Case Studies in Construction Materials (Jul 2024)
Properties and low-temperature performance of biomass heavy oil used in road applications
Abstract
Biomass heavy oil, a renewable green energy source, has been extensively explored for its preparation process and material properties. This study examined the applicability of biomass heavy oil integrated into matrix asphalt. Bio-asphalt samples were prepared using polymer-modified asphalt I-C as the matrix asphalt, blended with straw liquid oil, straw solid oil, and castor liquid oil. The low-temperature performances of these samples were assessed. First, the effects of bio-oil on the fundamental performance of asphalt were analyzed through three-component tests, encompassing a short-term aging test and a temperature scanning test based on dynamic shear rheometry. Subsequently, the effects of the chemical composition of bio-asphalt on its fundamental performance were examined through four-component tests, including SARA, gel-permeation chromatography (GPC), and gray entropy correlation. The glass transition temperature (Tg) was considered a parameter for evaluating the low-temperature properties of the bio-asphalt binders. The bending-beam rheometry (BBR) low-temperature creep test and the binder fracture energy (BFE) full-section fracture energy test revealed that adding bio-oil reduces Tg of the matrix asphalt. The integrated creep flexural parameter Jc and the BFE fracture energy density values indicated that the low-temperature fracture-resistant properties of bio-asphalt surpass those of the matrix asphalt. Furthermore, the low-temperature cracking resistance of the bio-asphalt samples was determined through the BFE test. Gray entropy correlation analysis of the low-temperature performance indicators of bio-asphalt revealed that the BBR test is suitable for evaluating low-temperature performance only up to − 12 °C. In summary, the bio-asphalt mixtures demonstrate exceptional fatigue resistance under low-temperature service conditions. Therefore, bio-oil emerges as an effective candidate for enhancing the low-temperature performance characteristics of matrix asphalt.
