New Insights into Asphalt Chemical Characterization

Jean-Pascal Planche
VP Transportation Technology, Western Research Institute, University of Wyoming

Abstract

The Western Research Institute has been working for more than 30 years in the fields of asphalt and heavy oil chemical characterization. In the course of its current FHWA funded Fundamental Properties of Asphalts and Modified Asphalts research program, WRI has gone one step further in the fundamental understanding and practical characterization of asphalt binders. The whole concept is based on testing miniaturization.  Out of more than twenty research products to be released from this research contract, the five main products, which will be discussed in this presentation, deal with obtaining the most relevant information on asphalt chemical composition, evolution and properties from very small samples of binders.

From a fundamental researcher standpoint, they allow pinpointing which asphalt fractions are responsible for its chemical and viscoelastic changes and allow measurement of aging kinetics and changes in rheological properties under various conditions of temperature and pressure. From a practitioner standpoint, they offer new possibilities for quickly evaluating the rheological properties at low temperatures and the aging sensitivity of tank samples, as well as mix plant aged samples, either warm or hot, and even field aged samples.