Evaluation of the rejuvenating effect of different additives on bituminous mixtures including hot-recycled RA as a function of the production temperature

The increasing bitumen cost, the growth of the traffic loads and the need to find more sustainable paving practices are forcing agencies to identify new ways to maximise the re-use of Reclaimed Asphalt (RA). If RA could theoretically be 100% recycled, its content in bituminous layers is still restricted in most countries mainly due to legislation limitations and technical issues. In particular, the stiffer and more brittle mixes, usually resulting from RA addition, have raised concerns about the long-term properties of the pavement. In order to further increase the amount of usable RA, rejuvenating additives can be included in the mixtures. The paper deals with the analysis of seven additives, with particular focus on their ability in mitigating the effects of the presence of RA in the mix as a function of production temperature. In particular, FTIR analysis was carried out on the additives to evaluate the differences in their chemical composition. Moreover, the mechanical properties of the mixtures including 50% RA and produced at 140°C or 170°C were investigated. The results showed the reduction of the mixing temperature from 170°C to 140°C determined a slight increase of the air voids content but also allowed a significant decrease of mix stiffness and strength with a contemporary increase of ductility. The mixtures containing 50% RA and the additive had an intermediate behaviour between the mix without RA and the mix with 50% RA and no additive. The additives investigated in this research showed, in most cases, different chemical structures, which reflected in their rejuvenating performance. The comparative analysis of the results from mechanical and chemical tests provided remarkable information about the characteristic properties of a good rejuvenator, particularly the presence of esters and the high flashpoint.