Effect of Reclaimed Asphalt Pavement on the Properties of Asphalt Binders

Using Reclaimed Asphalt Pavement (RAP) not only reduces the cost of new asphalt mixtures but also conserve the natural resources. To incorporate RAP in asphalt mix design, it is vital to know the amount and quality of the residual binder. In this research both conventional and Superpave methods were used to determine the virgin and residual binder properties. The residual binders obtained from two RAP sources using solvent extraction and abson recovery methods were blended with a virgin binder in different proportions. Penetration, ductility, dynamic modulus, stiffness and viscosity of the different blends were compared. Penetration, viscosity and PG grading blending charts were developed based on the corresponding test data. It was concluded that the properties of the blends depend on the individual properties of the binders. The stiffness of the binder is increasing with increasing RAP binder. This research only address the binder related study so to quantify RAP in asphalt mix design the other factors like aggregate and volumetric properties need proper considerations.