Influence of seal binders and rheology on aggregate orientation and embedment leading to texture loss

Date
2021-12
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University
Abstract
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: There are important functions of road surfacing seals including the surface to act as a durable, waterproof, all-round weather, dust-free riding surface with sufficient skid resistance to ensure road safety and adequate road serviceability. Seal aggregate be- havioural characteristics include both aggregate embedment and aggregate orienta- tion under trafficking. The orientation of aggregate particles to average least dimen- sion reduces the voids available for binder to occupy. Therefore, a reduction in macro- texture and an increase in bleeding is introduced, both resulting in a loss of skid resis- tance in the wet and dry conditions. The primary goal of this research project was to investigate aggregate orientation, in single seals, for the S-E1, S-E2, S-R1 and S-R2 hot polymer modified binders. This was achieved by constructing a BSM-emulsion base with 1.5% cement, to minimise the effect of aggregate embedment, on which a shoulder-to-shoulder and an over application aggregate matrix, for each binder, was constructed. The testing matrix included the trafficking of the surfacing seals by means of the Model Mobile Load Simulator 3 (MMLS3), in interval sets up to 5000 load repetitions at the following temperatures: • 10◦C colder temperature boundary, • 20◦C intermediate temperature and • 30◦C elevated temperature boundary. After each trafficking set, the Laser Profilometer was applied on the surface, enabling a laser scan to obtain the mean profile depth in the wheel path of the MMLS3. Based on the analysis of the data, it was established that the reduction in mean profile depth (MPD), as measured by means of the LPM, occurs with an increase in MMLS3 load repetitions. The MPD reduction is both a function of aggregate embedment and aggregate orientation with contributing behaviour including the transverse movement of aggregate in the over application aggregate matrices. Aggregate orientation in the seal mat, was governed by the rubber or polymer modification at 30◦C whilst embed- ment behaviour was more prominent at 10◦C as a result of binder and aggregate dom- inating due to increased binder stiffness. The results yielded that the shoulder-to-shoulder aggregate matrices experienced greater decreases in MPD with an increase in trafficking temperature, relating to more aggre- gate orientation occurring as a result of more voids available in the seal mat. A greater reduction in MPD was prominent within the first 500 MMLS3 load repetitions, for all binders, over all trafficking temperature ranges. The less stiff rubber binders, in com- parison with the elastomers, experienced greater reductions in MPD whilst the S-E1 showed a greater reduction in MPD in comparison with the S-E2 binder. Between 500 - 2000 MMLS3 load repetitions, the shoulder-to-shoulder matrices provided a higher rate of reduction in MPD whilst the over application matrices yielded higher rates of reduction in MPD between 2000 - 5000 load repetitions. The research findings revealed that binder type plays a significant role in the selec- tion of binder conversion factors for seal design. Temperature, loading characteristics, aggregate properties, base layer properties, binder application rate and seal aggregate spread rate all influence seal aggregate orientation and as a result thereof, the overall performance of the seal.
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Daar is belangrike funksies van oppervalkse ̈els insluitend om te dien as ’n duursame, waterdigte, weerbestande, stofvrye ryoppervlak met voldoende glyweerstand om pad- veiligheid en voldoende paddiens te verseker. Gedragseienskappe van die se ̈elaggregaat sluit beide die inbedheid en ori ̈entasie van se ̈elaggregaat onder verkeerlaste in. Die ori ̈entasie van aggregaat partikels na die gemiddelde kleinste dimensie verminder die leemtes beskikbaar wat die se ̈elbindmiddel kan inneem. Daarom word ’n afname in makrotekstuur en ’n toename in bindmiddelbloeding aangebring, wat beide lei tot ’n verlies aan glipweerstand in nat en dro ̈e toestande. Die hoofdoel van hierdie navorsingsprojek was om die aggregaatori ̈entasie in enkelse ̈els te ondersoek vir die S-E1, S-E2, S-R1 en S-R2 warm polimeer gemodifiseerde bindmid- dels. Dit is bereik deur ’n BSM-emulsiebasis met 1.5% sement te bou om die effek van aggregaatinbedheid, waarop ’n skouer-tot-skouer-matriks en ’n oor-aanwendingsmatriks vir elke bindmiddel gebou is, te verminder. Die toetsmatriks het die verkeer van die oppervlakse ̈els ingesluit deur middel van die Model Mobiele Las-Simulator 3 (MMLS3), in intervalle tot in met 5000 lasherhalings by die volgende temperature: • 10◦C kouer temperatuurgrens, • 20◦C intermediˆere temperatuur en • 30◦C verhewe temperatuurgrens. Na elke verkeersstel was die Laserprofielmeter op die oppervlak aangebring, wat ’n laserskandering voltooi het om die gemiddelde profieldiepte in die wielbaan van die MMLS3 te kry. Op grond van die ontleding van die data is daar vasgestel dat die vermindering van die gemiddelde profieldiepte (MPD), soos gemeet duer die LPM, plaasvind met ’n toe- name in MMLS3 lasherhalings. Die MPD vermindering is beide ’n funksie van inbed- heid en ori ̈entasie van se ̈elaggregaat met laterale beweging in die oor-aanwendingsmatrikse ’n bydraende gedrag. Die aggregaat ori ̈entasie in die oppervlakse ̈elmat word bepaal deur die rubber- of polimeer -modifikasie teen 30◦C, terwyl die inbeddingsgedrag meer plaasgevind het teen 10◦C as gevolg van bindmiddel- en aggregaatoorheersing deur verhoogde bindmiddelstyfheid. Die resultate het opgelewer dat die skouer-tot-skouer aggregaatsmatrikse groter af- names in MPD ondervind het met ’n toename in die verkeerstemperatuur, wat verband hou met meer aggregaatori ̈entasie as gevolg van meer leemtes in die oppervlakse ̈elmat. ’n Groter afname in MPD was prominent tydens die eerste 500 MMLS3 lasherhalings, vir alle bindmiddels, oor alle verkeerstemperature. Die minder styf rubber-bindmiddels, in vergelyking met die elastomere, het ’n groter afname in MPD ondervind, terwyl die S-E1 ’n groter vermindering in MPD getoon het in vergelyking met die S-E2-bindmiddel. Tussen 500 - 2000 MMLS3 lasherhalings het die skouer-tot-skouer aggregaatsmatrikse ’n ho ̈er verlies in die tempo van MPD opgelewer, terwyl die oor-aanwendingsmatrikse ’n ho ̈er verlies in MPD tussen 2000 - 5000 lasherhalings opgelewer het. Die navorsingsbevindinge het aan die lig gebring dat die tipe se ̈elbindmiddel ’n belan- grike rol speel in die keuse van bindmiddel-omskakelingsfaktore vir se ̈elontwerp. Tem- peratuur, las-eienskappe, aggregaat-eienskappe, basislaag-eienskappe, bindmiddel- aanwendingskoers en se ̈elaggregaat-verspreidingsmatriks het ’n invloed op die aggre- gaat en die ori ̈entasie daarvan en as gevolg daarvan die gedrag van die oppervlakse ̈el.
Description
Thesis (MEng)--Stellenbosch University, 2021.
Keywords
Texture Loss, UCTD, Road surfacings -- Sealing (Technology), Traffic engineering, Polymer modified binders, Surface sealers, Binders (Materials)
Citation