Influence Analysis and Optimization for Aggregate Morphological Characteristics on High- and Low-Temperature Viscoelasticity of Asphalt Mixtures

Aggregate is an indispensable raw material for asphalt pavement construction. This study evaluates the influences of aggregate morphological characteristics on the high- and low-temperature viscoelasticity of asphalt mixtures. Based on simplex lattice mixture design (SLD), asphalt mix samples were designed and prepared with the same gradation but three different types of aggregates. Subsequently, three morphological characteristics of aggregate (roundness, perimeter index, and erosion-dilation area ratio) are presented to characterize fine and coarse aggregates. Then based on Burgers viscoelastic model, uniaxial compression static creep test was carried out to analyze the high-temperature viscoelastic properties for asphalt mortar and mixture. Meanwhile fitting Prony series models have been utilized to represent relaxation modulus conversed from creep compliance and the low-temperature relaxation characteristics can be also discussed. The experimental results indicated that morphological characteristics of aggregate, especially fine aggregates, are strongly correlated with the viscoelastic parameters of asphalt mixtures. However, the complex morphological characteristics of aggregates have opposite influences on the high- and low-temperature viscoelastic parameters. Therefore, when considering both high- and low-temperature viscoelastic properties, the aggregate proportion was optimized for the appropriate morphological characteristics, which will provide a reference for asphalt mixture design.