Influence of Polyethylene on Fatigue Parameters of Bitumens

Abstract

The use of polymer modified bitumen has become a very important part of pavement construction due to its superior performance, including less ageing, enhanced rutting resistance and lower fatigue cracking properties. The polyethylene is a type of product normally not used as additive to bitumen, generally showing a congealing point of 92-100°C. Areas where it has been used are for instance in plastics and polishes, as thickener for lubricating oils and petrolatum and as paraffin wax improver/up-grader. Although the many significant researches which have been carried out related to the polymer modified bitumen in road applications, more studies should be undertaken on the compatibility, in the interaction between polymer and the different sources bitumens according to the needs of refineries in different countries. The main purpose behind this study is to minimize the fatigue damage of waxes within bitumens obtained from different sources. For this purpose; bitumen samples were modified by recommended content of polyethylene polymer (at concentration of 1.5% by weight of the bitumen). The intermediate temperature performance levels of polyethylene polymer modified bitumens were determined by fatigue parameters.