Caracterización fisicoquímica y morfológica de asfaltos modificados con material reciclado : Physicochemical and Micromorphological Evaluation of Asphalt Modified with Recycled Materials

Abstract

For more than 30 years, modified asphalt obtained by adding elastomer and plastomer type polymers has been used in flexible pavements.However, the high cost of modifiers has prevented their use from becoming popular; meanwhile no one has found a satisfactory method of final disposal for large volumes of waste polymer that has been generated by the indiscriminate use of disposable products. This work will study the possibility of obtaining an asphalt-polymer mix (using tire crumbs and icopor from disposable cups as modifiers), which would be stable, less expensive and have better physical and chemical properties than conventional CIB asphalt from the industrial complex in Barrancabermeja (Colombia). The modification of asphalt was conducted using the asphalt disperser of the pavements laboratory at the University of La Salle. Physicochemical analysis was conducted in accordance with regulations and included penetration, ductility, softening point, flash point, point of combustion, aging, reological curve, solubility and stability in storage. To establish the composition and compatibility of the polymerasphalt mixtures, the separation was performed in four fractions of asphalt according to the specifications of the SARA method, while the morphological and micromorphological analysis of asphalt and asphalt binders was performed using stereoscopic sweep electronic microscope. The results indicated that a stable and homogeneous asphalt – polymer mix was possible; one which preserved the original asphalt maltenes – asphaltenes relationship and the physicochemical characteristics which would predict an adequate performance when used in asphalt paving mixtures.