared to the 5-day at 95 degrees C protocol. Additional testing is planned to determine if these loose mix LTOA protocols can simulate 4-5-year field aging in Alabama.