Preparation and Performance Analysis of Ceramsite Asphalt Mixture with Phase-Change Material

In this paper, phase-change material (PCM) and ceramsite were used to increase the heat resistance of the asphalt mixture. The ceramsite asphalt mixture with PCM can bring a specific cooling effect to the road surface and alleviate the rapid deterioration at high temperature. Two phase-change materials, PCM-43 and PCM-48, were compared and selected as the heat absorption material of the asphalt mixture. It is found that PCM-43 has better thermal stability, temperature regulation performance, higher enthalpy value, and a less adverse effect on the rheological properties of asphalt. According to the road performance of the asphalt mixture, it suggests that the maximum content of ceramsite is 40%. The specific heat capacity of asphalt mixtures was studied by the method of the insulation bucket test, and the thermal conductivity coefficient of asphalt mixtures was tested by a thermal conductivity instrument. The results show that the specific heat capacity and thermal conductivity of the asphalt mixture can be reduced by adding PCM and ceramsite. The effect of ceramsite asphalt concrete with PCM on the temperature field of road structure was further analyzed by finite element method. Due to the thermal resistance of ceramsite in the upper layer, the cooling range and depth in the middle and lower surface layers can be improved. Meanwhile, the heat absorption of phase-change material can alleviate the heating phenomenon of the upper layer. Therefore, ceramsite asphalt concrete with PCM is effective for decreasing the high temperatures in the asphalt pavements.