Relating Asphalt Mixture Performance to Asphalt Mastic Rheology

In this study, usual asphalt mixtures are tested using known and established performance testing methods. In a second step, the asphalt mastics (mastic considered as composite of asphalt binder and aggregate filler) that correspond to the asphalt mixtures are investigated with regard to their rheological properties. All asphalt mixtures and corresponding asphalt mastics are subjected to (i) creep tests in the high temperature range, (ii) fatigue tests in the intermediate temperature range, and (iii) relaxation tests in the low temperature range. Hence, test results are obtained on both scales, the asphalt mixture scale and the corresponding asphalt mastic scale. At the mastic scale, a new set of rheological tests is composed. This set covers the full temperature range, but all results are obtained from the same Dynamic Shear Rheometer (DSR). In the last step, data from both scales are correlated, and finally, sound regressions are identified between asphalt mixture performance parameters and asphalt mastic rheological parameters. It is concluded, that the identified set of rheological tests at the asphalt mastic scale provides a rapid and significant estimate of asphalt mixture performance.