Pressure Aging Vessel and Low-Temperature Properties of Asphalt Binders

The oxidative aging during the service life in asphalt binders used in construction of asphalt pavements significantly affects the performance of these pavements. A study investigating the effect of the pressure aging vessel (PAY) laboratory aging procedure on low-temperature properties of asphalt binders is presented. Bending beam rheometer creep tests and direct tension fracture tests were performed on laboratory-aged binders as well as extracted binders. Significant differences existed between extracted binder and PAV binder behavior at low temperatures. PAV aging was not always detrimental for asphalt binder fracture properties compared with the aging from rolling thin-film oven testing.