Correlation analysis between micro and macro indicators of high modulus modified asphalt for asphalt pavement

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Civil Engineering
• Computational Chemistry

Background:

• Understanding high modulus asphalt (HMA) performance requires linking micro-scale properties to macro-scale road behavior.
• High modulus asphalt is crucial for durable road infrastructure.

Purpose of the Study:

• To establish a correlation between micro-technical indexes and macro road performance of HMA.
• To develop and validate an estimation formula for predicting HMA high-temperature performance using molecular dynamics simulations.

Main Methods:

• Preparation of two types of HMA: LLDPE/SBS and rubber/PPA composite modified asphalt.
• Molecular dynamics (MD) simulations to model HMA at the molecular level.
• High-temperature rheological testing for experimental validation.
• Correlation analysis and regression to establish an estimation formula.

Main Results:

• Molecular dynamics simulations showed a strong correlation between shear modulus and high-temperature rheological properties.
• An estimation formula was developed to predict high-temperature shear modulus of HMA.
• The formula demonstrated a relative error of less than 7% when validated on a different HMA type.

Conclusions:

• Molecular dynamics simulation is a viable tool for predicting the high-temperature performance of HMA.
• The developed estimation formula effectively predicts high-temperature shear modulus, aiding in HMA application and development.