Evaluating the Effect of a Self-Healing Elastomer on the Self-Healing Properties of Asphalt Cement

Abstract

Asphalt pavements exhibit an interesting behaviour when the traffic loading is removed. The chemical structure of asphalt cement lends itself to the ability to heal damage and improve the longevity of the pavement. This phenomenon was first discovered in the 1960s and makes up an interesting area of research. The area of self-healing materials has been a growing area of research for materials in general, but recently attempts have been made to improve the natural healing capabilities of asphalt cement. Other branches of science have begun using microcapsules dispersed through the matrix to distribute healing agent upon damage. Styrene Butadiene Styrene (SBS) modification of asphalt cement is already a common technology in the pavement industry, and this has inspired the idea to introduce a polymer that has self-healing properties into asphalt cement. This thesis looks at the effect of traditional elastomeric modification on the healing efficiency of asphalt cement and explore the use of a novel self-healing elastomer (SHE) to modify the asphalt cement healing properties. Data in this thesis indicates that the self-healing elastomer used here was unable to improve the healing efficiency of asphalt cement, while SBS has shown some ability to improve crack healing. SBS has also shown a great ability to improve adhesion, which may influence the cohesive healing ability of asphalt cement.