Study on the Construction of Dynamic Modulus Master Curve of Polyurethane Mixture with Dense Gradation

Abstract

The PU mixture considered here is a new kind of pavement material with excellent road performance, which lacks study into its dynamic mechanical and viscoelastic properties. In this study, the dynamic modulus of the polyurethane (PU) mixture was fitted by using five master curve models, five shift factor equations, and four error minimization methods. According to test results, the log–log plot form was able to more effectively display the differences between master curves. The solver method, the sum of square error minimization (≤0.02), proved to be more appropriate and accurate with higher fitting parameter results. The line of equality statistic and Pearson linear correlation analysis results demonstrated that WLF and Kaelble equations were appropriate for five master curve models with trend line R2 values higher than 0.98. The GLS and SCM model with the WLF equation had the most accurate master curve fitting results. The dynamic modulus master curve shape of the PU mixture did not follow the traditional smooth “S” shape and did not show the ultimate dynamic modulus at extreme frequency. The viscoelasticity of the PU mixture is quite different from that of the asphalt mixture. This study recommended the most accurate error minimization method, the master curve model, and shift factor equations for characterizing the dynamic properties of the PU mixture.