The Impact of Batu Bahat Soft Clay on the Properties of Modified Asphalt Binders

The Impact of Batu Bahat Soft Clay on the Properties of Modified Asphalt Binders | Research Square window.SnipcartSettings = { analytics: { enabled: false } }; (function() { var accessVector = localStorage.getItem('access_vector') || ''; window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; if (accessVector) { window.dataLayer.push({ user: { profile: { profileInfo: { snid: accessVector } } } }); } })(); (function(w,d,s,l,i){w[l]=w[l]||[];w[l].push({'gtm.start':new Date().getTime(),event:'gtm.js'});var f=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],j=d.createElement(s),dl=l!='dataLayer'?'&l='+l:'';j.async=true;j.src='https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtm.js?id='+i+dl;f.parentNode.insertBefore(j,f);})(window,document,'script','dataLayer','GTM-K279D39R'); Browse Preprints In Review Journals COVID-19 Preprints AJE Video Bytes Research Tools Research Promotion AJE Professional Editing AJE Rubriq About Preprint Platform In Review Editorial Policies Our Team Advisory Board Help Center Sign In Submit a Preprint Cite Share Download PDF Research Article The Impact of Batu Bahat Soft Clay on the Properties of Modified Asphalt Binders Allam Musbah Allam, Shaban Ismael Albrka Ali, Ali Mohamed Emmaima, and 2 more This is a preprint; it has not been peer reviewed by a journal. https://doi.org/ 10.21203/rs.3.rs-4008353/v1 This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License Status: Posted Version 1 posted You are reading this latest preprint version Abstract Various materials have been employed globally to enhance road performance by modifying asphalt binders and mixtures. Polymers and nanomaterials are notable for their capacity to enhance the physical and rheological characteristics of modified asphalt cement. This research introduces a new natural modifier called Batu Pahat Soft Clay (BPSC) for asphalt cement. Various amounts of BPSC (2%, 4%, 6%, and 8% by weight of asphalt cement) were examined using conventional techniques like dynamic shear rheometer (DSR), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and surface energy tests. The results revealed substantial enhancements in physical properties, with penetration increasing by 4% and softening points decreasing by 22%. Moreover, the susceptibility of the modified binder to elevated temperatures was reduced by 10% compared to the base asphalt cements. SEM analysis confirmed uniform dispersion of BPSC particles, resulting in increased binder stiffness. The rheological properties saw remarkable improvement, particularly at temperatures of 45°C and 70°C, with enhancements of up to 142% and 99%, respectively. The ability to recover under various stress levels showcased the superior performance of the modified binder, with improvements of 90%, 76%, and 67% compared to the base asphalt cements. Batu bahat soft clay rheological properties Modified asphalt cements Dynamic shear rehometer Scanning electron microscopy Figures Figure 1 Figure 2 Figure 3 Figure 4 Figure 5 Figure 6 Figure 7 Figure 8 Figure 9 Figure 10 Figure 11 Figure 12 Figure 13 Figure 14 Figure 15 Figure 16 Figure 17 Figure 18 Figure 19 Figure 20 Figure 21 Figure 22 1. Introduction Various techniques are employed for the characteristics of asphalt cement. Road planners and researchers persistently assess the optimal pavement construction criteria, focusing on economic and safety considerations within highway development (Al Allam et al., 2015 ). Moreover, road surfaces experience consistent exposure to external pressures, encompassing thermal variations and mechanical stress induced by heavy vehicular traffic (Soltani et al., 2015 ). In alignment with this, governmental highway bodies have mandated the utilization of specific materials for constructing road pavements to guarantee satisfactory functionality (D’Angelo, 2010 ). The pivotal constituent of an asphalt mixture is asphalt cement, chosen primarily for its robustness and viscoelastic attributes, rendering it highly suitable for road surfaces (Awwad & Shbeeb, 2007 ). Researchers have focused on developing modified asphalt formulas and additive combinations that increase pavement performance by preventing rapid deterioration of pavement structures. Research has shown the efficacy of mixing modified asphalt binders with non-traditional components will be used for this purpose (Kedarisetty et al., 2016 ; Wu et al., 2021 ). Consequently, the augmentation of additives can significantly elevate the quality of asphalt cement. Hence, experts in asphalt technology are continuously exploring innovative substances to enrich the performance of asphalt cement and alleviate potential wear and tear issues (Abtahi et al., 2010 ; Lin et al., 2022 ). The process of modification involves the amalgamation of polymers with asphalt cement. This approach effectively bolsters resistance against pavement deterioration within intermediate to high-temperature ranges while maintaining a manageable viscosity during mixing (Yan et al., 2021 ; Vargas & El Hanandeh, 2021 ). More recently (Zhu (Zhu, 2015 ) has shown that combining modified asphalt cements and original binder with additive modifiers has performed well in the pavement industry for over 30 years. Similarly, the research conducted by Cong et al. highlights that polymer-modified asphalt cements have been employed in asphalt pavements for over two decades, resulting in a substantial accumulation of waste modified asphalt mixtures (Cong et al., 2015 ). Among the methods, polymer modification stands out as the most commonly utilized technique for enhancing the inherent properties of the initial binder (Zhang et al., 2016 ). Xiao et al. (2014) investigation showcases the efficacy of polymer-modified asphalt cements in mitigating a multitude of causes underlying asphalt pavement distress. Contrarily, distinct research outlines that pavements infused with polymer modification exhibit heightened resilience against cracks and permanent deformation and reduced vulnerability to aging and moisture-induced damage (Golestani et al., 2012 ). Meanwhile, according to research by (Gama et al., 2016 ), an interactive polymer composed of glycidyl methacrylate was identified as beneficial for asphalt application in hot climates due to its ability to trigger a chemical reaction with the asphalt cements. Polymers used to change asphalt are classified into thermoplastic elastomers, plastomers, and reactive polymers. Each type of polymer used in the modification process has unique effects on the properties of the resulting asphalt mixture (Polacco et al., 2004 ). Rheological studies are conducted to assess the characteristics of polymer-modified asphalt cement effectively. These studies provide valuable insights into the internal structure of the modified binder. Rheological tests involve analyzing various material properties to uncover the fundamental characteristics of the binder (Habib et al., 2011 ). Soil classification in road and railway engineering involves categorizing different soils based on their mechanical and mechanical-physical suitability for long-term performance in road pavement or railway construction (Gupta et al., 2007 ). The soil sample in this study was identified as high-plasticity clay (CH) using the unified soil classification system. It consists of approximately 62% clay, 23% silt, and 15% sand (Mousavi and Wong, 2015 ). Ghazi et al.,2022 investigated the effect of cement to asphalt (C/A) ratio on the rutting resistance of asphalt binders. They found that adding cement as an additive helps reduce pavement distress (Ghazi et al.,2022). Geothermal wells were found to accumulate damage due to well cement cycles, but the mechanical behavior of cement was accurately described by a critical-state structural model (Vincent et al., 2023 ). Another research work, an investigation of matrices and SBS, showed that adding cement improved the high-temperature performance. In contrast, the low-temperature performance was not significantly affected (Suining, Zheng et al., 2022). The main goal of this study was to investigate the physical, rheological, and chemical properties, as well as structural changes, in asphalt cement after modification using various types of BPSC. 2. Experimental process and materials 2.1 Materials The foundational asphalt cement employed was of the 80/100 grade, boasting a specific gravity of 1.03. Batu Pahat Soft Clay (BPSC) was generated as fine particles ranging from 10 µm to 14 µm in size, rendering them exceedingly suitable for incorporation into asphalt cement due to their dimensions and particle morphology. These particles manifest favorable mechanical traits and possess an ample surface area, facilitating robust interaction with the asphalt cement. The acquisition of the soft clay entailed several sequential stages. The soft clay was initially extracted from depths within 4 meters of the ground. The clay underwent desiccation in a forced-draft oven at 155°C to expel moisture. Subsequent steps encompassed compaction and sieving to achieve a particle size of 0.075 mm. The resultant BPSC was then integrated as filler at varying proportions (2%, 4%, 6%, and 8%). A visual representation of the equipment employed in BPSC production is depicted in Fig. 1 , while Table 1 presents the asphalt cement's characteristics, and Table 2 provides insight into BPSC's properties. Table 1 The properties of 80/100 grade asphalt cements Characteristics Test Method Requirement Penetration at 25°C, 100 g 5 sec, 0.1 mm ASTM D5 80–100 Softening Point °C ASTM D36 45–52 Ductility at 25°C, 5 cm per min, cm ASTM D113 Min. 100 Retained penetration after thin-film oven test, % ASTM D5 Min. 47.0 Loss on heating, % wt AASHTO T240 Max. 1.00 Original G*/sin δ at 64°C @ 10 rad, kPa AASHTO TP5 Min. 1.00 RTFO G*/sin δ at 64°C @ 10 rad, kPa AASHTO TP5 Min. 2.20 Specific Gravity at 25°C ASTM D70 1.01–1.05 Table 2 Properties of Batu Pahat Soft Clay (BPSC) Parameters Results Bulk Density (Mg/m3) 1.36 Specific Gravity 2.66 Plastic Limit (%) 29.70% Liquid Limit (%) 37.55% Plasticity Index (%) 7.85% Moisture Content (%) 29.35% 2.2 Blending procedure The predetermined amount of asphalt cement was heated at 160°C for 30 minutes. Following this, the heated asphalt was introduced into a receptacle, and the blending operation was initiated using a high-shear mixer set at 155°C and 500 revolutions per minute (rpm) until the bitumen attained a state of complete homogenous liquidity. Upon achieving the desired temperature, the soft clay was introduced into the mixture, and the mixing velocity progressively increased to 3000 rpm. The amalgamation process was initiated in accordance with the durations outlined in Table 3 . Table 3 Blending binder’s protocol Asphalt Weight (g) BPSC Percentages (%) Total Weight (g) Mixing Speed (rpm) Mixing Temperature (C°) Mixing Time (min) 400 2 8.163 3000 155 1 hour 400 4 16.66 3000 155 1 hour 400 6 25.53 3000 155 1 hour 400 8 34.782 3000 155 1 hour 2.3 Storage Stability Test The evaluation of phase separation in modified asphalt cement under high temperatures was conducted using a specific method (Navarro et al., 2004 ). The process involved pouring the bitumen binder sample into a circular aluminum tube 30 mm in diameter and 300 mm in height. Foil tubes containing bitumen contents were placed directly in a rotary oven and heated for 48 h at a controlled temperature of 136°C. The samples were then cooled to ambient temperature and cut into three sections, and a softening point test was performed on both the upper and lower parts. If the variation in results was less than 2.5°C, the binder possessed excellent storage stability. Conversely, if the differences exceeded this threshold, it indicated inadequate storage stability. 2.4 Temperature susceptibility Elevated ambient temperatures influence road surfaces, yet a surge in traffic volume also affects them. Conversely, the alteration in asphalt cement rheology due to varying temperatures, termed temperature susceptibility, emerges as a pivotal characteristic. This is essential since asphalt behavior is intrinsically tied to temperature and loading rate. Consequently, two methodologies have emerged for scrutinizing the temperature sensitivity of asphalt cement: the penetration index and the pen-vis number and penetration index (PI). As delineated by (McLeod, 1976 ), the pen-vis number (PVN) serves to gauge the temperature susceptibility of asphalt cement. The computation of PVN employs the subsequent formula: $$\text{P}\text{V}\text{N}=\frac{\text{L}\text{o}\text{g} \text{L}-\text{L}\text{o}\text{g} \text{X}}{\text{l}\text{O}\text{G} \text{L}-\text{L}\text{o}\text{g} \text{M}}(-1.5)$$ 1 The penetration index (PI) calculation hinges on the outcome of the softening point test performed on the asphalt cement. This approach assumes that the penetration at the softening point corresponds to 25°C. However, it is prudent to enhance the accuracy of the index by measuring penetration at an additional temperature, not exclusively relying on this assumption. A more robust practice involves measuring penetration at two distinct temperatures, subsequently enabling the derivation of the PI. This process typically involves plotting the logarithm of penetration against the test temperature, expressed in degrees. This graphical representation generally reveals a linear relationship. The calculation of the slope of this linear relationship is achieved using the ensuing equation: $$\text{P}\text{I}=\frac{1952-500\text{log}\text{p}\text{e}\text{n}-20\text{S}.\text{P}}{50\text{log}\text{p}\text{e}\text{n}-\text{S}.\text{P}-120}$$ 2 2.5 Viscosity A viscosity test was conducted to gauge the flow properties of the asphalt cement and evaluate its quality within hot mix asphalt facilities. This test measured the viscosity at two different temperatures using a rotating viscometer, 135°C and 165°C for the compacting and mixing temperatures. The test procedure adhered to the stipulations outlined in ASTM D4402. In this process, roughly 30 g of asphalt underwent heating within an oven until reaching a sufficiently fluid state to be poured into the designated sample chamber. The asphalt quantity was adapted to the selection of the spindle size. Subsequently, the sample chamber was positioned within a thermos container. Following a 30-minute stabilization period, a spindle was brought down inside the chamber to permit viscosity measurements. 2.6 Dynamic Shear Rheometer (DSR) A dynamic shear rheometer was employed in accordance with AASHTO T315 to understand how asphalt cement reacts under different temperature applications. The complex shear modulus (G*) was evaluated, which evaluates the sample's capacity to tolerate permanent deformation following consecutive shearing. Furthermore, the phase angle (δ) also shows the time lag between the applied shear force and the resulting shear strain. The dynamic shear test was executed under diverse conditions, encompassing temperature-dependent frequency sweeps spanning from 0.1 to 15 Hz. This was conducted over a temperature spectrum spanning from 30 to 70°C. In addition, multiple creep and recovery tests were carried out at 64°C. These tests incorporated ten cycles and involved two distinct stress levels: 1 and 3.2 kPa. 2.7 Fourier Transforms Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) The FTIR was conducted to evaluate the functional attributes of the binder, both prior to and post-aging (Xiaohu & Isacsson, 2002 ). This testing methodology was also executed to scrutinize the chemical attributes of the modified asphalt cements (Wei et al., 2014 ). 2 .8 Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM ) The SEM was employed to scrutinize the distribution of particles and changes in the microstructure of the initial asphalt samples subsequent to modification. The SEM setup comprises two fundamental elements: the electronic console and the electron column. 3. Results discussion 3.1 Point of homogeneity The purpose of the test was twofold: first, to achieve consistent and uniform amalgamation after incorporating BPSC particles into the asphalt matrix and mixing them for 120 minutes, and second, to identify the optimal mixing time. The softening point experiment ascertained the homogeneity point and mixing duration for all blends. To assess the modification process, a softening point test was performed by sampling every 20 min, as shown in Fig. 2 . The graph shows that the softening point exhibited a slight increase up to the 60-minute mark and, thereafter, was slightly decreased as the mixing time progressed. Although the change in soft point value seems small, a slight increase is obtained at the 60-minute mark, so it was decided that this was the best time to mix modified asphalt cement. 3.2 Penetration The penetration test is one of the earliest empirical methods employed to gauge the consistency of asphalt cement. Illustrated in Fig. 3 are the experimental penetration values at a temperature of 25°C. A noticeable trend emerges, wherein all modified asphalt cement samples exhibit penetration values lower than the base samples. This phenomenon can be attributed to the enhancement of asphalt cement stiffness, resulting in a notable increase of 5.68%. 3.3 Ductility Displayed in Fig. 4 are the outcomes of the ductility test across varying proportions of BPSC. A discernible pattern emerges, showcasing a decline in ductility values as the concentration of BPSC particles within the asphalt cement matrix increases. This phenomenon can be attributed to the heightened specific surface area inherent to BPSC particles, contributing to increased asphalt absorption. Consequently, this observed trend is likely a consequence of the augmented hardness witnessed in the modified samples, a trend that aligns with the outcomes of the penetration test. 3.4 Loss on heating test This particular test method served as a valuable means of discerning the attributes of specific petroleum products by assessing their mass loss when subjected to standardized heating conditions (AASHTO, 2009 ). However, certain asphalt cements with intricate flow properties may limit the effectiveness of the test. This limitation predominantly stems from the reliance on traditional Rolling Thin Film Oven (RTFO) bottles on the gravity-induced flow of the binder as the bottle rotates. Presented in Fig. 5 are the outcomes of the loss on the heating test for both the base and modified samples incorporating BPSC. A key observation is that all losses on heating values remain below 1.0%, meeting the requirements for asphalt cement properties. Furthermore, the lower loss values indicate the superior performance of the asphalt cement. In this context, the sample containing 4% BPSC displays the lowest loss value, whereas the base asphalt (0%) exhibits the highest loss rate among the various blends. 3.5 Storage Stability The acceptability of storage stability at elevated temperatures was established when the softening point test revealed a disparity of 2.5°C or less between the upper and lower segments of the sample. As depicted in Fig. 6 , the results of the storage stability test were documented for both the base and the BPSC-modified binder. It is readily apparent that all samples present storage stability values falling below the 2.5°C threshold. This observation underscores the favourable compatibility of the modifier with asphalt cement and its capacity to endure elevated temperatures during storage. 3.6 Viscosity Viscosity is a crucial metric for evaluating the flow characteristics of asphalt cement, ensuring its suitability within the mixing process. Furthermore, it assists in determining the appropriate values for mixing and compacting temperature of asphalt mixes, with established reference values of 0.17–0.20 Pa/s and 0.28 − 0.03 Pa/s assigned for these temperatures. Illustrated in Fig. 7 are the experimental findings about the viscosity of asphalt cement subjected to various percentages of BPSC modification. These results distinctly reveal a reduction in viscosity as temperature increases, consequently augmenting the flow characteristics within the asphalt mixture and mitigating stress. Therefore, high viscosity aligns with elevated mixing and compaction temperatures. Notably, the base asphalt cement demonstrates the lowest viscosity value among the blends, whereas the 8% BPSC blend showcases the highest viscosity. In a related context (Djurekovic and Mladenovic, 2015 ) have found that adding fly ash to asphalt cement can increase viscosity. 3.6 Temperature susceptibility The variation in the consistency characteristic of asphalt cement caused by temperature fluctuations is referred to as temperature susceptibility. As a result, increased binder hardness leads to increased penetration index (PI) values, which improves the modified asphalt cement's temperature susceptibility. Figure 8 depicts the PI and PVN results for the base and BPSC-modified asphalt cements. The results show that all changed samples have lower PI and PVN values than the base binder. This pattern indicates an improvement in the modified binder's temperature susceptibility, emphasizing its increased resilience to temperature changes. 3.7 Scanning Electron microscope 3.7.1 Standard less quantitative elements analysis Energy Dispersive Spectroscopy (EDS) stands as a prevalent technique for elemental analysis, encompassing the determination of carbon, hydrogen, and nitrogen percentages within organic compounds such as asphalt. Illustrated in Fig. 9 is an electron image of the base binder. This analysis of element percentages is pivotal in discerning the structure and purity of synthesized compounds. Moreover, utilizing ZAF elemental analysis enabled the identification of the principal elements present within the asphalt cement. As per the analysis findings, carbon (C) constitutes a significant portion, accounting for approximately 92.42% of the binder, while the sulfur content is about 4.84%. This elevated carbon content underscores its prominent role as the primary constituent within the binder's composition. Figure 10 visually depicts soft clay particles' distribution and size spectrum, spanning 9.49 to 14 µm diameters. Moreover, the observation indicates that the modifier particles (BPSC) were consistently dispersed within the binder matrix. This uniform distribution is often indicative of enhanced asphalt cement performance. Furthermore, implementing BPSC particles, which have a large surface area, improves the bonding between the asphalt cement and the modifier particles, improving performance in general. 3.8 Surface energy of asphalt cements Figure 11 furnishes the findings concerning surface energy in relation to distinct BPSC contents. The graph demonstrates a progressive decline in surface energy values as BPSC proportions increase. The pace of surface energy value augmentation for the base sample exceeded that observed in the 2%, 4%, 6%, and 8% BPSC-modified asphalt cement samples. Noteworthy are the surface energy values tied to the 4% BPSC content, which diminished by approximately 23.32%, and the 6% BPSC content, which exhibited a reduction of around 25.32% relative to the base binder. Notably, the 8% BPSC content exhibited slightly distinct behavior, with the value experiencing a minor increase while remaining lower than the base asphalt sample. These outcomes signify that incorporating BPSC substantially augments bonding capability and enrobes the aggregate with asphalt cement, surpassing the attributes of the base mix. Corroborating research has proposed that surface free energy values can serve as a gauge to evaluate the compatibility between aggregate and binder concerning moisture damage (Al-Qadi et al., 2014 ). 3.9 Fourier transforms infrared spectroscopy. This research encompassed Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) tests to scrutinize the variations in the attributes of asphalt cement and alterations in its chemical structure. It is worth noting that heightened oxidation has been documented to curtail the service life of road pavements. Figure 12 visualizes the FTIR spectra of both the base and BPSC-modified binders. Upon examination of the figure, it becomes apparent that the absorption peaks within the 2500–3300 region correspond to O–H stretching vibrations, signifying the presence of carboxylic acid with pronounced intensity. The peak at 1606 represents C-C stretching and implies conjugation within the sample. Furthermore, the absorption peak values at 2923 and 2852 align with C-H stretching in alkane. Conversely, an observation of the stretching vibration of C-C in the aromatic ring is noted at 1606. Robust peaks at 1456 and 1376 signify the bending of C-H, suggesting the presence of functional groups -CH2 and -C-CH3, respectively. Beyond this, the ratios spanning 1695 to 1455 were harnessed as an indicator to assess the relative oxidation between the base and BPSC-modified asphalt cements. Moreover, minute peaks localized within the 675–900 region provided evidence of C–H vibrations stemming from the benzene ring. Notably, an analysis of the FTIR spectrum of the BPSC-modified asphalt cement did not unveil any substantial new alterations, except a modest peak noted at 721. Incorporating BPSC, which houses carbonyl functional groups, contributed to an elevated degree of oxidation within the asphalt cement mixture. Hence, it is reasonable to anticipate that as BPSC content escalates, the proportion of carbonyls within the asphalt cement will concurrently rise. 3.11 Rheological properties of asphalt cements 3.11. 1 Isochronal plot of complex modulus (10 rad/s) The complex modulus (G*) produced from a frequency sweep test performed at varied temperatures and sustained at a frequency of 10 rads/s was used to create an isochronal graphic. Figure 13 depicts these findings graphically. Notably, every BPSC-modified asphalt cement demonstrated an increase in G* values. Compared to the modified binders using BPSC, the base binder had the lowest value. Among the BPSC-modified binders, the 4% BPSC binder showed the most significant increase in G*, followed by the 6% and 8% counterparts. This trend significantly improves temperature susceptibility compared to the examined asphalt cements. Furthermore, independent of modifier content, the G* value decreased significantly as the test temperature increased. This decrease in sample stiffness emphasizes that temperature significantly impacts asphalt cement properties. 3.11.2 Isochronal plot of Phase angle (δ) Figure 14 showcases the outcomes of phase angles for unaged samples plotted across different temperatures. In direct comparison with the BPSC-modified binder, the base binders manifest higher phase angle values at distinct temperatures: 46°C (85.63), 52°C (87.23), 58°C (88.97), 64°C (90.13), and 70°C (91.39). Conversely, the BPSC-modified binder displays reduced viscosity and elasticity. Remarkably, irrespective of the test temperatures, the 4% BPSC binder outshines other modified binders regarding asphalt cement attributes. 3.11.3 Fail Temperatures The fail temperature of asphalt cement is the temperature at which the G*/sin ratio falls below 1.0 kPa, commonly used to compute the binder's performance grade (PG). Figure 15 shows the failure temperature values for the basic and modified binders. According to the graph, the failure temperature values for the basic sample and the BPSC-modified asphalt cement are over 64°C but below 70°C. The failure temperature of the basic sample is around 64°C, whereas the failure values of the 2%, 4%, 6%, and 8% BPSC-modified binders are around 66°C, 70°C, 68°C, and 67°C, respectively. The inclusion of BPSC has a considerable influence on increasing the failure temperature and, as a result, the binder's failure. 3.11.4 Master Curve The construction of the master curve plot involves selecting a reference temperature and laterally shifting all other temperature data until the curves align, culminating in a unified, smooth master curve at the chosen reference temperature. The master curves for the blends were produced in the overall framework of this investigation using a reference temperature (T ref ) of 40°C, and the shifting factors were estimated using a numerical technique. Figure 17 visually presents the master curve for the unaged binder. All the modified binders showcase considerable increments in stiffness relative to the base asphalt cement. Heightened master curves signify superior asphalt cement performance regarding withstanding permanent deformation, whereas diminished curves denote a lower resilience to permanent deformation. The 4% BPSC-modified binder emerges with the most pronounced enhancement among the various blends. Similarly, in the study by (Djurekovic and Mladenovic, 2015 ), the exploration of fly ash as a filler in asphalt cement was conducted to augment resistance to rutting under load from hydrodynamic interaction. 3.11.5 Rutting parameter performance Rutting poses a significant challenge to the performance of asphalt pavements, particularly in regions with high temperatures. The parameter G*/sin has been employed to characterize the resistance of unaged samples to rutting at elevated temperatures spanning 46°C, 52°C, 58°C, 64°C, and 72°C. Figure 17 represents the G*/sin values for asphalt cements featuring various proportions of BPSC at 64°C. As evident from the graph, the base binder displayed the lowest G*/sin value, whereas the 4% BPSC-modified binder exhibited the highest G*/sin value across distinct temperatures: 46°C registering at 17,959.98 Pa, 52°C at 13,040.65 Pa, 58°C at 2,753.80 Pa, 64°C at 1,182.42 Pa, and 70°C at 547.58 Pa. This observation underscores that introducing BPSC particles into the asphalt cement induces shifts in its attributes and stiffness, enhancing its ability to endure permanent deformation under high temperatures. 3.11.6 Creep and Recovery Creep denotes the gradual deformation of the binder under constant stress, implying that the asphalt cement is permanently deformed (Golalipour, 2011 ). Similarly, the creep and recovery test assesses the amount of irreversible strain following the release of applied stress (Kim et al., 2011 ). The creep recovery test was performed in this study at three separate stress levels: 3 Pa, with durations of 100s and 600s for recovery; 10 Pa, with durations of 20s and 600s for recovery; and 50 Pa, with durations of 1s and 300s for recovery. These stress levels correspond to light, moderate, and high-stress conditions akin to those experienced by asphalt pavements due to traffic load. The test was performed at a temperature of 60°C. Figure 18 depicts the compliance creep and recovery values for samples subjected to a stress level of 3 Pa. The figure shows that the inclusion of 4% BPSC yielded the least susceptibility to permanent deformation, registering a value of 0.55 mm. This denotes a 68.39% augmentation in asphalt cement stiffness relative to the base binder. Moving on to Fig. 19 reveals the compliance creep and recovery of unaged samples subjected to a stress level of 10 Pa. Results illustrate that the incorporation of 4% BPSC led to a reduction in values of 2.32, followed by 8% at 2.94, 2% at 3.55, and finally 6% at 3.74. As anticipated, the base binder exhibited the highest value. The enhancement in rutting resistance of the asphalt cement was approximately 58.57% in contrast to the base asphalt (control sample). Figure 20 showcases the compliance creep and recovery values of unaged samples at a stress level of 50 Pa. Findings suggest that adding BPSC to asphalt cement marginally lowered the modified binder's creep, with the most notable reduction in the 4% BPSC content, indicating a decline of 60.65% compared to the base sample. (Kataware and Singh, 2015 ) Briefly outlined that non-recoverable creep compliance (Jnr) escalates as stress levels increase for asphalt cement, rendering it more rig. 3.11.7 Multiple stress creep recovery (MSCR) The MSCR test is a method that involves applying high levels of stress and strain to asphalt binder. This test aims to replicate real-world pavement conditions more accurately and account for any delays in elastic recovery. During each test cycle, the asphalt cement experiences peak strain recovery and undergoes shear stress. The peak strain is subtracted from the final strain to calculate the elastic recovery ratio, and the result is divided by the peak strain (Nuñez et al., 2014 ). The MSCR test in this investigation was performed at 64°C using the same dynamic shear rheometer device. Test specimens with a diameter of 25 mm and a gap height of 1 mm were exposed to controlled loading and unloading conditions after a one-second creep phase and a nine-second recovery period. Ten creep and recovery cycles were performed, with stress levels ranging from 100 to 3200 Pa, and materials utilized in the experiment were unaged samples. Figure 21 illustrates the findings of a MSCR test performed on unaged binders at 100 Pa of stress. The modified asphalt cement with a 4% BPSC concentration exhibited the lowest compliance value of 4.26 mm, while the base asphalt cement demonstrated the highest value of 9.49 mm. Additionally, including BPSC led to a 2.23% reduction in permanent deformation compared to the original asphalt cement. Figure 22 demonstrates the MSCR values of an unaged binder at 3200 Pa stress. The graph shows that the basic binder sample had the maximum compliance value of 381.36 mm, whereas the binder modified with 4% BPSC had a much lower value of 190.41 mm. This signifies that adding BPSC positively impacted decreasing permanent deformation under varying stress levels, resulting in a 2.01% enhancement. 4. Conclusion Asphalt properties are critical in influencing the overall performance of pavements over their operating life. Various materials have been explored as modifiers, including polymers and nanomaterials, to enhance pavement performance under diverse conditions due to their impactful effects on modified asphalt cements. In this research, using PBSC as a modifier at different concentrations relative to the asphalt cement's weight yielded significant insights. The findings demonstrated that incorporating the modifier effectively enhanced the physical attributes of the modified asphalt cements. Notably, the stiffness of the samples exhibited a noticeable increase, and an inverse correlation was observed between penetration and softening point. As penetration values rose, the corresponding softening point values decreased. The investigation further revealed the uniform dispersion of PBSC nanoparticles within the asphalt cement matrix, eliminating particle agglomeration. This consistent distribution proved instrumental in augmenting the overall performance of the modified asphalt cement. Moreover, the modified binder exhibited commendable storage stability at elevated temperatures, as the deviations recorded in the storage stability test remained within acceptable margins. The rheological properties of the modified asphalt cement were evaluated, revealing significant improvements. Compared to the base asphalt cement, the modified versions demonstrated 142% and 99% enhancements at 45°C and 70°C, respectively. Additionally, the modification process contributed to mitigating temperature susceptibility, with the failure temperature of the modified asphalt cements experiencing a rise of approximately 10% upon adding 4% PBSC. Furthermore, the modified asphalt exhibited superior recovery capabilities during surface time, particularly evident with the inclusion of 4% PBSC. The modified binder showcased a recovery rate of up to 76% and 67% at varying stress levels, underscoring its ability to recover and uphold its structural integrity when subjected to stress. Using environmentally friendly materials, such as PBSC, for asphalt modification introduces promising avenues for eco-conscious solutions that bolster asphalt cement performance and alleviate distress within asphalt pavements. The findings suggest that a modifier content of 4% PBSC can be optimal for attaining the desired enhancements in asphalt cement properties. Declarations Author Contribution Allam. Al, S.A: Conceptualization; A.E, Allam. Al: Data curation; S.A, N.K: Formal analysis; N.K, A.E : Investigation; Allam. Al, S.A, A.A: Methodology; A.E, N.K: Project administration; Allam. Al, S.A: Resources; Allam. Al, S.A: Supervision; Allam. Al, S.A, N.K, A.A: Roles/Writing – original draft; A.E, N.K, A.A: Writing – review & editing. References AASHTO, T. 2009. 240–09. Standard method to test for the effect of heat and air on a moving film of asphalt binder (rolling thin-film oven test). Standard Specifications for Transportation Materials and Methods of Sampling and Testing . Abtahi, S. M., Sheikhzadeh, M. & Hejazi, S. M. 2010. Fibre-reinforced asphalt-concrete–a review. Construction and Building Materials, 24 , 871-877. Al-Qadi, I. L., Abauwad, I. M., Dhasmana, H. & Coenen, A. R. 2014. Effects of Various Asphalt Binder Additives/Modifiers on Moisture-Susceptible Asphaltic Mixtures. Illinois Center for Transportation. Al Allam, A. M., Mohd, H. M. I. B. H., Masirin, M. E. A. & Kamaruddin, N. H. M. Influence of using Batu Pahat soft clay on the mechanical properties of hot mix asphalt mixture. Malaysian Technical Universities Conference on Engineering and Technology 2015, 2015. Al-Khateeb, G., Ghuzlan, K., Ismail, M., Shabib, A., Naeem, M. and Elbaz, Y., 2022. Rheological Properties of Cement-Modified Asphalt Binders. Frontiers in Built Environment, 8, p.937199. Awwad, M. T. & Shbeeb, L. 2007. The use of polyethylene in hot asphalt mixtures. American Journal of Applied Sciences, 4 , 390-396. Cong, P., Luo, W., Xu, P. & Zhao, H. 2015. Investigation on recycling of SBS modified asphalt binders containing fresh asphalt and rejuvenating agents. Construction and Building Materials, 91 , 225-231. D’angelo, J. 2010. New high-temperature binder specification using multistress creep and recovery. Development in Asphalt, 1. Djurekovic, A. & Mladenovic, G. 2015. The performance of bitumen mastics with the addition of fly ash. Bituminous Mixtures and Pavements VI , 115. Gama, D. A., Júnior, J. M. R., De Melo, T. J. A. & Rodrigues, J. K. G. 2016. Rheological studies of asphalt modified with elastomeric polymer. Construction and Building Materials, 106 , 290-295. Golalipour, A. 2011. Modification of multiple stress creep and recovery test procedure and usage in specification. University of Wisconsin–Madison. Golestani, B., Nejad, F. M. & Galooyak, S. S. 2012. Performance evaluation of linear and nonlinear nanocomposite modified asphalts. Construction and Building Materials, 35 , 197-203. Gupta, S., Ranaivoson, A., Edil, T., Benson, C. & Sawangsuriya, A. 2007. Pavement design using unsaturated soil technology. Habib, N. Z., Kamaruddin, I., Napiah, M. & Tan, I. M. 2011. Rheological properties of polyethylene and polypropylene modified bitumen. International Journal Civil and Environmental Engineering, 3 , 96-100. Kataware, A. V. & Singh, D. 2015. Performance of polymer and crumb rubber modified asphalt binders subjected to high stresses in multiple stress creep recovery test. Bituminous Mixtures and Pavements VI , 97. Kedarisetty, S., Biligiri, K. P. & Sousa, J. B. 2016. Advanced rheological characterization of Reacted and Activated Rubber (RAR) modified asphalt binders. Construction and Building Materials, 122 , 12-22. Kim, H., Lee, S.-J. & Amirkhanian, S. N. 2011. Rheology of warm mix asphalt binders with aged binders. Construction and Building Materials, 25 , 183-189. Lin, H., Chen, Q., Luo, X., Zhang, Y., Miao, K., Li, T. & Wang, K. 2022. Characterization of rheological properties and aging performance of bitumen modified by bio-oil from bamboo charcoal production. Journal of Cleaner Production, 338 , 130678. Mcleod, N. 1976. Asphalt cements: pen-vis number and its application to moduli of stiffness. Journal of Testing and Evaluation, 4 , 275-282. Mousavi, S. & Wong, L. S. 2015. Utilization of Brown Clay and Cement for Stabilization of Clay. Jordan Journal of Civil Engineering, 9. Navarro, F., Partal, P., Martınez-Boza, F. & Gallegos, C. 2004. Thermo-rheological behaviour and storage stability of ground tire rubber-modified bitumens. Fuel, 83 , 2041-2049. Nuñez, J. Y. M., Domingos, M. D. I. & Faxina, A. L. 2014. Susceptibility of low-density polyethylene and polyphosphoric acid-modified asphalt binders to rutting and fatigue cracking. Construction and Building Materials, 73 , 509-514. Polacco, G., Stastna, J., Biondi, D., Antonelli, F., Vlachovicova, Z. & ZanzottO, L. 2004. Rheology of asphalts modified with glycidylmethacrylate functionalized polymers. Journal of Colloid and Interface science, 280 , 366-373. Suining, Zheng., Haichen, Mi., Peng, Xu., Chongshang, Zhang. (2023). Impact of cement and filler-asphalt ratio on the properties of asphalt mortar. Vibroengineering PROCEDIA, doi: 10.21595/vp.2023.23235 SOLTANI, M., MOGHADDAM, T. B., KARIM, M. R. & BAAJ, H. 2015. Analysis of fatigue properties of unmodified and polyethylene terephthalate modified asphalt mixtures using response surface methodology. Engineering Failure Analysis, 58 , 238-248. Vargas, C. & El Hanandeh, A. 2021. Systematic literature review, meta-analysis and artificial neural network modelling of plastic waste addition to bitumen. Journal of Cleaner Production, 280 , 124369. Vincent, Soustelle., A., Moghadam., Anisa, Noor, Corina. (2023). Modified Cam-Clay Model Parameters for Well Cement. doi: 10.2118/214393-ms Wei, J., Li, Y., Dong, F., Feng, H. & Zhang, Y. 2014. Study on the amorphous poly alpha olefin (APAO) modified asphalt binders. Construction and Building Materials, 66 , 105-112. Wu, J., Liu, Q., Wang, C., Wu, W. & Han, W. 2021. Investigation of lignin as an alternative extender of bitumen for asphalt pavements. Journal of Cleaner Production, 283 , 124663. Xiaohu, L. & Isacsson, U. 2002. Effect of ageing on bitumen chemistry and rheology. Construction and Building Materials, 16 , 15-22. Yan, K., Hong, Z., You, L., Ou, J. & Miljković, M. 2021. Influence of ethylene-vinyl acetate on the performance improvements of low-density polyethylene-modified bitumen. Journal of Cleaner Production, 278 , 123865. Zhang, H.-L., SU, M.-M., Zhao, S.-F., Zhang, Y.-P. & Zhang, Z.-P. 2016. High and low temperature properties of nanoparticles/polymer modified asphalt. Construction and Building Materials, 114 , 323-332. ZHU, C. 2015. Evaluation of Thermal Oxidative Aging Effect on the Rheological Performance of Modified Asphalt Binders . University of Nevada, Reno. Additional Declarations No competing interests reported. Cite Share Download PDF Status: Posted Version 1 posted You are reading this latest preprint version Research Square lets you share your work early, gain feedback from the community, and start making changes to your manuscript prior to peer review in a journal. As a division of Research Square Company, we’re committed to making research communication faster, fairer, and more useful. We do this by developing innovative software and high quality services for the global research community. Our growing team is made up of researchers and industry professionals working together to solve the most critical problems facing scientific publishing. Also discoverable on Platform About Our Team In Review Editorial Policies Advisory Board Help Center Resources Author Services Accessibility API Access RSS feed Manage Cookie Preferences © Research Square 2026 | ISSN 2693-5015 (online) Privacy Policy Terms of Service Do Not Sell My Personal Information {"props":{"pageProps":{"initialData":{"identity":"rs-4008353","acceptedTermsAndConditions":true,"allowDirectSubmit":true,"archivedVersions":[],"articleType":"Research Article","associatedPublications":[],"authors":[{"id":277623666,"identity":"a301361b-8e88-4991-b14a-ae31ff05ec6f","order_by":0,"name":"Allam Musbah Allam","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"","correspondingAuthor":false,"submittingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Allam","middleName":"Musbah","lastName":"Allam","suffix":""},{"id":277623667,"identity":"43547b63-3f37-4146-84e7-c013672667a2","order_by":1,"name":"Shaban Ismael Albrka Ali","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"Near East University North Cyprus","correspondingAuthor":false,"submittingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Shaban","middleName":"Ismael Albrka","lastName":"Ali","suffix":""},{"id":277623668,"identity":"7eb3913e-dda5-4bc2-963f-94ce3d736025","order_by":2,"name":"Ali Mohamed Emmaima","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"Libyan Authority for Scientific Research","correspondingAuthor":false,"submittingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Ali","middleName":"Mohamed","lastName":"Emmaima","suffix":""},{"id":277623669,"identity":"c8f62222-9df5-45f4-8f87-6c9f140a99c5","order_by":3,"name":"Nasradeen Ali Khalifa","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"University Tun Hussein Onn Malaysia","correspondingAuthor":false,"submittingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Nasradeen","middleName":"Ali","lastName":"Khalifa","suffix":""},{"id":277623670,"identity":"51f39676-dc1e-4c7b-855e-f0637ac80afc","order_by":4,"name":"Abdualmtalab Abdualaziz Ali","email":"data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAZAAAAAyAQMAAABI0h/eAAAABlBMVEX///8AAABVwtN+AAAACXBIWXMAAA7EAAAOxAGVKw4bAAAAzElEQVRIiWNgGAWjYLCCBwY2EAYPA4MMcVoSDNLgWniI1MJwmAQt/O1nDD8kFJyXl5+RwPjgbRsDj8EBAlokzuQYSyQY3DZsnJHAbDiXGC0MB3IMQFoYmyUS2KR5idEif/6N8Y8Eg3P2bRIJ7L+J0mJwI8cMaMuBxB6gLcxEaTG88azMIsEgOXkGz8NmyTnnJHgkCWmRO5+8+caHP3a289uTD354U2Yjx0dICwMDhwGUwdgAJCQYFAhrYX+AypdvIKhlFIyCUTAKRhgAAK2DPex5yThmAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC","orcid":"","institution":"Azzaytuna University","correspondingAuthor":true,"submittingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Abdualmtalab","middleName":"Abdualaziz","lastName":"Ali","suffix":""}],"badges":[],"createdAt":"2024-03-03 11:04:40","currentVersionCode":1,"declarations":"","doi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-4008353/v1","doiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-4008353/v1","draftVersion":[],"editorialEvents":[],"editorialNote":"","failedWorkflow":false,"files":[{"id":52485049,"identity":"3ea77c6a-975d-4f11-bab5-df7d07e3cbbc","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2024-03-12 07:36:41","extension":"png","order_by":1,"title":"Figure 1","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"figure","size":557706,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"\u003cp\u003eEquipment for producing BPSC.\u003c/p\u003e","description":"","filename":"1.png","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-4008353/v1/cd4601d590794477eed543ad.png"},{"id":52485052,"identity":"9eadba74-9792-4b7f-957c-aebf1002f67b","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2024-03-12 07:36:41","extension":"png","order_by":2,"title":"Figure 2","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"figure","size":28508,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"\u003cp\u003eAssessment of mixing the homogeneity and mixing period\u003c/p\u003e","description":"","filename":"2.png","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-4008353/v1/05e7faa3452c3edebec1a853.png"},{"id":52485035,"identity":"0ba609b4-e2a7-405a-bf37-3566ab3a4870","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2024-03-12 07:36:40","extension":"png","order_by":3,"title":"Figure 3","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"figure","size":19198,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"\u003cp\u003ePenetrations of BPSC contents at 25°C\u003c/p\u003e","description":"","filename":"3.png","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-4008353/v1/180e3f85fa148eb603cf1a46.png"},{"id":52485020,"identity":"0bfb248e-33af-40a0-b183-11dbe608d91c","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2024-03-12 07:36:39","extension":"png","order_by":4,"title":"Figure 4","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"figure","size":16503,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"\u003cp\u003eDuctility of base and BPSC-modified asphalt cements\u003c/p\u003e","description":"","filename":"4.png","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-4008353/v1/17c374b95df9c2002fb7b09f.png"},{"id":52485018,"identity":"295ffd66-f99b-485f-b9af-5d203fdece42","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2024-03-12 07:36:37","extension":"png","order_by":5,"title":"Figure 5","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"figure","size":15804,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"\u003cp\u003eLoss on heating of base and BPSC-modified samples\u003c/p\u003e","description":"","filename":"5.png","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-4008353/v1/08e073c6ce0f57bee8559e21.png"},{"id":52485056,"identity":"02a9af5d-e240-4ec9-9d65-4687317928f2","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2024-03-12 07:36:41","extension":"png","order_by":6,"title":"Figure 6","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"figure","size":32826,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"\u003cp\u003eThe storage stability of the base and BPSC-modified asphalt cements\u003c/p\u003e","description":"","filename":"6.png","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-4008353/v1/b67ba7ad61470b591adcaee0.png"},{"id":52485054,"identity":"d15a7775-2ced-4a13-a3a2-af9cb25863e7","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2024-03-12 07:36:41","extension":"png","order_by":7,"title":"Figure 7","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"figure","size":41856,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"\u003cp\u003eThe viscosity of the base of BPSC modifier asphalt cements\u003c/p\u003e","description":"","filename":"7.png","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-4008353/v1/e5bdf892f8743febd50ef5ce.png"},{"id":52485032,"identity":"ec50c2fc-91da-40df-99e9-657411e071fa","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2024-03-12 07:36:40","extension":"png","order_by":8,"title":"Figure 8","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"figure","size":29550,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"\u003cp\u003eThe PI and PVN values for base and BPSC-modified-asphalt cements.\u003c/p\u003e","description":"","filename":"8.png","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-4008353/v1/17bcbdb6edd3ff2dfce92906.png"},{"id":52485026,"identity":"5b4d3174-66e9-4eb2-be72-55e3d7c72354","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2024-03-12 07:36:39","extension":"png","order_by":9,"title":"Figure 9","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"figure","size":403989,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"\u003cp\u003eThe images of base asphalt cement\u003c/p\u003e","description":"","filename":"9.png","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-4008353/v1/230f4e3a4d1dc07bb75c08df.png"},{"id":52485023,"identity":"13f5df3c-00d1-4b2a-81b8-82d94bb1072b","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2024-03-12 07:36:39","extension":"png","order_by":10,"title":"Figure 10","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"figure","size":545265,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"\u003cp\u003eSEM image of BPSC particle sizes in asphalt matrix\u003c/p\u003e","description":"","filename":"10.png","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-4008353/v1/a4c0150cae7004eac8507bfd.png"},{"id":52485060,"identity":"bf3d3c36-677f-4c25-b3c1-9c1ee26b8908","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2024-03-12 07:36:41","extension":"png","order_by":11,"title":"Figure 11","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"figure","size":26502,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"\u003cp\u003eThe surface energy of base and BPSC-modified asphalt cements\u003c/p\u003e","description":"","filename":"11.png","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-4008353/v1/2340a6f4d1bbcc03ab0ddcbc.png"},{"id":52485047,"identity":"a95f9847-e33a-4b95-838d-56af775b32ab","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2024-03-12 07:36:40","extension":"png","order_by":12,"title":"Figure 12","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"figure","size":182354,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"\u003cp\u003eFTIR spectra of base and BPSC-modified asphalt cement\u003c/p\u003e","description":"","filename":"12.png","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-4008353/v1/51d4265c84c04061797ca21e.png"},{"id":52485062,"identity":"e9469958-65bc-42c5-9a07-82841d47b110","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2024-03-12 07:36:42","extension":"png","order_by":13,"title":"Figure 13","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"figure","size":42410,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"\u003cp\u003eComplex modulus versus temperatures at10 rad/s\u003c/p\u003e","description":"","filename":"13.png","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-4008353/v1/a6bd6d4e465e5a4eafee8a5f.png"},{"id":52485031,"identity":"fe43a5e0-afe4-4995-b2d5-52b4e545beae","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2024-03-12 07:36:40","extension":"png","order_by":14,"title":"Figure 14","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"figure","size":56699,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"\u003cp\u003eThe isochronal plot of Phase angles (δ) against temperatures for unaged samples\u003c/p\u003e","description":"","filename":"14.png","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-4008353/v1/39d4c0271e40eade54bfeed0.png"},{"id":52485057,"identity":"2d2517bb-816c-4e62-b961-f9b98cd7fbb7","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2024-03-12 07:36:41","extension":"png","order_by":15,"title":"Figure 15","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"figure","size":19000,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"\u003cp\u003eHigh failure Temperatures of unmodified and modified asphalt cement\u003c/p\u003e","description":"","filename":"15.png","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-4008353/v1/159c65f2303acd9a5a89b3eb.png"},{"id":52485050,"identity":"ad231160-d4ff-42a7-9719-b407f52d58fe","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2024-03-12 07:36:41","extension":"png","order_by":16,"title":"Figure 16","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"figure","size":38664,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"\u003cp\u003eMaster curves of base and modified asphalt cement\u003c/p\u003e","description":"","filename":"16.png","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-4008353/v1/e4ff7b68c90996cd9e4c7aa8.png"},{"id":52485059,"identity":"cc1d72ec-8746-42ae-b293-6289cb393bbd","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2024-03-12 07:36:41","extension":"png","order_by":17,"title":"Figure 17","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"figure","size":37779,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"\u003cp\u003eRutting parameter of base and BPSC asphalt cement\u003c/p\u003e","description":"","filename":"17.png","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-4008353/v1/40f026a589e1e10980aec949.png"},{"id":52485061,"identity":"bd04eb53-a080-41a8-b4ef-69da66a8eda6","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2024-03-12 07:36:42","extension":"png","order_by":18,"title":"Figure 18","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"figure","size":56037,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"\u003cp\u003eCompliance creep and recovery of samples at 3Pa\u003c/p\u003e","description":"","filename":"18.png","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-4008353/v1/d8163b7458a460810cbe86f7.png"},{"id":52485024,"identity":"052c47da-e9f7-4442-842f-5efcc0ac8de8","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2024-03-12 07:36:39","extension":"png","order_by":19,"title":"Figure 19","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"figure","size":23002,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"\u003cp\u003eCompliance creep and recovery of samples at 10Pa\u003c/p\u003e","description":"","filename":"19.png","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-4008353/v1/efb121127d5a12cd8858f71b.png"},{"id":52485617,"identity":"320e00b3-689a-456b-8cd5-e84de3b74954","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2024-03-12 07:44:41","extension":"png","order_by":20,"title":"Figure 20","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"figure","size":20524,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"\u003cp\u003eCompliance creep and recovery of samples at 50Pa\u003c/p\u003e","description":"","filename":"20.png","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-4008353/v1/91cc2488c5b5a8a120861bdb.png"},{"id":52485030,"identity":"6c23c8d9-eb17-4270-a3a5-a1189e4c76c1","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2024-03-12 07:36:40","extension":"png","order_by":21,"title":"Figure 21","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"figure","size":33675,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"\u003cp\u003eMSCR of the samples at a stress level of 100 Pa\u003c/p\u003e","description":"","filename":"21.png","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-4008353/v1/ed8182a8f3dcbd46b339d80e.png"},{"id":52485616,"identity":"c3149263-3262-42bd-a6a4-aa51e6df943c","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2024-03-12 07:44:40","extension":"png","order_by":22,"title":"Figure 22","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"figure","size":28153,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"\u003cp\u003eMSCR of the samples at stress level 3200 Pa\u003c/p\u003e","description":"","filename":"22.png","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-4008353/v1/853869cbb1b270e1984d4681.png"},{"id":53843769,"identity":"f773681d-567e-4db7-8664-a3f941864f58","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2024-04-01 08:01:56","extension":"pdf","order_by":0,"title":"","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"manuscript-pdf","size":2478915,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"","description":"","filename":"manuscript.pdf","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-4008353/v1/a349becf-37b7-4e4b-8f26-8ff1b2d34f16.pdf"}],"financialInterests":"No competing interests reported.","formattedTitle":"The Impact of Batu Bahat Soft Clay on the Properties of Modified Asphalt Binders","fulltext":[{"header":"1. Introduction","content":"\u003cp\u003eVarious techniques are employed for the characteristics of asphalt cement. Road planners and researchers persistently assess the optimal pavement construction criteria, focusing on economic and safety considerations within highway development (Al Allam et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR4\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2015\u003c/span\u003e). Moreover, road surfaces experience consistent exposure to external pressures, encompassing thermal variations and mechanical stress induced by heavy vehicular traffic (Soltani et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR25\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2015\u003c/span\u003e). In alignment with this, governmental highway bodies have mandated the utilization of specific materials for constructing road pavements to guarantee satisfactory functionality (D\u0026rsquo;Angelo, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR8\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2010\u003c/span\u003e). The pivotal constituent of an asphalt mixture is asphalt cement, chosen primarily for its robustness and viscoelastic attributes, rendering it highly suitable for road surfaces (Awwad \u0026amp; Shbeeb, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR6\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2007\u003c/span\u003e). Researchers have focused on developing modified asphalt formulas and additive combinations that increase pavement performance by preventing rapid deterioration of pavement structures. Research has shown the efficacy of mixing modified asphalt binders with non-traditional components will be used for this purpose (Kedarisetty et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR16\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2016\u003c/span\u003e; Wu et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR29\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2021\u003c/span\u003e). Consequently, the augmentation of additives can significantly elevate the quality of asphalt cement. Hence, experts in asphalt technology are continuously exploring innovative substances to enrich the performance of asphalt cement and alleviate potential wear and tear issues (Abtahi et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR2\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2010\u003c/span\u003e; Lin et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR18\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2022\u003c/span\u003e). The process of modification involves the amalgamation of polymers with asphalt cement. This approach effectively bolsters resistance against pavement deterioration within intermediate to high-temperature ranges while maintaining a manageable viscosity during mixing (Yan et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR31\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2021\u003c/span\u003e; Vargas \u0026amp; El Hanandeh, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR26\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2021\u003c/span\u003e). More recently (Zhu (Zhu, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR33\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2015\u003c/span\u003e) has shown that combining modified asphalt cements and original binder with additive modifiers has performed well in the pavement industry for over 30 years. Similarly, the research conducted by Cong et al. highlights that polymer-modified asphalt cements have been employed in asphalt pavements for over two decades, resulting in a substantial accumulation of waste modified asphalt mixtures (Cong et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR7\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2015\u003c/span\u003e). Among the methods, polymer modification stands out as the most commonly utilized technique for enhancing the inherent properties of the initial binder (Zhang et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR32\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2016\u003c/span\u003e). Xiao et al. (2014) investigation showcases the efficacy of polymer-modified asphalt cements in mitigating a multitude of causes underlying asphalt pavement distress. Contrarily, distinct research outlines that pavements infused with polymer modification exhibit heightened resilience against cracks and permanent deformation and reduced vulnerability to aging and moisture-induced damage (Golestani et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR12\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2012\u003c/span\u003e). Meanwhile, according to research by (Gama et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR10\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2016\u003c/span\u003e), an interactive polymer composed of glycidyl methacrylate was identified as beneficial for asphalt application in hot climates due to its ability to trigger a chemical reaction with the asphalt cements. Polymers used to change asphalt are classified into thermoplastic elastomers, plastomers, and reactive polymers. Each type of polymer used in the modification process has unique effects on the properties of the resulting asphalt mixture (Polacco et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR23\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2004\u003c/span\u003e). Rheological studies are conducted to assess the characteristics of polymer-modified asphalt cement effectively. These studies provide valuable insights into the internal structure of the modified binder. Rheological tests involve analyzing various material properties to uncover the fundamental characteristics of the binder (Habib et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR14\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2011\u003c/span\u003e). Soil classification in road and railway engineering involves categorizing different soils based on their mechanical and mechanical-physical suitability for long-term performance in road pavement or railway construction (Gupta et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR13\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2007\u003c/span\u003e). The soil sample in this study was identified as high-plasticity clay (CH) using the unified soil classification system. It consists of approximately 62% clay, 23% silt, and 15% sand (Mousavi and Wong, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR20\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2015\u003c/span\u003e). Ghazi et al.,2022 investigated the effect of cement to asphalt (C/A) ratio on the rutting resistance of asphalt binders. They found that adding cement as an additive helps reduce pavement distress (Ghazi et al.,2022). Geothermal wells were found to accumulate damage due to well cement cycles, but the mechanical behavior of cement was accurately described by a critical-state structural model (Vincent et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR27\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2023\u003c/span\u003e). Another research work, an investigation of matrices and SBS, showed that adding cement improved the high-temperature performance. In contrast, the low-temperature performance was not significantly affected (Suining, Zheng et al., 2022). The main goal of this study was to investigate the physical, rheological, and chemical properties, as well as structural changes, in asphalt cement after modification using various types of BPSC.\u003c/p\u003e"},{"header":"2. Experimental process and materials","content":"\u003cdiv id=\"Sec3\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e \u003ch2\u003e2.1 Materials\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe foundational asphalt cement employed was of the 80/100 grade, boasting a specific gravity of 1.03. Batu Pahat Soft Clay (BPSC) was generated as fine particles ranging from 10 \u0026micro;m to 14 \u0026micro;m in size, rendering them exceedingly suitable for incorporation into asphalt cement due to their dimensions and particle morphology. These particles manifest favorable mechanical traits and possess an ample surface area, facilitating robust interaction with the asphalt cement. The acquisition of the soft clay entailed several sequential stages. The soft clay was initially extracted from depths within 4 meters of the ground. The clay underwent desiccation in a forced-draft oven at 155\u0026deg;C to expel moisture. Subsequent steps encompassed compaction and sieving to achieve a particle size of 0.075 mm. The resultant BPSC was then integrated as filler at varying proportions (2%, 4%, 6%, and 8%). A visual representation of the equipment employed in BPSC production is depicted in Fig.\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Fig1\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e1\u003c/span\u003e, while Table\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Tab1\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e1\u003c/span\u003e presents the asphalt cement's characteristics, and Table\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Tab2\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e2\u003c/span\u003e provides insight into BPSC's properties.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"gridtable\"\u003e\u003ctable float=\"Yes\" id=\"Tab1\" border=\"1\"\u003e \u003ccaption language=\"En\"\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"CaptionNumber\"\u003eTable 1\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"CaptionContent\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe properties of 80/100 grade asphalt cements\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003c/caption\u003e \u003ccolgroup cols=\"3\"\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c1\" colnum=\"1\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c2\" colnum=\"2\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c3\" colnum=\"3\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cthead\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eCharacteristics\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eTest Method\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eRequirement\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003c/thead\u003e \u003ctbody\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003ePenetration at 25\u0026deg;C, 100 g 5 sec, 0.1 mm\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eASTM D5\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e80\u0026ndash;100\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eSoftening Point \u0026deg;C\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eASTM D36\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e45\u0026ndash;52\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eDuctility at 25\u0026deg;C, 5 cm per min, cm\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eASTM D113\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eMin. 100\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eRetained penetration after thin-film oven test, %\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eASTM D5\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eMin. 47.0\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eLoss on heating, % wt\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eAASHTO T240\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eMax. 1.00\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eOriginal G*/sin δ at 64\u0026deg;C @ 10 rad, kPa\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eAASHTO TP5\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eMin. 1.00\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eRTFO G*/sin δ at 64\u0026deg;C @ 10 rad, kPa\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eAASHTO TP5\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eMin. 2.20\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eSpecific Gravity at 25\u0026deg;C\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eASTM D70\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1.01\u0026ndash;1.05\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003c/tbody\u003e \u003c/colgroup\u003e \u003c/table\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"gridtable\"\u003e\u003ctable float=\"Yes\" id=\"Tab2\" border=\"1\"\u003e \u003ccaption language=\"En\"\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"CaptionNumber\"\u003eTable 2\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"CaptionContent\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eProperties of Batu Pahat Soft Clay (BPSC)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003c/caption\u003e \u003ccolgroup cols=\"2\"\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c1\" colnum=\"1\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"char\" char=\".\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c2\" colnum=\"2\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cthead\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eParameters\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eResults\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003c/thead\u003e \u003ctbody\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eBulk Density (Mg/m3)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1.36\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eSpecific Gravity\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e2.66\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003ePlastic Limit (%)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e29.70%\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eLiquid Limit (%)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e37.55%\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003ePlasticity Index (%)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e7.85%\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eMoisture Content (%)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e29.35%\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003c/tbody\u003e \u003c/colgroup\u003e \u003c/table\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e \u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv id=\"Sec4\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e \u003ch2\u003e2.2 Blending procedure\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe predetermined amount of asphalt cement was heated at 160\u0026deg;C for 30 minutes. Following this, the heated asphalt was introduced into a receptacle, and the blending operation was initiated using a high-shear mixer set at 155\u0026deg;C and 500 revolutions per minute (rpm) until the bitumen attained a state of complete homogenous liquidity. Upon achieving the desired temperature, the soft clay was introduced into the mixture, and the mixing velocity progressively increased to 3000 rpm. The amalgamation process was initiated in accordance with the durations outlined in Table\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Tab3\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e3\u003c/span\u003e.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"gridtable\"\u003e\u003ctable float=\"Yes\" id=\"Tab3\" border=\"1\"\u003e \u003ccaption language=\"En\"\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"CaptionNumber\"\u003eTable 3\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"CaptionContent\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eBlending binder\u0026rsquo;s protocol\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003c/caption\u003e \u003ccolgroup cols=\"6\"\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c1\" colnum=\"1\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"char\" char=\".\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c2\" colnum=\"2\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"char\" char=\".\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c3\" colnum=\"3\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"char\" char=\".\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c4\" colnum=\"4\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"char\" char=\".\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c5\" colnum=\"5\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c6\" colnum=\"6\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cthead\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eAsphalt Weight (g)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eBPSC Percentages (%)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eTotal Weight (g)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eMixing Speed (rpm)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eMixing Temperature (C\u0026deg;)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eMixing Time (min)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003c/thead\u003e \u003ctbody\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e400\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e2\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e8.163\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e3000\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e155\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1 hour\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e400\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e4\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e16.66\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e3000\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e155\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1 hour\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e400\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e6\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e25.53\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e3000\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e155\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1 hour\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e400\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e8\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e34.782\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e3000\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e155\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1 hour\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003c/tbody\u003e \u003c/colgroup\u003e \u003c/table\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv id=\"Sec5\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e \u003ch2\u003e2.3 Storage Stability Test\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe evaluation of phase separation in modified asphalt cement under high temperatures was conducted using a specific method (Navarro et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR21\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2004\u003c/span\u003e). The process involved pouring the bitumen binder sample into a circular aluminum tube 30 mm in diameter and 300 mm in height. Foil tubes containing bitumen contents were placed directly in a rotary oven and heated for 48 h at a controlled temperature of 136\u0026deg;C. The samples were then cooled to ambient temperature and cut into three sections, and a softening point test was performed on both the upper and lower parts. If the variation in results was less than 2.5\u0026deg;C, the binder possessed excellent storage stability. Conversely, if the differences exceeded this threshold, it indicated inadequate storage stability.\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv id=\"Sec6\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e \u003ch2\u003e2.4 \u003cem\u003eTemperature susceptibility\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eElevated ambient temperatures influence road surfaces, yet a surge in traffic volume also affects them. Conversely, the alteration in asphalt cement rheology due to varying temperatures, termed temperature susceptibility, emerges as a pivotal characteristic. This is essential since asphalt behavior is intrinsically tied to temperature and loading rate. Consequently, two methodologies have emerged for scrutinizing the temperature sensitivity of asphalt cement: the penetration index and the pen-vis number and penetration index (PI). As delineated by (McLeod, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR19\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e1976\u003c/span\u003e), the pen-vis number (PVN) serves to gauge the temperature susceptibility of asphalt cement. The computation of PVN employs the subsequent formula:\u003cdiv id=\"Equ1\" class=\"Equation\"\u003e\u003cdiv format=\"TEX\" class=\"mathdisplay\" id=\"FileID_Equ1\" name=\"EquationSource\"\u003e\n$$\\text{P}\\text{V}\\text{N}=\\frac{\\text{L}\\text{o}\\text{g} \\text{L}-\\text{L}\\text{o}\\text{g} \\text{X}}{\\text{l}\\text{O}\\text{G} \\text{L}-\\text{L}\\text{o}\\text{g} \\text{M}}(-1.5)$$\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"EquationNumber\"\u003e1\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe penetration index (PI) calculation hinges on the outcome of the softening point test performed on the asphalt cement. This approach assumes that the penetration at the softening point corresponds to 25\u0026deg;C. However, it is prudent to enhance the accuracy of the index by measuring penetration at an additional temperature, not exclusively relying on this assumption. A more robust practice involves measuring penetration at two distinct temperatures, subsequently enabling the derivation of the PI. This process typically involves plotting the logarithm of penetration against the test temperature, expressed in degrees. This graphical representation generally reveals a linear relationship. The calculation of the slope of this linear relationship is achieved using the ensuing equation:\u003cdiv id=\"Equ2\" class=\"Equation\"\u003e\u003cdiv format=\"TEX\" class=\"mathdisplay\" id=\"FileID_Equ2\" name=\"EquationSource\"\u003e\n$$\\text{P}\\text{I}=\\frac{1952-500\\text{log}\\text{p}\\text{e}\\text{n}-20\\text{S}.\\text{P}}{50\\text{log}\\text{p}\\text{e}\\text{n}-\\text{S}.\\text{P}-120}$$\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"EquationNumber\"\u003e2\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv id=\"Sec7\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e \u003ch2\u003e2.5 Viscosity\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eA viscosity test was conducted to gauge the flow properties of the asphalt cement and evaluate its quality within hot mix asphalt facilities. This test measured the viscosity at two different temperatures using a rotating viscometer, 135\u0026deg;C and 165\u0026deg;C for the compacting and mixing temperatures. The test procedure adhered to the stipulations outlined in ASTM D4402. In this process, roughly 30 g of asphalt underwent heating within an oven until reaching a sufficiently fluid state to be poured into the designated sample chamber. The asphalt quantity was adapted to the selection of the spindle size. Subsequently, the sample chamber was positioned within a thermos container. Following a 30-minute stabilization period, a spindle was brought down inside the chamber to permit viscosity measurements.\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv id=\"Sec8\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e \u003ch2\u003e2.6 Dynamic Shear Rheometer (DSR)\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eA dynamic shear rheometer was employed in accordance with AASHTO T315 to understand how asphalt cement reacts under different temperature applications. The complex shear modulus (G*) was evaluated, which evaluates the sample's capacity to tolerate permanent deformation following consecutive shearing. Furthermore, the phase angle (δ) also shows the time lag between the applied shear force and the resulting shear strain. The dynamic shear test was executed under diverse conditions, encompassing temperature-dependent frequency sweeps spanning from 0.1 to 15 Hz. This was conducted over a temperature spectrum spanning from 30 to 70\u0026deg;C. In addition, multiple creep and recovery tests were carried out at 64\u0026deg;C. These tests incorporated ten cycles and involved two distinct stress levels: 1 and 3.2 kPa.\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv id=\"Sec9\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e \u003ch2\u003e2.7 Fourier Transforms Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR)\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003e \u003cul\u003e \u003cli\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe FTIR was conducted to evaluate the functional attributes of the binder, both prior to and post-aging (Xiaohu \u0026amp; Isacsson, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR30\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2002\u003c/span\u003e). This testing methodology was also executed to scrutinize the chemical attributes of the modified asphalt cements (Wei et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR28\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2014\u003c/span\u003e).\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/li\u003e \u003c/ul\u003e \u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv id=\"Sec10\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e \u003ch2\u003e2\u003cem\u003e.8 Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM\u003c/em\u003e)\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe SEM was employed to scrutinize the distribution of particles and changes in the microstructure of the initial asphalt samples subsequent to modification. The SEM setup comprises two fundamental elements: the electronic console and the electron column.\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e"},{"header":"3. Results discussion","content":"\u003cdiv id=\"Sec12\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e \u003ch2\u003e3.1 Point of homogeneity\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe purpose of the test was twofold: first, to achieve consistent and uniform amalgamation after incorporating BPSC particles into the asphalt matrix and mixing them for 120 minutes, and second, to identify the optimal mixing time. The softening point experiment ascertained the homogeneity point and mixing duration for all blends. To assess the modification process, a softening point test was performed by sampling every 20 min, as shown in Fig.\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Fig2\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e2\u003c/span\u003e. The graph shows that the softening point exhibited a slight increase up to the 60-minute mark and, thereafter, was slightly decreased as the mixing time progressed. Although the change in soft point value seems small, a slight increase is obtained at the 60-minute mark, so it was decided that this was the best time to mix modified asphalt cement.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e \u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv id=\"Sec13\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e \u003ch2\u003e3.2 Penetration\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe penetration test is one of the earliest empirical methods employed to gauge the consistency of asphalt cement. Illustrated in Fig.\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Fig3\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e3\u003c/span\u003e are the experimental penetration values at a temperature of 25\u0026deg;C. A noticeable trend emerges, wherein all modified asphalt cement samples exhibit penetration values lower than the base samples. This phenomenon can be attributed to the enhancement of asphalt cement stiffness, resulting in a notable increase of 5.68%.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e \u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv id=\"Sec14\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e \u003ch2\u003e3.3 Ductility\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eDisplayed in Fig.\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Fig4\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e4\u003c/span\u003e are the outcomes of the ductility test across varying proportions of BPSC. A discernible pattern emerges, showcasing a decline in ductility values as the concentration of BPSC particles within the asphalt cement matrix increases. This phenomenon can be attributed to the heightened specific surface area inherent to BPSC particles, contributing to increased asphalt absorption. Consequently, this observed trend is likely a consequence of the augmented hardness witnessed in the modified samples, a trend that aligns with the outcomes of the penetration test.\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv id=\"Sec15\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e \u003ch2\u003e3.4 Loss on heating test\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eThis particular test method served as a valuable means of discerning the attributes of specific petroleum products by assessing their mass loss when subjected to standardized heating conditions (AASHTO, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR1\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2009\u003c/span\u003e). However, certain asphalt cements with intricate flow properties may limit the effectiveness of the test. This limitation predominantly stems from the reliance on traditional Rolling Thin Film Oven (RTFO) bottles on the gravity-induced flow of the binder as the bottle rotates. Presented in Fig.\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Fig5\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e5\u003c/span\u003e are the outcomes of the loss on the heating test for both the base and modified samples incorporating BPSC. A key observation is that all losses on heating values remain below 1.0%, meeting the requirements for asphalt cement properties. Furthermore, the lower loss values indicate the superior performance of the asphalt cement. In this context, the sample containing 4% BPSC displays the lowest loss value, whereas the base asphalt (0%) exhibits the highest loss rate among the various blends.\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv id=\"Sec16\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e \u003ch2\u003e3.5 Storage Stability\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe acceptability of storage stability at elevated temperatures was established when the softening point test revealed a disparity of 2.5\u0026deg;C or less between the upper and lower segments of the sample. As depicted in Fig.\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Fig6\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e6\u003c/span\u003e, the results of the storage stability test were documented for both the base and the BPSC-modified binder. It is readily apparent that all samples present storage stability values falling below the 2.5\u0026deg;C threshold. This observation underscores the favourable compatibility of the modifier with asphalt cement and its capacity to endure elevated temperatures during storage.\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv id=\"Sec17\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e \u003ch2\u003e3.6 Viscosity\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eViscosity is a crucial metric for evaluating the flow characteristics of asphalt cement, ensuring its suitability within the mixing process. Furthermore, it assists in determining the appropriate values for mixing and compacting temperature of asphalt mixes, with established reference values of 0.17\u0026ndash;0.20 Pa/s and 0.28\u0026thinsp;\u0026minus;\u0026thinsp;0.03 Pa/s assigned for these temperatures. Illustrated in Fig.\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Fig7\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e7\u003c/span\u003e are the experimental findings about the viscosity of asphalt cement subjected to various percentages of BPSC modification. These results distinctly reveal a reduction in viscosity as temperature increases, consequently augmenting the flow characteristics within the asphalt mixture and mitigating stress. Therefore, high viscosity aligns with elevated mixing and compaction temperatures. Notably, the base asphalt cement demonstrates the lowest viscosity value among the blends, whereas the 8% BPSC blend showcases the highest viscosity. In a related context (Djurekovic and Mladenovic, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR9\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2015\u003c/span\u003e) have found that adding fly ash to asphalt cement can increase viscosity.\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv id=\"Sec18\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e \u003ch2\u003e3.6 Temperature susceptibility\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe variation in the consistency characteristic of asphalt cement caused by temperature fluctuations is referred to as temperature susceptibility. As a result, increased binder hardness leads to increased penetration index (PI) values, which improves the modified asphalt cement's temperature susceptibility. Figure\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Fig8\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e8\u003c/span\u003e depicts the PI and PVN results for the base and BPSC-modified asphalt cements. The results show that all changed samples have lower PI and PVN values than the base binder. This pattern indicates an improvement in the modified binder's temperature susceptibility, emphasizing its increased resilience to temperature changes.\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv id=\"Sec19\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e \u003ch2\u003e3.7 Scanning Electron microscope\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cdiv id=\"Sec20\" class=\"Section3\"\u003e \u003ch2\u003e3.7.1 Standard less quantitative elements analysis\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eEnergy Dispersive Spectroscopy (EDS) stands as a prevalent technique for elemental analysis, encompassing the determination of carbon, hydrogen, and nitrogen percentages within organic compounds such as asphalt. Illustrated in Fig.\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Fig9\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e9\u003c/span\u003e is an electron image of the base binder. This analysis of element percentages is pivotal in discerning the structure and purity of synthesized compounds. Moreover, utilizing ZAF elemental analysis enabled the identification of the principal elements present within the asphalt cement. As per the analysis findings, carbon (C) constitutes a significant portion, accounting for approximately 92.42% of the binder, while the sulfur content is about 4.84%. This elevated carbon content underscores its prominent role as the primary constituent within the binder's composition.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eFigure \u003cspan refid=\"Fig10\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e10\u003c/span\u003e visually depicts soft clay particles' distribution and size spectrum, spanning 9.49 to 14 \u0026micro;m diameters. Moreover, the observation indicates that the modifier particles (BPSC) were consistently dispersed within the binder matrix. This uniform distribution is often indicative of enhanced asphalt cement performance. Furthermore, implementing BPSC particles, which have a large surface area, improves the bonding between the asphalt cement and the modifier particles, improving performance in general.\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv id=\"Sec21\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e \u003ch2\u003e3.8 Surface energy of asphalt cements\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eFigure \u003cspan refid=\"Fig11\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e11\u003c/span\u003e furnishes the findings concerning surface energy in relation to distinct BPSC contents. The graph demonstrates a progressive decline in surface energy values as BPSC proportions increase. The pace of surface energy value augmentation for the base sample exceeded that observed in the 2%, 4%, 6%, and 8% BPSC-modified asphalt cement samples. Noteworthy are the surface energy values tied to the 4% BPSC content, which diminished by approximately 23.32%, and the 6% BPSC content, which exhibited a reduction of around 25.32% relative to the base binder. Notably, the 8% BPSC content exhibited slightly distinct behavior, with the value experiencing a minor increase while remaining lower than the base asphalt sample. These outcomes signify that incorporating BPSC substantially augments bonding capability and enrobes the aggregate with asphalt cement, surpassing the attributes of the base mix. Corroborating research has proposed that surface free energy values can serve as a gauge to evaluate the compatibility between aggregate and binder concerning moisture damage (Al-Qadi et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR3\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2014\u003c/span\u003e).\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv id=\"Sec22\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e \u003ch2\u003e3.9 Fourier transforms infrared spectroscopy.\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eThis research encompassed Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) tests to scrutinize the variations in the attributes of asphalt cement and alterations in its chemical structure. It is worth noting that heightened oxidation has been documented to curtail the service life of road pavements. Figure\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Fig12\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e12\u003c/span\u003e visualizes the FTIR spectra of both the base and BPSC-modified binders. Upon examination of the figure, it becomes apparent that the absorption peaks within the 2500\u0026ndash;3300 region correspond to O\u0026ndash;H stretching vibrations, signifying the presence of carboxylic acid with pronounced intensity. The peak at 1606 represents C-C stretching and implies conjugation within the sample.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eFurthermore, the absorption peak values at 2923 and 2852 align with C-H stretching in alkane. Conversely, an observation of the stretching vibration of C-C in the aromatic ring is noted at 1606. Robust peaks at 1456 and 1376 signify the bending of C-H, suggesting the presence of functional groups -CH2 and -C-CH3, respectively. Beyond this, the ratios spanning 1695 to 1455 were harnessed as an indicator to assess the relative oxidation between the base and BPSC-modified asphalt cements.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eMoreover, minute peaks localized within the 675\u0026ndash;900 region provided evidence of C\u0026ndash;H vibrations stemming from the benzene ring. Notably, an analysis of the FTIR spectrum of the BPSC-modified asphalt cement did not unveil any substantial new alterations, except a modest peak noted at 721. Incorporating BPSC, which houses carbonyl functional groups, contributed to an elevated degree of oxidation within the asphalt cement mixture. Hence, it is reasonable to anticipate that as BPSC content escalates, the proportion of carbonyls within the asphalt cement will concurrently rise.\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv id=\"Sec23\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e \u003ch2\u003e3.11 \u003cem\u003eRheological properties of asphalt cements\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/h2\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv id=\"Sec24\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e \u003ch2\u003e3.11. 1 Isochronal plot of complex modulus (10 rad/s)\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe complex modulus (G*) produced from a frequency sweep test performed at varied temperatures and sustained at a frequency of 10 rads/s was used to create an isochronal graphic. Figure\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Fig13\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e13\u003c/span\u003e depicts these findings graphically. Notably, every BPSC-modified asphalt cement demonstrated an increase in G* values. Compared to the modified binders using BPSC, the base binder had the lowest value. Among the BPSC-modified binders, the 4% BPSC binder showed the most significant increase in G*, followed by the 6% and 8% counterparts. This trend significantly improves temperature susceptibility compared to the examined asphalt cements. Furthermore, independent of modifier content, the G* value decreased significantly as the test temperature increased. This decrease in sample stiffness emphasizes that temperature significantly impacts asphalt cement properties.\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv id=\"Sec25\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e \u003ch2\u003e3.11.2 Isochronal plot of Phase angle (δ)\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eFigure \u003cspan refid=\"Fig14\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e14\u003c/span\u003e showcases the outcomes of phase angles for unaged samples plotted across different temperatures. In direct comparison with the BPSC-modified binder, the base binders manifest higher phase angle values at distinct temperatures: 46\u0026deg;C (85.63), 52\u0026deg;C (87.23), 58\u0026deg;C (88.97), 64\u0026deg;C (90.13), and 70\u0026deg;C (91.39). Conversely, the BPSC-modified binder displays reduced viscosity and elasticity. Remarkably, irrespective of the test temperatures, the 4% BPSC binder outshines other modified binders regarding asphalt cement attributes.\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv id=\"Sec26\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e \u003ch2\u003e3.11.3 Fail Temperatures\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe fail temperature of asphalt cement is the temperature at which the G*/sin ratio falls below 1.0 kPa, commonly used to compute the binder's performance grade (PG). Figure\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Fig15\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e15\u003c/span\u003e shows the failure temperature values for the basic and modified binders. According to the graph, the failure temperature values for the basic sample and the BPSC-modified asphalt cement are over 64\u0026deg;C but below 70\u0026deg;C. The failure temperature of the basic sample is around 64\u0026deg;C, whereas the failure values of the 2%, 4%, 6%, and 8% BPSC-modified binders are around 66\u0026deg;C, 70\u0026deg;C, 68\u0026deg;C, and 67\u0026deg;C, respectively. The inclusion of BPSC has a considerable influence on increasing the failure temperature and, as a result, the binder's failure.\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv id=\"Sec27\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e \u003ch2\u003e3.11.4 Master Curve\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe construction of the master curve plot involves selecting a reference temperature and laterally shifting all other temperature data until the curves align, culminating in a unified, smooth master curve at the chosen reference temperature. The master curves for the blends were produced in the overall framework of this investigation using a reference temperature (T\u003csub\u003eref\u003c/sub\u003e) of 40\u0026deg;C, and the shifting factors were estimated using a numerical technique. Figure\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Fig17\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e17\u003c/span\u003e visually presents the master curve for the unaged binder. All the modified binders showcase considerable increments in stiffness relative to the base asphalt cement. Heightened master curves signify superior asphalt cement performance regarding withstanding permanent deformation, whereas diminished curves denote a lower resilience to permanent deformation. The 4% BPSC-modified binder emerges with the most pronounced enhancement among the various blends. Similarly, in the study by (Djurekovic and Mladenovic, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR9\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2015\u003c/span\u003e), the exploration of fly ash as a filler in asphalt cement was conducted to augment resistance to rutting under load from hydrodynamic interaction.\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv id=\"Sec28\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e \u003ch2\u003e3.11.5 Rutting parameter performance\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eRutting poses a significant challenge to the performance of asphalt pavements, particularly in regions with high temperatures. The parameter G*/sin has been employed to characterize the resistance of unaged samples to rutting at elevated temperatures spanning 46\u0026deg;C, 52\u0026deg;C, 58\u0026deg;C, 64\u0026deg;C, and 72\u0026deg;C. Figure\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Fig17\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e17\u003c/span\u003e represents the G*/sin values for asphalt cements featuring various proportions of BPSC at 64\u0026deg;C. As evident from the graph, the base binder displayed the lowest G*/sin value, whereas the 4% BPSC-modified binder exhibited the highest G*/sin value across distinct temperatures: 46\u0026deg;C registering at 17,959.98 Pa, 52\u0026deg;C at 13,040.65 Pa, 58\u0026deg;C at 2,753.80 Pa, 64\u0026deg;C at 1,182.42 Pa, and 70\u0026deg;C at 547.58 Pa. This observation underscores that introducing BPSC particles into the asphalt cement induces shifts in its attributes and stiffness, enhancing its ability to endure permanent deformation under high temperatures.\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv id=\"Sec29\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e \u003ch2\u003e3.11.6 Creep and Recovery\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eCreep denotes the gradual deformation of the binder under constant stress, implying that the asphalt cement is permanently deformed (Golalipour, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR11\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2011\u003c/span\u003e). Similarly, the creep and recovery test assesses the amount of irreversible strain following the release of applied stress (Kim et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR17\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2011\u003c/span\u003e). The creep recovery test was performed in this study at three separate stress levels: 3 Pa, with durations of 100s and 600s for recovery; 10 Pa, with durations of 20s and 600s for recovery; and 50 Pa, with durations of 1s and 300s for recovery. These stress levels correspond to light, moderate, and high-stress conditions akin to those experienced by asphalt pavements due to traffic load. The test was performed at a temperature of 60\u0026deg;C. Figure\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Fig18\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e18\u003c/span\u003e depicts the compliance creep and recovery values for samples subjected to a stress level of 3 Pa. The figure shows that the inclusion of 4% BPSC yielded the least susceptibility to permanent deformation, registering a value of 0.55 mm. This denotes a 68.39% augmentation in asphalt cement stiffness relative to the base binder.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eMoving on to Fig.\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Fig19\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e19\u003c/span\u003e reveals the compliance creep and recovery of unaged samples subjected to a stress level of 10 Pa. Results illustrate that the incorporation of 4% BPSC led to a reduction in values of 2.32, followed by 8% at 2.94, 2% at 3.55, and finally 6% at 3.74. As anticipated, the base binder exhibited the highest value. The enhancement in rutting resistance of the asphalt cement was approximately 58.57% in contrast to the base asphalt (control sample).\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eFigure \u003cspan refid=\"Fig20\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e20\u003c/span\u003e showcases the compliance creep and recovery values of unaged samples at a stress level of 50 Pa. Findings suggest that adding BPSC to asphalt cement marginally lowered the modified binder's creep, with the most notable reduction in the 4% BPSC content, indicating a decline of 60.65% compared to the base sample. (Kataware and Singh, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR15\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2015\u003c/span\u003e) Briefly outlined that non-recoverable creep compliance (Jnr) escalates as stress levels increase for asphalt cement, rendering it more rig.\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv id=\"Sec30\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e \u003ch2\u003e3.11.7 Multiple stress creep recovery (MSCR)\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe MSCR test is a method that involves applying high levels of stress and strain to asphalt binder. This test aims to replicate real-world pavement conditions more accurately and account for any delays in elastic recovery. During each test cycle, the asphalt cement experiences peak strain recovery and undergoes shear stress. The peak strain is subtracted from the final strain to calculate the elastic recovery ratio, and the result is divided by the peak strain (Nu\u0026ntilde;ez et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR22\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2014\u003c/span\u003e). The MSCR test in this investigation was performed at 64\u0026deg;C using the same dynamic shear rheometer device. Test specimens with a diameter of 25 mm and a gap height of 1 mm were exposed to controlled loading and unloading conditions after a one-second creep phase and a nine-second recovery period. Ten creep and recovery cycles were performed, with stress levels ranging from 100 to 3200 Pa, and materials utilized in the experiment were unaged samples. Figure\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Fig21\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e21\u003c/span\u003e illustrates the findings of a MSCR test performed on unaged binders at 100 Pa of stress. The modified asphalt cement with a 4% BPSC concentration exhibited the lowest compliance value of 4.26 mm, while the base asphalt cement demonstrated the highest value of 9.49 mm. Additionally, including BPSC led to a 2.23% reduction in permanent deformation compared to the original asphalt cement.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eFigure \u003cspan refid=\"Fig22\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e22\u003c/span\u003e demonstrates the MSCR values of an unaged binder at 3200 Pa stress. The graph shows that the basic binder sample had the maximum compliance value of 381.36 mm, whereas the binder modified with 4% BPSC had a much lower value of 190.41 mm. This signifies that adding BPSC positively impacted decreasing permanent deformation under varying stress levels, resulting in a 2.01% enhancement.\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e"},{"header":"4. Conclusion","content":"\u003cp\u003eAsphalt properties are critical in influencing the overall performance of pavements over their operating life. Various materials have been explored as modifiers, including polymers and nanomaterials, to enhance pavement performance under diverse conditions due to their impactful effects on modified asphalt cements.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eIn this research, using PBSC as a modifier at different concentrations relative to the asphalt cement's weight yielded significant insights. The findings demonstrated that incorporating the modifier effectively enhanced the physical attributes of the modified asphalt cements. Notably, the stiffness of the samples exhibited a noticeable increase, and an inverse correlation was observed between penetration and softening point. As penetration values rose, the corresponding softening point values decreased. The investigation further revealed the uniform dispersion of PBSC nanoparticles within the asphalt cement matrix, eliminating particle agglomeration. This consistent distribution proved instrumental in augmenting the overall performance of the modified asphalt cement.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eMoreover, the modified binder exhibited commendable storage stability at elevated temperatures, as the deviations recorded in the storage stability test remained within acceptable margins. The rheological properties of the modified asphalt cement were evaluated, revealing significant improvements. Compared to the base asphalt cement, the modified versions demonstrated 142% and 99% enhancements at 45\u0026deg;C and 70\u0026deg;C, respectively. Additionally, the modification process contributed to mitigating temperature susceptibility, with the failure temperature of the modified asphalt cements experiencing a rise of approximately 10% upon adding 4% PBSC. Furthermore, the modified asphalt exhibited superior recovery capabilities during surface time, particularly evident with the inclusion of 4% PBSC. The modified binder showcased a recovery rate of up to 76% and 67% at varying stress levels, underscoring its ability to recover and uphold its structural integrity when subjected to stress. Using environmentally friendly materials, such as PBSC, for asphalt modification introduces promising avenues for eco-conscious solutions that bolster asphalt cement performance and alleviate distress within asphalt pavements. The findings suggest that a modifier content of 4% PBSC can be optimal for attaining the desired enhancements in asphalt cement properties.\u003c/p\u003e"},{"header":"Declarations","content":"\u003ch2\u003eAuthor Contribution\u003c/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eAllam. Al, S.A: Conceptualization; A.E, Allam. Al: Data curation; S.A, N.K: Formal analysis; N.K, A.E : Investigation; Allam. Al, S.A, A.A: Methodology; A.E, N.K: Project administration; Allam. Al, S.A: Resources; Allam. Al, S.A: Supervision; Allam. Al, S.A, N.K, A.A: Roles/Writing \u0026ndash; original draft; A.E, N.K, A.A: Writing \u0026ndash; review \u0026amp; editing.\u003c/p\u003e"},{"header":"References","content":"\u003col\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAASHTO, T. 2009. 240\u0026ndash;09. Standard method to test for the effect of heat and air on a moving film of asphalt binder (rolling thin-film oven test). \u003cem\u003eStandard Specifications for Transportation Materials and Methods of Sampling and Testing\u003c/em\u003e.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAbtahi, S. M., Sheikhzadeh, M. \u0026amp; Hejazi, S. M. 2010. Fibre-reinforced asphalt-concrete\u0026ndash;a review. \u003cem\u003eConstruction and Building Materials,\u003c/em\u003e 24\u003cstrong\u003e,\u003c/strong\u003e 871-877.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAl-Qadi, I. L., Abauwad, I. M., Dhasmana, H. \u0026amp; Coenen, A. R. 2014. Effects of Various Asphalt Binder Additives/Modifiers on Moisture-Susceptible Asphaltic Mixtures. 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University of Nevada, Reno.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ol\u003e"}],"fulltextSource":"","fullText":"","funders":[],"hasAdminPriorityOnWorkflow":false,"hasManuscriptDocX":true,"hasOptedInToPreprint":true,"hasPassedJournalQc":"","hasAnyPriority":false,"hideJournal":true,"highlight":"","institution":"","isAcceptedByJournal":false,"isAuthorSuppliedPdf":false,"isDeskRejected":"","isHiddenFromSearch":false,"isInQc":false,"isInWorkflow":false,"isPdf":false,"isPdfUpToDate":true,"isWithdrawnOrRetracted":false,"journal":{"display":true,"email":"[email protected]","identity":"researchsquare","isNatureJournal":false,"hasQc":true,"allowDirectSubmit":true,"externalIdentity":"","sideBox":"","snPcode":"","submissionUrl":"/submission","title":"Research Square","twitterHandle":"researchsquare","acdcEnabled":true,"dfaEnabled":false,"editorialSystem":"","reportingPortfolio":"","inReviewEnabled":false,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":true},"keywords":"Batu bahat soft clay, rheological properties, Modified asphalt cements, Dynamic shear rehometer, Scanning electron microscopy","lastPublishedDoi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-4008353/v1","lastPublishedDoiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-4008353/v1","license":{"name":"CC BY 4.0","url":"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/"},"manuscriptAbstract":"\u003cp\u003eVarious materials have been employed globally to enhance road performance by modifying asphalt binders and mixtures. Polymers and nanomaterials are notable for their capacity to enhance the physical and rheological characteristics of modified asphalt cement. This research introduces a new natural modifier called Batu Pahat Soft Clay (BPSC) for asphalt cement. Various amounts of BPSC (2%, 4%, 6%, and 8% by weight of asphalt cement) were examined using conventional techniques like dynamic shear rheometer (DSR), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and surface energy tests. The results revealed substantial enhancements in physical properties, with penetration increasing by 4% and softening points decreasing by 22%. Moreover, the susceptibility of the modified binder to elevated temperatures was reduced by 10% compared to the base asphalt cements. SEM analysis confirmed uniform dispersion of BPSC particles, resulting in increased binder stiffness. The rheological properties saw remarkable improvement, particularly at temperatures of 45\u0026deg;C and 70\u0026deg;C, with enhancements of up to 142% and 99%, respectively. The ability to recover under various stress levels showcased the superior performance of the modified binder, with improvements of 90%, 76%, and 67% compared to the base asphalt cements.\u003c/p\u003e","manuscriptTitle":"The Impact of Batu Bahat Soft Clay on the Properties of Modified Asphalt Binders","msid":"","msnumber":"","nonDraftVersions":[{"code":1,"date":"2024-03-12 07:36:29","doi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-4008353/v1","editorialEvents":[{"type":"communityComments","content":0}],"status":"published","journal":{"display":true,"email":"[email protected]","identity":"researchsquare","isNatureJournal":false,"hasQc":true,"allowDirectSubmit":true,"externalIdentity":"","sideBox":"","snPcode":"","submissionUrl":"/submission","title":"Research Square","twitterHandle":"researchsquare","acdcEnabled":true,"dfaEnabled":false,"editorialSystem":"","reportingPortfolio":"","inReviewEnabled":false,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":true}}],"origin":"","ownerIdentity":"c62ae109-3c9e-4683-9c6a-f50e2abe5f7f","owner":[],"postedDate":"March 12th, 2024","published":true,"recentEditorialEvents":[],"rejectedJournal":[],"revision":"","amendment":"","status":"posted","subjectAreas":[],"tags":[],"updatedAt":"2024-05-27T07:36:21+00:00","versionOfRecord":[],"versionCreatedAt":"2024-03-12 07:36:29","video":"","vorDoi":"","vorDoiUrl":"","workflowStages":[]},"version":"v1","identity":"rs-4008353","journalConfig":"researchsquare"},"__N_SSP":true},"page":"/article/[identity]/[[...version]]","query":{"redirect":"/article/rs-4008353","identity":"rs-4008353","version":["v1"]},"buildId":"7rjqhiLT3MXkJMwkYKINL","isFallback":false,"isExperimentalCompile":false,"dynamicIds":[84888],"gssp":true,"scriptLoader":[]}