A Literature Review of Bitumen Aging: From Laboratory Procedures to Field Evaluation

Abstract

Because bitumen aging is behind the major pavement distresses, a better understanding of it is of utmost importance for tailoring longer-lasting roads and developing more effective maintenance strategies. For this purpose, this paper presents an in-depth review of the relevant literature on the aging phenomenon of neat (unmodified) bitumen. The main accelerated laboratory aging procedures as well as some recent ones, for both bitumen and asphalt mix, are presented, and their effectiveness in reproducing the effects corresponding to field aging are discussed. Then, the main laboratory tests used to track the evolution of bitumen aging and some end-of-life criteria that reflect poor pavement performance are outlined. Finally, a promising method whereby the colloidal structure of bitumen can be estimated from its rheological behavior is presented.