Evaluation of the Mechanical Performance of Asphalt Mixtures Containing Waste Tire Rubber and Graphene

Abstract

This study aimed to evaluate the mechanical performance of asphalt mixtures with tire rubber powder (TRP) and graphene composite-modified asphalt binder. Asphalt mixtures with graphene/TRP-modified binders, as well as TRP-modified and conventional asphalt mixtures, were prepared. The performance of the mixtures was evaluated using dynamic creep, resilient modulus, semi-circular bending fracture, indirect tensile fatigue, and freeze-thaw splitting tests. Results showed that the graphene/TRP composite asphalt mixtures exhibited superior rutting resistance, fatigue performance, fracture resistance, and moisture stability over the TRP-modified and conventional asphalt mixtures. The findings demonstrated that incorporating graphene into TRP-modified binders may result in asphalt mixtures with more desirable mechanical performance. This study may shed more light on the application of TRP and graphene in asphalt to improve pavements’ overall performance and sustainability.