Evaluation of Warm Rubberized Stone Mastic Asphalt Mixtures through the Marshall and Gyratory Compactors

Stone mastic asphalt (SMA) mixtures exhibit excellent behaviour; they are highly resistant to reflective cracking and permanent deformation, as well as providing the wearing surface with an optimal texture. However, the production and compaction temperatures are similar to conventional mixtures, which means that there is a significant consumption of energy, as well as greenhouse gas emissions. Warm mix asphalt (WMA) technology, which has been developed over the last few years, might allow lower temperatures without compromising the mechanical behaviour of the mixtures. Also, over the last few decades, rubberized asphalt has proved to be effective in improving the performance and being environmentally suitable, but it requires higher production temperatures than conventional mixtures. In this study, several tests were performed to evaluate the effect of a chemical WMA additive on the compactability and water sensitivity of rubberized SMA mixtures with both the Marshall and the gyratory compactor. The investigation has shown that the gyratory compactor is more suitable for studying compactability and the water sensitivity of rubberized SMA with WMA additives.