NANO-SCIENCE AND -TECHNOLOGY FOR ASPHALT PAVEMENTS

M.N. Partl
1
, R. Gubler
1
, M. Hugener
1
1
Road Engineering/Sealing Components, EMPA Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials
Testing and Research, berlandstrasse 129, CH-8600 Dbendorf, Switzerland
1 INTRODUCTION
In spite of the fact that bituminous materials, such as asphalt, are mainly used on a large
scale and in huge quantities for road constructions, the mechanical behavior of these
materials depends to a great extend on structural elements and phenomena which are
effective on a micro- and nano-scale. Although this is well known by researchers, material
producers and engineers for many years, the aspect of nano-science and -technology has
hardly found any special attention, so far. New efforts and possibilities of materials
engineering on a nano-scale in other fields may well lead to a new leap forward in
improving mechanical and physical properties as well as durability of this important group
of composite construction materials.
This paper intends to stimulate the application and development of nano-scientific and
-technological concepts for bituminous materials and asphalt pavements. Due to the wide
range of possibilities, however, it does not claim to present a complete overview on the
whole field. This would clearly go beyond the scope of this paper. It rather gives a short
outline on material related problems and research topics where nano-science and
-technology could produce a major contribution to the improvement of bituminous
materials and where research needs to be done. This includes research with respect to the
effect and engineering of nano-particles, such as mineral or organic filler and fibers, as
well as the study of nano-structural questions related to binder/aggregate bonding and
coating mechanisms. It includes also chemo-physical mechanisms during blending of
bitumen with polymers and nano-structural modeling of materials behavior (e.g. damage
and healing mechanisms).
2 OVERVIEW ON ASPHALT PAVEMENT MATERIALS
2.1 Components of Asphalt Pavement Materials
Asphalt is a particulate composite typically made of bitumen or polymer-modified
bituminous binder, rigid cubical particles (mineral filler down to a nano-scale range, sand
and stone mineral aggregates), additives (e.g. bonding and stripping agents like hydrated
lime) and air (Table 1). In some cases other particles such as fibers (e.g. cellulose fibers,
steel fibers for tank training areas), crumb rubber, glass, slag (glass-like or mineral-like)
1
etc. are added in order to fulfill special functional requirements in terms of visibility,
friction etc. or to improve mechanical and climatic long-term performance, e.g. by
reducing the risk of rutting, low temperature and fatigue cracking. Some components such
as tar and asbestos fibers are no longer applied or under very restricted use (like volatile
solvents for binders) in many countries for health and environmental reasons.
Table 1 Selection of components used in asphalt pavement materials
Binders Additives Particles Air voids
Hot Process
Bitumen
Polymer Bitumen
(Elastomers,
Plastomers, Natural
Latex, Reclaimed
Synthetic Rubber,..)
Extenders (Sulfur,
Lignin)
Synthetic Binders
for Colored Asphalt
....
Micro/Nano Particles
Filler (Crusher Fines,
Baghouse Fines, Fly
Ash, Carbon Black,
Silica Fume, ..)
Fibers (Cellulose,
Mineral, Polymer,..)
Pigments
Crumb Rubber
....
Cold/Warm Process
Bitumen-Emulsions
(Cold Water)
Foam Bitumen
(Cold Water with
Hot Bitumen)
....
Bonding/Anti-Stripping
Agents (Hydrated Lime,
Amine Derivatives,..)
Hydraulic Cement
Natural Asphalt
(Gilsonite, Trinidad
Lake Asphalt)
Rejuvenators
Emulsifiers
Oxidants
Antioxidants
Polymer Additives
Reactive Nano-
Ceramics
Self-Deicing Agents
(CaCl Flakes,..)

Macro Particles
Sand, Stones
Crushed Recycl. Glass
Slag
Recycled Tire Particles
Fibers (Steel, Fiberglass,
Polyester, Polyprop.,..)
Reclaimed Asphalt
Pavement (RAP)
.....
Closed Pores
Inter-Connected
Pores
2.1.1 Bituminous Binders. Bituminous binders are commonly considered to be
composed of saturates, aromatics, asphaltenes and resins. They are very complex mixes of
macromolecules of different particle sizes. In case of polymer bitumen for pavements,
bitumen is blended with about 5% macromolecules of a higher molecular weight.
Typically, SBS (Styrene-Butadiene-Styrene block copolymer), SIS (Styrene-isoprene
block copolymer), EVA (Poly-Ethylene-Vinyl-Acetate), EMA (Poly-Ethylene-
Methacrylate) and others are used.
The differences in molecular weight and hence in the size of the polymers is depicted
in Figure 1, where a gelpermation chromatogram of a SBS polymer bitumen sample in the
original state and after overheating is shown. It is easily seen that overheating reduces the
polymer peaks significantly, which means that the long and heavy polymer chains are
reduced to smaller ones, raising the valley of the curve between the polymer and bitumen
peak to a significantly higher level. This demonstrates that overheating considerably
degrades the large polymer molecules and changes the mechanical behavior and durability
of pavements significantly.
1
0
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10
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13 15 17 19 21 23
Retention Time [min]
D
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t
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t
o
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S
i
g
n
a
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[
A
U
]
Polymerpeaks
Bitumen Peak
Degraded Polymers
Overheated Laboratory Sample
Original Sample
Molecular Weight [Dalton]
Figure 1 Chromatogram of a SBS polymer-modified bituminous binder in the original
state and after overheating
However, the size of the polymer molecules is only one aspect, which influences the
behavior of a polymer bitumen blend. Even more important is the micro- and nano-
structural interaction between polymer and bitumen.
On the one hand polymers may play the role of a discontinuous nano-fiber
reinforcement of the binder. In this case, the polymer molecules are embedded in the
bitumen like dispersed nano-fibers that are only "glued" together by the bitumen with no
strong physical connection in between. Due to this, the tension load is basically transferred
to the nano-fibers by irreversible shear flow of the bitumen and the polymer bitumen
basically behaves like a plastomer. An example of this type of polymer bitumen is APP
polymer modified bitumen (APP = atactic polypropylene), which is used for bituminous
waterproofing membranes.
On the other hand, the polymer may produce a linked network of polymeric
macromolecules like the SBS modified polymer bitumen in Figure 2. In this case, the
bitumen is trapped within a net of elastic nano-fibers, which are linked together with knots
and therefore lead to an elastomeric behavior of the binder. These knots consist of a group
of polystyrene clusters. Each cluster belongs to an individual SBS block-polymer and is
attached to the elastic butadiene molecule in between. The polystyrene cluster is composed
of up to 300 styrene molecules and the elastic poly-butadiene part in the middle is
composed of up to 1300 butadiene molecules.

A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
Poly-Butadiene
SBS-Block-Polymer (Elastomer)
Bitumen
Poly-Styrene
Single Styrene Unit
Single Butadiene Unit
Figure 2 Simplified nano-mechanical model of SBS Poly-Styrene-Butadiene-Styrene
modified bitumen
2.1.2 Special Binders. Asphalt pavements are typically constructed by hot mix
compaction, which is energy consuming and requires special care during the production
process (e.g. safety and temperature control issues, rain). This is particularly true for
asphalt pavements with polymer bitumen, because this type of binder has found to be very
sensitive to overheating.
In order to allow cold or warm asphalt mixtures and to apply bituminous sealcoats and
unbound layer stabilization (e.g. subbase), cationic or anionic bitumen emulsions are used
(Table 1). The particle size of these emulsions may go down to the nano-scale from 20m
to about 200nm.
A special approach is the so-called Carbonyte Process where the carbon bonds
between the asphalt molecules are modified by reactive nano-ceramics for pavement
protection systems and fast curing sealcoats
2
. This process is reported to be a result of the
space shuttle thermal shield program and therefore appears a perfect example on how high-
tech nano-technology may lead to innovative solutions in asphalt paving technology.
Recently, the use of foam bitumen has become increasingly important. Foam bitumen
is produced by injecting a fine mist of water at ambient temperature into 170C to 180C
hot bitumen in an expansion chamber
3
. The minimum particle size is around 7.5m. Foam
bitumen is applied for surface dressings, unbound layer stabilization, cold mix recycling
with reclaimed asphalt pavement (RAP) materials sometimes contaminated with
substances such as tar.
2.2 Structural and Micromechanical Aspects
2.2.1 Asphalt Pavement Concepts. From a structural point of view, asphalt works
either through:
Corn-to-corn contact by interaction and interlock of a coarse aggregate structure
(Figure 3a, b), where the load is basically carried by the stone skeleton. The
simplified structural model in Figure 3 implies, that failure mainly occurs through
wedge effects within the load carrying stone skeleton producing local failure plains,
which are oriented parallel to the vertical loading direction. Hence, it is very
important for this type of pavements that a good lateral confinement within the
pavement layer is achieved. Typical representatives of this type of pavements are
stone mastic asphalt SMA with up to 7.5 Mass% binder and ca. 4 Vol% air voids as
well as porous asphalt with up to 5 Mass% binder and over 20 Vol% air voids (for
water drainage reasons).
A dense graded aggregate concept (Figure 3c), which is based on the dense
packing of the aggregates in order to minimize the binder content and to maximize
the volume filled by mineral aggregates for stiffness and bearing capacity purposes.
Here, the load is basically transferred by the stones through internal friction as well
as the glue and shear effect of the binder. During loading, local hydrostatic pressure
cells are produced in the room where the incompressible binder is trapped between
the aggregates. Due to this pressure, the binder is squeezed out of these cells by
local shear flow, thus producing deviatoric actions. Hence, the failure follows a
shear pattern with cohesive shear failure plains. Typical representatives for this
type of pavements are asphalt concrete with up to 6.5 Mass% binder and ca 4 Vol%
air voids.
A dense mastic concept (Figure 3d) where the aggregates "swim" within the
bituminous matrix and the load is primarily carried by the mastic and to a minor
extend by the stones. Dense mastic has a comparatively high binder content (up to
8.5 Mass%) and virtually no air voids. Due to the fact that the behavior of this type
of materials approaches a frozen liquid, failure occurs again in a shear pattern
a) b)
c)
d)
Figure 3 Idealized structural models of asphalt pavement types with failure lines: a)
porous asphalt (gap graded), b) stone mastic (gap graded), c) asphalt concrete
(dense graded), d) mastic asphalt = gussasphalt (dense graded)
2.2.2 Special Considerations on Porous Asphalt. In case of porous asphalt with its
high air void content (Figure 3a), the coating of the stones and the binder joints between
the aggregates are extremely important. Coating of the stones with a thick binder film is
necessary not only to reduce the effect of oxidative aging and deterioration of the binder
due to permanent airflow in the pores but also to provide sufficient long-term protection of
the stones and the binder-stone adhesion interface from water and chemical agents. From
the simplified model in Figure 3a follows that the binder joints do not take significant
share of the load. However, they fulfill the important task of keeping the stones in place
and taking the movements in the joints. Note, that in close vicinity of the contact points of
the stones the binder films become thinner and thinner, which means that in these
locations, even extremely small joint movements can produce locally high strains. The
requirement to produce porous asphalt with a thick binder film and a high air void content
has the disadvantage that there is a danger of binder drainage in these pavements during
construction and later during summer under traffic conditions. To prevent this, binder
contains organic or inorganic filler, fibers and/or polymer modified binder where the
bitumen is trapped within a network of polymeric macromolecules (Figure 2).
3 FIELDS OF NANO-ACTIVITIES
3.1 General Overview
Generally, it can be assumed that nano-science and -technology have a great potential to
advance asphalt pavement technology in the field of
materials design (development and optimization)
materials manufacturing (nano-technological production) and pavement
construction
materials properties (multifunctionality and sustainability)
materials testing and pavement monitoring with sensors
chemo-physical modeling of the material behavior down to a nano-scale
A schematic overview on focus areas where nano-science and -technology could
improve asphalt pavement technology is given in Figure 4. In addition, Table 2
summarizes the general goals and topics for improvements in asphalt pavement technology
by research on a nano-scale. It is clear that it will be very difficult if not impossible to
satisfy all these partly contradictory requirements. On the other hand, it is also clear that
the direction of research will certainly have to concentrate on optimizing the materials
accordingly in order meet as many of these requirements as possible.
a)
b)
c)
d)
e)
f)
g)
Roller
Stone
Mastix
Crack
Surface
Pore
Layer-Interface
h)
Figure 4 Schema to visualize focus areas for nano-science and technology with respect
to asphalt pavement structures:
a) Bond between stones (shear and tension)
b) Mastic (stiffening, cohesion, durability, compaction improvers,..)
c) Bond between layers (tack coats)
d) Self-repair (healing) and rejuvenating agents
e) Oxidation of binder films and binder inhomogeneities
f) Surface properties (friction, optical properties, water repellent, abrasion
resistant, self-cleaning), sealcoats for surface protection
g) Anti-adhesion surface for rollers during compaction
h) Bond, adhesion between stone and mastic
Table 2 General goals and research topics for improvements in asphalt pavement
technology by research on a nano-scale
Planning Beneficial for user and environment
Affordable
Available in large quantities at any place
Construction Low energy consumption (cold/hot production process)
Fast and easy to handle (compaction improving agents,
homogeneous material )
All-weather construction during summer and winter (heat, rain,
frost, snow) and error tolerant
Instant opening to traffic possible
Non-toxic, harmless to environment and human health
Use Safety (non-hazardous, driving safety)
Mechanical resistance (crack, rutting, wearing)
Durable (no maintenance)
Multifunctional (load carrying function, noise reduction, visibility
function, self-deicing, self-cleaning, traffic diagnosis and
monitoring function, energy production function)
Repair/Replacement Easy to repair
Smart material (distress sensoring and self-healing structures)
Sustainable (reversible and repeatable transformation of
resources)
3.2 Materials Design
3.2.1 General Considerations. Material design based on nano-scale considerations
is a typical nano-scientific task, which requires fundamental research in terms of both
experimental materials development and theoretical modeling. This research should deal
with the optimization of existing asphalt pavement concepts as well as the development of
innovative types of bituminous pavement materials.
However, due to the fact that road pavements are mass products, which require mega-
quantities of asphalt material spread over many thousands of kilometers all over the
continents, it should always be kept in mind that nano-particles for pavement materials
must be non-hazardous low-cost products, which are easy to handle and available in high
quantities at almost any place in the world (Table 2). They should also fulfill ecological
requirements such as low energy consumption and environmental compatibility, i.e.
without producing linear landfills. Furthermore, of course, they should improve long-term
performance and functional properties of the materials in a significant way without
reducing the clear advantages of existing asphalt pavement materials, which are generally
recyclable and easy to repair. This is a very positive factor in terms of sustainability, i.e.
the use of materials by reversible and repeatable transformation and not by irreversible
consumption of resources. Hence, nano-technological concepts should never interfere with
this important benefit.
3.2.2 Nano-Filler. Mineralic filler particles are particles smaller than 0.09mm.
With simple methods, like sedimentation or washing method, the grain distribution of filler
between 1m up to 0,09mm can be determined on a routine basis. Other methods, like
laser granulometry, allow detecting particle sizes distributions down to only a few nano-
meters, but are not commonly used in asphalt technology.
It is well known that the influence of filler particles on the binder increases with
decreasing size of the filler particles. However, in the Swiss Standards SN7670135 only
rough instructions are given on the dosage such as the acceptable content of filler
< 0.02 mm (2560 Mass-%) and < 0.005 mm (10...25 Mass-%). This demonstrates that
the influence of the particle size distribution of fillers is given only little attention, in
common practice, so far, in spite of the fact that there are considerable differences in the
particle size distribution of different fillers. This is shown in Figure 5 taken from an
ongoing research
4
at EMPA.
The investigation of filler on a phenomenological basis has been a focus of
researchers for many years
5
. However, the influence and mechanisms of fine filler particles
on the material behavior of asphalt are still not well understood and further research on a
micro- and nano-scale needs to be conducted. This research should also deal with the
following questions: Can bitumen be improved by adding organic or inorganic nano-filler
and how should this nano-filler be produced, processed and tested? What are the best
methods to determine the particle size distribution below 1000 nm?
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
100
1000 10000 100000
Particle Size [nm]
P
a
s
s
i
n
g

[
M
a
s
s
-
%
]
Filler 1
Filler 3
Filler 5
Filler 6
Filler 8
Figure 5 Particle size distribution of five different mineral fillers obtained by laser
granulometry (only part of the gradation obtained by this method is shown)
3.2.3 Experience with Tar. Tar is a highly cancerogenous material and is therefore
no longer used in modern asphalt pavement technologies. However, from old pavements
with tar bitumen, we learn that those pavements showed in many cases extremely good
performance and were in some cases even superior to pavements produced exclusively
with bituminous binders. One difference between bitumen and tar is the fact, that tar
contains up to 5 Mass% fine particles, which are not soluble in toluene. These particles can
behave like special filler. For tar a much smoother transition between binder and filler can
be observed than for bitumen where a gap in the very fine particle size exists.
3.2.4 Natural Asphalt. In Switzerland, natural asphalt, like Trinidad lake asphalt
often combined with cellulose fibers, is used for pavements in order to increase rut
resistance or to produce thick binder films in case of porous asphalt. The effect is again of
micro- and nano-technological nature but not well understood
3.2.5 Polymer Bitumen. The distribution of polymers within the polymer bitumen
binder is of significant importance. This distribution is characterized with fluorescence
microscopy in the m-range. It is observed that some polymer bitumen binders show a
homogeneous polymer distribution that raises the question if this is also the case in the
nm-range.
SBS block copolymers are composed of three blocks (polystyrene, polybutadiene and
polystyrene) and have proven superior to other polymers for bitumen modification. The
reason for this observation is not well understood to this day. The resistance to high
temperatures SBS, on the other hand, is less advantageous. An improved understanding of
the distribution and interaction of SBS with bitumen on a nano-scale range could possibly
be beneficial to develop even better performing and temperature resistant polymer bitumen
binders.
3.3 Materials Manufacturing and Pavement Construction
3.3.1 Energy Consumption during Construction. Energy consumption during hot
mix asphalt paving is one major concern nowadays for ecological and economical reasons,
in particular in heavily populated urban areas. It may also become a quality issue when the
hot mix cannot be delivered just in time to the construction site due to congestions and
traffic problems.
Here, emulsions for "cold" production processes should be promoted and further
developed by research on a micro- and nano-scale, i.e. by introducing innovative
technologies like the use of reactive nano-ceramics. Such efforts could also lead to new
approaches, which allow all-weather installation of asphalt pavements or instant opening to
traffic.
Nano-scientific research could also help to reduce heat energy consumption during
paving and to increase the placing efficiency and workability by developing special micro-
bubbles or other particles, which produce a compaction improving effect (similar to self-
compaction for concrete) or reduce the viscosity of the binder temporarily in order to
increase the depth effect of the compactors thus allowing for higher layer thickness per
work cycle.
3.3.2 Anti-adhesive Surfaces for Rollers and Mixers. In addition to construction
related improvements of pavement materials, nano-science and -technology could also help
to develop special bitumen-repellent nano-coatings for the inner surfaces of mixers and for
drums of steel rollers in order to prevent bituminous material from sticking to the working
tools and to avoid the use of water during the compaction process of hot mixes. These
special surfaces should be not only bitumen-repellent but also mechanically hard and wear-
resistant. The benefit would be twofold, as it would increase both the efficiency in the
construction process and the quality of the hot mix asphalt pavement by excluding the
possibility that roller water could penetrate into the mix causing damage.
3.4 Material Properties
With respect to materials properties (multifunctionality and sustainability) nano- science
and -technology could contribute not only by improving the load carrying function and
durability by introducing special nano-designed binders, additives or particles, as
mentioned above, but also by adding nano-components to improve multifunctionality of
pavements with respect to noise reduction, increase of safety (visibility of pavements
surface during the night and in tunnels, environmentally friendly self-deicing and self-
cleaning concepts, pavement surfaces with display function for remote controlled active
markers), traffic sensitive smart pavements with sensor properties for distress diagnosis
and traffic monitoring purposes. Another issue in this context is the development of new
pavement materials with self-healing properties.
3.5 Material Testing
3.5.1 General Considerations. Materials testing and pavement monitoring
addresses the experimental tools which have to be adopted or developed in order to
improve the understanding of the materials properties on a nano-scale. This is true in
particular with respect to the investigation of adhesion properties in the binder/stone
interface and of nano-mechanical effects of filler as well as the study and modeling of the
properties of binder films.
3.5.2 Measuring Binder Properties on a Micro- and Nano-Scale. There is an
ongoing discussion if the mechanical binder properties such as viscosity are size
dependent. Measurements with sliding plate viscometers suggest that very thin layers have
a remarkably higher viscosity than thick layers. Measurements on mixes of binders and
fillers support that idea
5
. Viscosity in such systems is sharply dropping under a significant
loading. Such a drop is hard to explain by classical models (e.g. heating up by the test) but
could be explained by a model on a micro- and nano-scale. One could imagine that a
rearrangement of the particles in such mixes takes place by producing larger gaps (by
making others smaller). This would lead to a substantial local decrease in viscosity. Since
the contribution of these larger gaps to the total deformation is important, a lower apparent
viscosity would result.
However, validating this model is difficult since the measurement of the size in very
small gaps is hard to achieve with known viscometers (and even the preparation of samples
with a uniform gap). A completely new test set-up designed on a micro-scale (most
probably based on piezoelectric principles) could overcome such problems. In addition,
working with very small sample would allow to observe aging phenomena directly, not
disturbed by any diffusion effects.
On the one hand, such a research could lead to new fields. On the other hand, it is
clearly of practical relevance due to the fact that the thickness of binder films between the
mineral particles in a pavement is mostly in the order of a micrometer or even below.
Such devices are certainly not necessarily restricted to pure binders. In addition, one
could think of measuring properties of mixes of fillers and binders. The behavior of theses
materials deviates fundamentally from pure binders, and can be seen as the first step from
the pure binder towards the composite material asphalt.
3.5.3 Single Plate Approach. Probably the simplest possible device consists of a
piezoelectric crystal plate on which a defined binder layer has to be applied. Using the
crystal as actuator and measuring the response would lead to conclusion on the mechanical
properties of the binder.
The advantages of this approach read as follows:
Comparatively simple sample preparation
Binder in full contact with the environment, reaction to influences can be studied
very quickly.
Ideal to investigate aging, water sensitivity and the influence of chemical agents
The disadvantages are:
Requires a complicated numerical model
Risk of lack in precision of the knowledge of the binder's shape
Results are influenced by environment
Sample may change during test.
Hence, the single plate approach can be expected to be very useful for studying
environmental and other influences on the binder. It appears ideal for measuring the
change in properties with time but is probably not appropriate for high precision
measurements.
3.5.4 Single Plate Approach with Protective Measures. A protective coverage
applied after sample preparation could be used to allow only for the desirable
environmental contact of the approach above. It has to be said, however, that this would
lead to a series of other problems:
Interaction of coverage and binder
Contribution of the coverage to the mechanical behavior of the test set-up
Tailoring of the coverage, e.g. to allow oxidation but to avoid distillative losses
This approach could be useful for the study of very specific interactions with the
environment and for the investigation of time dependence excluding undesirable influences
for the environment. Again, this approach appears not appropriate for high precision
measurements.
3.5.5 Dual Plate Approach. The binder is squeezed between two plates. One might
be used as actuator, the other as response unit. There is still the problem of measuring the
gap accurately and the mechanical model might still be rather sophisticated. However, the
stability of the set-up can be expected to be much better than in the cases discussed above.
The advantages of this approach are
Comparatively simple sample preparation may be achieved
Reasonably accurate knowledge of the test geometry is possible
Interaction with the environment is controlled
However, there are also some disadvantages
Need for a complicated numerical model
Most complicated devices
Limited interaction with the environment
This approach looks promising for reasonably accurate measuring in realistic
dimensions (film thickness), allowing the study of binders over time without much
interaction with the environment.
3.5.6 Torsional Dynamic Resonance Rheometer. Recently EMPA has presented a
new High-Frequency Torsional resonance Rheometer (HFTR) developed at ETH Zurich
6,7
.
The rheometer basically consists of a rod which is embedded or dipped in the binder
sample and vibrates in the kHz range. This rod interacts with the viscoelastic medium by
changing both its resonance frequency and its damping characteristics.
The HFTR appears to be a promising tool for continuous characterization of the
mechanical effects due to environmental contact of the surface film of the bitumen sample.
However, as this approach is actually not working in a micro- and nano-scale range yet,
there is still some additional development of instrumentation to be done, e.g. by reducing
the geometry of the device down to a size which is appropriate for micro- and nano-scale
investigations. In addition, this approach requires improved modeling and an extensive
study of the binder film parameters (geometry, skin effect) influencing the measurement
data.
3.6 Modeling of the Material Behavior
The mechanical behavior of asphalt is a result of the interaction between its different
components. Micro- and nano-mechanical modeling may lead to an improved
understanding of the mechanisms of interaction between the stone skeleton and the
bituminous mastic. Advanced modeling may be very useful to explain the influence of
different aggregate grading curves, anisotropy effects, local stress and strain redistribution
during loading as well as crack-formation and -propagation phenomena. However, in order
to understand local stone/mastic adhesion phenomena and the effect of thin binder films or
binder inhomogeneities (e.g. from oxidation) as well as the influence of nano-particles like
filler, fibers and macromolecules, nano-mechanical models have to be developed. These
models should also focus on damage and aging mechanisms.
The nano-mechanical effects of polymers within the binder are still not sufficiently
understood. It appears, that, nowadays, the pragmatic try and error approach is still the
most common way of research, whereas the nano-mechanical asphalt design is only in a
very early stage of development.
4 CONCLUSIONS
Nano-science and -technology may lead to significant improvements and further
development in asphalt pavement technology and help to find answers to many questions
of the material behavior, which are not well understood, so far. In particular, progress
appears possible in the field of materials design, testing, modeling and manufacturing as
well as pavement construction and sensoring. First examples are encouraging but mostly
achieved more through empirical trial and error procedures than through systematic
research on a nano-scale. In terms of testing on a micro- and nano- scale, new methods and
devices need to be developed and implemented based on experience with existing testing
devices, e.g. by down-scaling those devices to micro- or nano-size.
Some ideas and suggestions outlined in this paper may seem a bit futuristic and some
nano-related questions may still remain unanswered for quite a period of time. Research on
a micro-scale has already started and needs to be intensified significantly whereas research
on a nano-scale is still at the very beginning of being established for this important type of
building materials. However, regardless of the promising prospects of this fascinating field
of research, it has to be kept in mind that in spite of finding solutions by focusing on a
nano-scale, these solutions, in the end, will have to be applied for mega-quantities of
asphalt pavement materials.
References
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