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Dynamic mechanical analysis of bitumen processed in India
Date Issued
01-01-2012
Author(s)
Reashma, P. S.
Reddy, Kommidi Santosh
Indian Institute of Technology, Madras
Krishnan, J. Murali
Abstract
India produces bitumen from twelve different refineries using at least two different processes. Current Indian specification for bitumen is based on viscosity measured at 60 °C. The typical pavement temperature in India ranges from 15 to 75 °C. To develop an understanding on the response of binders used in India in such temperature range, a comprehensive investigation of the rheological response of the binders is required and this investigation reports that. In the present study, 10 samples from two different refineries processed were selected. 5 of them were air blown materials and 5 were blended materials. All the samples were tested in their unaged and short-term aged conditions. The samples were subjected to frequency sweep from 25.5 to 0.5 Hz in a cone and plate geometry in linear viscoelastic regime at six different temperatures from 25 to 75 °C. The collected data was systematically analyzed by plotting Black diagrams and Cole-Cole plots. Master curves were obtained using time temperature superposition principle. The master curves were characterized by the Christensen and Anderson model. The variability in the rheological behavior of samples from the master curve model parameters was analyzed in terms of processing method and aging conditions. It was seen that air blown and blended bitumen had a widely varying temperature and shear susceptibility though both of them met the specification requirements.