Deformation and cracking performance of recycled asphalt paving mixes containing polymer-modified binder

The presented study investigated the effects of Polymer-modified Binder (PMB) on the stiffness, rutting resistance, and cracking resistance of Recycled Asphalt Pavement (RAP) mixes. Mechanical testing was conducted on six asphalt mixes that contained varying proportions of RAP and polymer binder. Test results revealed that the inclusion of RAP causes a notable increase in the stiffness of mixes, particularly with a 30% RAP proportion. Polymer binder was seen to improve the rutting resistance of all mixes, particularly for the mix containing 30% RAP where a large increase in rutting resistance was achieved with the addition of polymer binder. The presence of PMB in conjunction with RAP decreased the reflective cracking resistance of mixes, where at high RAP contents the negative effects of polymers on the cracking performance of mixes were more significant. This study provided useful performance specifications for RAP mixes for the pavement construction industry in New Zealand.