Study on the Performance of Nano-Zinc Oxide/Basalt Fiber Composite Modified Asphalt and Mixture

Abstract

In order to improve the service quality of roads and resolve the problem of defects in the conventional asphalt pavement in service, this paper uses a 5.3% aluminate coupling agent to modify the surface of nano-ZnO and prepares a composite-modified asphalt with nano-ZnO and basalt fiber (BF) as modifiers. First, the basic performance of different types of asphalt was investigated by means of a rotary film oven experiment. Then, a dynamic shear rheology experiment was carried out to analyze the high-temperature anti-rutting performance of the composite-modified asphalt at different temperatures and frequencies. Then, using a bending creep stiffness test, the low-temperature properties of the composite-modified asphalt were investigated. Finally, the microstructure and modification mechanisms of the composite-modified asphalt were analyzed with scanning electron microscopy and infrared spectroscopy. The results indicate that the anti-aging performance of the nano-ZnO/BF composite-modified asphalt is significantly improved after adding fibers to the modified asphalt. The average mass loss ratio is only 0.192%. At 46 °C, the rutting coefficient of the composite-modified asphalt was increased by 62.3%. The frequency master curve is always at the highest position and continues to rise, indicating a significant improvement in the high-temperature anti-rutting performance of the composite-modified asphalt. At 24 °C, the creep stiffness modulus S value of the composite-modified asphalt increased by 24.9%; moreover, there is no obvious effect of improving low temperature, but the variation range of creep tangent slope m of the modified asphalt after aging is decreased, which further shows that the addition of a modifier can decrease the influence of aging on asphalt. Nanoparticles are uniformly dispersed in the asphalt and form a three-dimensional interconnected structure with BF, which effectively improves the overall performance of the asphalt. Nano-ZnO and fibers have weak chemical reactions in matrix asphalt, but they are physically dispersed and compatible.