Effect of organo-montmorillonite on aging properties of asphalt

Effects of organo-montmorillonite (OMMT) on thermo-oxidative and ultraviolet (UV) aging properties of asphalt were investigated. The results show that the viscosity aging index (VAI) and softening point increment (ΔS) of OMMT modified asphalt decrease significantly due to introduction of OMMT, and the ductility retention rate of the modified asphalt is also evidently higher than that of the pristine asphalt after thin-film oven test (TFOT) and pressure aging vessel (PAV) aging. In the meantime, both VAI and ΔS of the modified asphalt are obviously lower than that of the pristine asphalt after UV aging. Furthermore, compared with the pristine asphalt, the results of dynamic shear rheometer (DSR) testing exhibit smaller changes in rut factor (G*/sin δ) after TFOT and lower fatigue factor (G*sin δ) after PAV for the modified asphalt, which suggests that the effect of thermo-oxidative aging on dynamic rheological behaviors of the modified asphalt is restrained due to introduction of OMMT.