Effect of Addition of Rubber Granulate and Type of Modified Binder on the Viscoelastic Properties of Stone Mastic Asphalt Reducing Tire/Road Noise (SMA LA)

Abstract

The use of rubber granulate in the composition of asphalt mixtures, as well as the use of poroelastic layers, is indicated by many research centers as a factor with a positive effect on tire/road noise reduction. Attention is however paid to their lower structural durability compared to asphalt concrete (AC) or stone mastic asphalt (SMA). Stone mastic asphalt reducing tire/road noise (SMA LA) layers have also been recently used as low-noise road surfaces. The article presents the test results of viscoelastic properties of asphalt mixtures SMA8 LA, SMA8 LA containing 10%, 20%, and 30% of rubber granulate, with bitumen 50/70, bitumen 50/70 modified with styrene butadiene styrene (SBS) copolymer, crumb rubber, and mixtures with bitumen modified simultaneously with crumb rubber and SBS copolymer. The reference asphalt mixture was the porous asphalt (PA8). The presented results of water damage resistance, degradation resistance in the Cantabro abrasion loss test, stiffness modulus as a function of temperature and hysteresis loop proved that the amount of rubber granulate and the type of binder significantly affect the values of these parameters. Attention was paid to the possibility of using the results of uniaxial cyclic compression tests when determining the proportion of rubber granulate in SMA8 LA mixtures. Tests of hysteresis loops and stiffness modulus confirm much higher elasticity of SMA8 LA mixtures with rubber granulate as compared to mixtures without the addition of granulate.