Strain Localization and Damage Distribution in SBS Polymer Modified Asphalt Mixtures

ABSTRACT A laboratory investigation was conducted to estimate the macroscopic cracking response of Styrene Butadiene Styrene (SBS) polymer modified asphalt mixtures by analyzing the localized strain distribution within the material microstructure. Five asphalt mixtures composed by the same aggregate gradation but different SBS modified asphalt binders were produced in the laboratory. An in-house developed Digital Image Correlation (DIC)-based system was employed to obtain 2D full-field strain maps of the specimens during tensile loading. Strain distributions were observed from three different test configurations, namely the Indirect Tensile Test (IDT), the Semi-Circular Bending (SCB) test and the Three-Point Bending (3PB) test. The cracking performances of the mixtures were evaluated using a visco-elastic fracture mechanics-based model entitled HMA Fracture Mechanics. The results clearly show the beneficial effect of SBS polymer modifier in redistributing the stress within the mastic.