Mechanical performance of cold mix asphalt containing cup lump rubber as a sustainable bio-modifier

Abstract

The road construction industry aims to contribute to the protection of already compromised environment. Cold mix asphalt (CMA) is a measure initiated by the road industry to protect the environment and preserve energy. Despite having additional benefits, CMA has attracted little attention due to its inferior performance. CMA's performance is enhanced using a sustainable binder bio-modifier, natural cup lump rubber (CLR) is one of them. This study evaluated the tensile properties, rutting, moisture susceptibility, and adhesion properties of CLR-modified CMA (CMA-CR). The tensile property was enhanced by 26% due to CLR modification. CMA-CR had excellent rutting resistance of less than 2 mm rut depth at 10,000 load cycles, showing 70% improvement compared with conventional CMA. Moisture susceptibility evaluation indicated that CMA-CR had tensile strength ratio (TSR) value of 104%, satisfying the minimum 80% requirement of AASHTO T283. It also retained more than 96% bitumen coating. The moisture damage resistance was improved by 12% and 10% in terms of TSR and stripping, respectively. The durability results revealed that the CMA-CR mixture prevented higher mass loss, representing 14% improvement compared with conventional CMA.