Influence of Waste Rubber Nano-Material Utilization on The Engineering Properties of Asphalt Matrix

Abstract

The highway pavement construction industry is widely recognized as the most suitable establishment for recycling waste materials. Consequently, selecting sustainable materials constitutes a crucial concept for developing an innovative pavement construction characteristic. This research investigation aims to explore the consequences of utilizing waste rubber nanomaterial as a sustainable supplementary at four various weight ratios (0.5, 1, 1.5, and 2) in bituminous material. The assessment involved physical features such as viscosity, ductility, penetration, penetration index, and softening point. A dry mixing process is also accomplished for modified asphalts by conducting a high shear mixer at 5000 rpm for 30 minutes at 160 °C was chosen to ensure optimal dispersion of the waste rubber nanomaterial. Overall, the results demonstrated that adding waste rubber nanomaterial increased viscosity and softening point temperature but decreased ductility and penetration. The enhanced penetration index values of the modified asphalts result from the incorporation of residual rubber nanomaterial. In contrast, the binder modified with 2% residual rubber nanomaterial and nano-rubberization exhibited a greater penetration index (PI); thus, it positively impacts the resistance to rutting failure.