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    <title>Transport Research International Documentation (TRID)</title>
    <link>https://trid.trb.org/</link>
    <atom:link href="https://trid.trb.org/Record/RSS?s=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" rel="self" type="application/rss+xml" />
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    <copyright>Copyright © 2026. National Academy of Sciences. All rights reserved.</copyright>
    <docs>http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss</docs>
    <managingEditor>tris-trb@nas.edu (Bill McLeod)</managingEditor>
    <webMaster>tris-trb@nas.edu (Bill McLeod)</webMaster>
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      <title>Transport Research International Documentation (TRID)</title>
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      <link>https://trid.trb.org/</link>
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    <item>
      <title>Field Performance Evaluation of Novophalt Modified Asphalt Concrete</title>
      <link>https://trid.trb.org/View/2680591</link>
      <description><![CDATA[The Oklahoma Department of Transportation (ODOT) has completed an experimental section of NOVOPHALT modified asphalt concrete on I-35 in northeast Oklahoma City. The experimental section was done as part of Project IM-35-3(223)130. The IM-35-3(223)130 area had an ADT of 46,800. Before construction, the project area was heavily rutted. Shoving had occurred adjacent to some of the ruts, which added to the effect of the ruts on motorists. Other agencies have reported that NOVOPHALT modified asphalt concrete has been successful in resisting rutting and shoving. NOVOPHALT is produced by blending polyolefins, mainly polyethylene, into paving grade asphalt cement. Briefly, IM-35-3(223)130 consisted of the following: Cold milling was done to remove two existing pavement layers which were considered to be unstable. After cold milling, the project area was overlayed with 3 inches of Type "A" asphalt concrete, then surfaced with 1 1/2 inches of Type "B". The experimental section of NOVOPHALT modified asphalt concrete was in the Type "B" surface layer. Novophalt America, the NOVOPHALT distributor, provided a mobile blending unit to supply NOVOPHALT to the contractor's hot mix plant. The blending unit supplies NOVOPHALT to the plant in ready to use condition. Rut measurements, Mays Ridemeter tests, and Falling Weight Deflectometer tests were done before construction and after completion. All areas showed improvement. Similar data will be collected during the remainder of the evaluation period.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Tue, 24 Mar 2026 17:29:57 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://trid.trb.org/View/2680591</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Study on recycled LLDPE modified asphalt using fluorescence microscopy and entropy-weight evaluation for process selection</title>
      <link>https://trid.trb.org/View/2645682</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Road engineering is critical for large-scale waste plastic recycling. Agricultural mulch films have huge annual consumption but extremely low recycling rates. Unrecycled ones degrade slowly (over 400 years) and release microplastics, harming ecosystems. This study used linear low-density polyethylene (LLDPE) from these films as an asphalt modifier to boost recycling and improve properties of virgin asphalt. The study prepared LLDPE modified asphalt with 4 % LLDPE content adjusting shear temperatures (160 ℃, 180 ℃, 200 ℃), shear rates (2000 rpm, 3000 rpm, 4000 rpm), and feeding methods (direct blending, pre-melting blending). The mechanical tests were used to assess LLDPE’s effects on asphalt’s road performance and storage stability. Based on combined fluorescence microscopy with image processing, the indicators such as average particle size (Aps), roundness (Rs), nearest neighbor distance (NND) and coefficient of variation (CV) for quantitative evaluation of LLDPE’s melting and dispersion in asphalt were proposed. Finally, a 100-point evaluation system for modification effects via the entropy weight method was established. LLDPE improved asphalt’s high temperature deformation resistance but reduced low temperature ductility. The optimal process was 180℃, 3000 rpm and direct blending, which achieved the only full score.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Fri, 20 Mar 2026 08:41:00 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://trid.trb.org/View/2645682</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Development and Assessment of Monotonic Cracking Index for Plastic-Modified Asphalt: A Comparative Study with Established Performance Metrics</title>
      <link>https://trid.trb.org/View/2628080</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Traditional performance indices used to evaluate the cracking performance of neat asphalt binders do not effectively assess plastic-modified asphalt binders. To address this, new rheological tests such as linear amplitude sweep, frequency sweep, and binder yield energy have been developed. Among these, the binder yield energy test (BYET) provides a simple and efficient means of measuring yield energy, flexibility, and peak stress under monotonic shear loading. However, its focus on performance up to peak stress overlooks the critical post-peak stress response, which is useful for assessing crack resistance. This study introduces the monotonic cracking index (MCI), derived from the BYET, which incorporates pre- and post-peak stress responses to evaluate the cracking behavior of plastic-modified asphalt binders. Binders modified with recycled high-density polyethylene and recycled polypropylene were prepared by adding these plastics to a PG 64-22 base binder at 2%, 4%, and 6% by weight of the binder to evaluate the effects of plastic content on cracking resistance. The results show strong correlations between the MCI and advanced performance indicators, including the Glover-Rowe (G-R) parameter, crossover temperature (Tδ=45°), and rheological index (R-value), but an inverse correlation with fatigue life (Nf). While Nf results indicate a higher loading cycle before failure, other indices indicate increased susceptibility to cracking with the addition of rHDPE and rPP, highlighting the potential of MCI to accurately assess the cracking performance of plastic-modified binders.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Tue, 17 Mar 2026 09:48:46 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://trid.trb.org/View/2628080</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Sustainable concrete using rice husk ash, PET, and tire rubber as fine aggregate substitutes</title>
      <link>https://trid.trb.org/View/2635590</link>
      <description><![CDATA[The construction industry demands large amounts of natural resources and generates significant waste. This study evaluates concrete performance when fine aggregate is partially replaced with rice husk ash (RHA), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), and tire rubber. Laboratory tests were performed on concrete mixtures in which each recycled material was used separately to replace 2.5 %, 5 %, and 10 % of the fine aggregate by mass. The selection of these materials was based on their high regional availability, as they represent abundant solid waste generated by the local agro-industrial and urban sectors. Mechanical and physical properties—including compressive strength, air content, density, workability, tensile strength, and modulus of elasticity—were evaluated, along with microstructural and thermogravimetric analyses.The results indicate that recycled materials affect concrete performance. All mixtures were initially produced with the same w/c ratio, but RHA mixtures required a higher ratio due to their high absorption and reduced workability. At 28 days, the 2.5 % RHA mixture showed only a 1.6 % strength reduction, while PET and rubber mixtures with the same w/c ratio exhibited losses of 10 % and 11 %, respectively. Tensile strength followed the same trend, decreasing by 4 % for RHA compared to 18 % and 20 % for PET and rubber. The modulus of elasticity of the 10 % RHA mixture decreased by 25 %, compared to the PET and rubber mixtures, which reached reductions of up to 34 % despite having lower w/c ratios. SEM and TGA analyses showed better matrix interaction and more stable thermal behavior for RHA compared to PET and rubber. The study concludes that these recycled materials can be used as fine-aggregate substitutes at replacement levels up to 5 %.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Wed, 04 Feb 2026 16:28:53 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://trid.trb.org/View/2635590</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>A Screening Tool for Assessment of Moisture-Induced Damage of Asphalt Mixes Containing RAP Based on Molecular Dynamics Simulation [supporting dataset]</title>
      <link>https://trid.trb.org/View/2643005</link>
      <description><![CDATA[These are simulation results including the run files, data files, log files, resulting trajectories, and the resulting forces. The complete methods including the parameters used in LAMMPS are described in the final report. The zip file contains a large amount of data, organized in the following fashion. The top 2 folders refer to the simulations with polyethylene (PE) and without PE. The next set of folders refer to the velocity at which the droplets were removed from the substrate. Each of those folders contains the aforementioned data files (which contained molecular structure and forcefield information), run files (which contain the simulation parameters), trajectory files, which contain the molecule positions over time, a generic log file, which contains energy information and the command line output of the simulation, and a forces log file which logged the displacement and force associated with the virtual spring. The zip file contains a large amount of data (>100GB).]]></description>
      <pubDate>Fri, 09 Jan 2026 16:58:54 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://trid.trb.org/View/2643005</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>A Screening Tool for Assessment of Moisture-Induced Damage of Asphalt Mixes Containing RAP Based on Molecular Dynamics Simulation</title>
      <link>https://trid.trb.org/View/2643004</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Moisture-induced damage in asphalt pavements remains a significant challenge for road infrastructure durability. This study investigated the adhesive interactions between asphalt binder and aggregate surfaces, with particular focus on the effects of moisture and polyethylene (PE) modification. Using atomistic molecular dynamics simulations, we quantified the adhesion energy between a model SHRP AAA-1 asphalt binder and SiO2 aggregate surface under various moisture conditions. The simulation methodology was validated by achieving dry adhesion energies (46 mJ/m²) consistent with experimental measurements. Interestingly, low water concentrations (<0.5 waters per nm²) initially increased adhesion energy, possibly due to enhanced hydrogen bonding. The addition of PE (2.52 wt%) to the asphalt binder produced two significant effects: it reduced the dry binding energy to 33 mJ/m², likely due to PE's non-polar nature, but demonstrated a protective effect against water damage at higher moisture concentrations. While unmodified asphalt showed continuous degradation of adhesion with increasing moisture content, PE-modified binder maintained stable binding energies around 28-29 mJ/m² (greater than the 23 mJ/m² for unmodified asphalt, which continued to decrease). This stabilization effect appears related to PE's hydrophobic nature, which helps repel water from the asphalt-aggregate interface. These findings suggest PE modification could improve moisture damage resistance in wet conditions, though further investigation of its effects on dry properties is needed.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Fri, 09 Jan 2026 16:58:54 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://trid.trb.org/View/2643004</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Structural Behavior and Design of Recycled LDPE-FRP Hybrid Beams for Bridge Collision Protection</title>
      <link>https://trid.trb.org/View/2616791</link>
      <description><![CDATA[The paper summarizes results of a pilot study that evaluates both the service and ultimate short-term behavior of hybrid beams made of recycled low-density polyethylene (LDPE) plastic matrix and reinforced with fiber-reinforced polymer (FRP) composite rebars. The primary objective of this study is to explore the feasibility of utilizing such hybrid beams for construction applications, including collision protection systems for bridge piers, bridge pier collision protection, and other secondary structural uses. The experimental program comprised two phases. The first phase focused on materials’ characterization of both the LDPE matrix and FRP reinforcement material. The second phase of the experimental program involved full-scale flexural testing of different LDPE-FRP hybrid beams. Two groups of hybrid beams, each with a different FRP reinforcement configuration, were evaluated experimentally. For each group, three identical hybrid beams were tested. Two beams within each group were loaded to their maximum flexural capacity, controlled by midspan deflection, while the others were subjected to multiple loading/unloading cycles followed by an increasing monotonic loading regime until the maximum capacity was reached. Experimental results indicated that the hybrid beams exhibited linear behavior up to 80% of the ultimate load, followed by a nonlinear response to maximum load. For all beam specimens, no cracks or failures within the LDPE matrix were observed. However, slippage of the FRP rebars, particularly in the top compressive reinforcements, was the dominant mode of local failure that caused a significant reduction in stiffness. In addition, a closed-form analytical model, based on strain compatibility and force equilibrium, was developed to predict the flexural behavior of such hybrid beams. Using the proposed model, a good agreement between the experimental and theoretical results was achieved.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Mon, 29 Dec 2025 09:34:35 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://trid.trb.org/View/2616791</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Optimization of blending methodology of composite modified asphalt binders with micronized PET and nanosilica</title>
      <link>https://trid.trb.org/View/2609083</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Incorporating waste polyethylene terephthalate (PET) and nanosilica (NS) into asphalt binders through composite modification can enhance their physical and rheological properties. However, selecting an optimal blending approach is critical to achieving superior performance. This study evaluates the effects of five blending methodologies for preparing composite binders with micronized PET (mPET) and NS. The investigated approaches include: (1) sequential addition of mPET followed by NS (Seq 1), (2) nanosilica followed by mPET, (3) simultaneous addition of premixed modifiers, (4) incorporation of modifiers pre-dissolved in a liquid solvent, and (5) separate blending of the two modifiers before combining the partial blends. The influence of these approaches was assessed through conventional tests (storage stability and rotational viscosity), rheological evaluations (Superpave rutting factor, multiple stress creep and recovery (MSCR), frequency sweep, and temperature sweep), and advanced evaluations (XRD, FTIR, and optical microscopy). Radar graph analysis was used to compare all binders simultaneously considering multiple attributes. Results indicate that the composite modification approach significantly influences binder performance compared to individual modification, with the sequential addition of mPET followed by NS yielding the most favourable performance. All composite modified binders showed two times better storage stability than the individual modified binders. Composite modification led to an average 20 % reduction in MSCR non-recovered compliance (Jnr) at 3.2 kPa compared to individually modified binders, indicating enhanced rutting resistance. The Seq 1 binder demonstrated 12 % lower Jnr than the average of all composite binders prepared using different blending techniques. At 76°C, individually modified binders showed a 21 % increase in G*/sin δ over the control, while composite binders averaged a 110 % improvement over the individual ones. Seq 1 binder stood out with a 172 % increase in G*/sin δ, outperforming all other blending methods.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Tue, 02 Dec 2025 09:56:42 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://trid.trb.org/View/2609083</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Study on the reinforcement mechanism and properties of polypropylene/ethylene-vinyl acetate blends replacing styrene-butadiene-styrene for degraded crumb rubber modified asphalt</title>
      <link>https://trid.trb.org/View/2607733</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Currently, the performance of asphalt pavement is greatly influenced by environmental temperature and load. Introducing polymer modifiers is an effective strategy to improve road performance. Styrene-Butadiene-Styrene (SBS) is the most widely used polymer modifier, but it is expensive. Therefore, reducing the SBS content or developing alternative materials is one of the effective solutions. In recent years, crumb rubber (CR), degraded crumb rubber (DCR) have been found to be effective, but their road performance and storage stability still need improvement. Waste plastics such as ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer (EVA) and polypropylene (PP) have shown potential as asphalt modifiers, however, not much research has been done on how they work together with CR or DCR in asphalt. Therefore, this study uses the high temperature rutting resistance of PP and the low temperature anti-cracking of EVA to prepare DCR/PP/EVA composite modified asphalt (PEMA), aiming to improve the high and low temperature performance of asphalt. The effects on the microstructure and rheological properties of asphalt are explored, and the feasibility of PP/EVA replacing SBS is investigated. First, the influence of different PP/EVA ratios on the physical properties of asphalt was explored. The rheological properties and deformation resistance were evaluated using dynamic shear rheometer (DSR) and multiple stress creep and recovery (MSCR). In addition, the compatibility and microstructure of the composite modified asphalt were characterized by segregation experiments and microscopic techniques. The modification mechanism of PEMA was reasonably inferred using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and microstructure tests. The results showed that when the content of PP/EVA composite modifier was 6 wt% (PP:EVA = 5:5), its high temperature rutting resistance, low temperature anti-cracking, deformation resistance and elastic recovery ability were all better than SBS/DCR modified asphalt (SDCRMA). The cross linked network formed by DCR, PP and EVA greatly improved the storage stability, outperforming that of SDCRMA. The PP/EVA blend shows potential as a substitute for SBS in the preparation of modified asphalt. This study provides a new way to prepare modified asphalt with good high and low temperature performance with reducing construction costs.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Mon, 24 Nov 2025 10:23:28 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://trid.trb.org/View/2607733</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Evaluation of High Density Polyethylene Pipe (HDPE) Culvert in a Mainline Application</title>
      <link>https://trid.trb.org/View/2601515</link>
      <description><![CDATA[The objectives of the annual and final reports are to document the performance of the experimental feature since construction, to visually document the condition of the HDPE pipe culvert and to assess any change in interior pipe diameter (deflection), joint integrity, buckling, or other visual physical attributes.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Sun, 02 Nov 2025 17:49:18 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://trid.trb.org/View/2601515</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Ageing and moisture effects on the morphology and adhesion properties of polyurethane modified bitumen with cecabase</title>
      <link>https://trid.trb.org/View/2606893</link>
      <description><![CDATA[The number of studies on using polyurethane as bitumen modifier has been increasing in recent years. With the increase in the demand for more durable and sustainable road paving materials it is crucial to understand the short and long-term behaviour of modified bitumens. This study employs the Atomic Force Microscopy tests to examine how ageing affects the morphological and adhesion properties of Polyurethane Modified Bitumen enhanced with a chemical Warm Mix Asphalt (Cecabase). The ageing and moisture effects were quantified using Atomic Force Microscopy to gain detailed insights into the microscale topographical changes and conduct spectroscopy analysis of the modified bitumen. The Atomic Force Microscopy analysis revealed that ageing and moisture reduce the bee-structure through 2D and 3D topography images. The presence of moisture has been seen to modify the surface roughness with the incorporation of Cecabase. Despite the overall trend of roughness decreasing in long-term aged conditions, there is an increase of 4.0 % for bitumen with polyurethane, 12.4 % for bitumen combined with polyurethane and cecabase, and 35.4 % for bitumen augmented with cecabase, in comparison to base bitumen in unaged conditions. The tip deflection ratio which examined the sensitivity of the sample to the presence of water from the spectroscopy analysis showed that incorporating Cecabase decreased by 9.8 % and 4.7 % respectively after short term and long term aged conditions that proved the characteristic of Cecabase reducing the viscosity of the bitumen. The smaller tip deflection value also indicates that the ageing process stiffened the bitumen. The adhesive force analysis revealed that ageing has a considerable detrimental effect on the bitumens’ adhesive force where during short term condition, the most reduction value of 21nN was recorded for sample incorporating with Polyurethane and Cecabase. Moisture also affected the adhesive force by lowering the adhesive force values of all samples when compared to dry conditions. However, incorporating Polyurethane and Cecabase improved the aggregate-bitumen adhesion, as indicated by the higher adhesive force values observed in dry and wet conditions as well after ageing when compared to the base bitumen. These findings proved the benefits of adding Polyurethane with Cecabase to bitumen as a modifier for Warm Mix Asphalt application.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Mon, 27 Oct 2025 09:37:33 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://trid.trb.org/View/2606893</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Assessing the Impact of Low-Density Polyethylene on Binder Modification and Rheological Performance: Effect of Plastic Source Variability</title>
      <link>https://trid.trb.org/View/2612385</link>
      <description><![CDATA[This research study evaluates the effect of four different sources of waste low-density polyethylene (LDPE) on the rheological performance of plastic-modified binders. LDPE is widely used in packaging, primarily as a single-use plastic, and because of its low economic value after recycling, it holds the largest share among the non-recycled plastic waste. The optimum plastic source was identified using a multi-criteria decision-making (MCDM) approach based on eight different parameters. The findings indicate that the melt flow index (MFI) and degree of crystallinity (DOC) are the most sensitive parameters to variations in plastic sources. Binder modification with plastics reduces the Jnr 3.2 values by 58.6%, 60%, 60%, and 70% at 60°C for LDP, LDF, LDS, and LDPU, respectively, compared with the base binder. Conversely, recovery values increased by 214, 130, 426, and 486 times for LDP, LDF, LDS, and LDPU, respectively, at 60°C. LDPE sources with higher MFI showed relatively lower mixing time, higher plastic dosages, and improved storage stability. LDPE sources containing functional groups of ketone and aldehyde, resulting from microbial degradation, showed superior processing parameters but lower performance compared with other LDPE sources. Additionally, MFI of polymers exhibited an inverse correlation with fatigue performance at lower temperatures, while DOC had a direct correlation with fatigue life (Nf). The study identifies that both DOC and MFI are crucial in defining the rheological performance of modified binders, especially at high temperatures, although their relative dominance remains undetermined. Overall, the modified binder exhibits improved performance at higher and intermediate service temperatures.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Thu, 23 Oct 2025 13:11:10 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://trid.trb.org/View/2612385</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Revisiting MSCR test parameters for LDPE-modified asphalt binders</title>
      <link>https://trid.trb.org/View/2595388</link>
      <description><![CDATA[This study evaluates the high-temperature rheological performance of waste LDPE-modified asphalt binders, with sulfur (S) and maleic anhydride (MAH), using the Multiple Stress Creep and Recovery (MSCR) test. The effects of stress levels, loading cycles, and recovery periods are analyzed, further validating the results with dynamic creep test. LDPE modification improves resistance to permanent deformation, showing lower non-recoverable creep compliance (Jnr) and higher percent recovery (R). With an increase in recovery time (19 s) the reduction in Jnr is observed, particularly at lower stress levels, with high-dosage LDPE binders exhibiting higher recovery. Asphalt concrete mixtures confirm improved resistance to permanent deformation, with MAH outperforming sulfur. Strong correlations were observed between binder rankings using the MSCR test and mixture rankings especially at higher stress levels highlighting stress-dependent behavior. This research study recommends that MSCR test should be conducted with 30 loading cycles at 3.2 kPa, while 10 cycles provide reliable rankings when higher stress levels (6.4 or 12.8 kPa) are used. Findings of this research study show that stress level and loading cycles play a more critical role in evaluating binder performance than extended recovery time, for optimizing MSCR test parameters for polymer-modified asphalt binders.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Wed, 22 Oct 2025 16:46:32 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://trid.trb.org/View/2595388</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Effect of thermal cycles on modified and unmodified asphalt mixtures with plastic waste of PET</title>
      <link>https://trid.trb.org/View/2593391</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Population growth drives increased road traffic. The climate in many regions worldwide, combined with environmental needs in developing areas with harsh climates, requires monitoring the performance of bituminous mixtures. This study examines the rheological and mechanical behavior of ordinary and polyethylene terephthalate (PET)-modified bituminous mixtures under various thermal cycling conditions (freezing-thawing in winter and heating-cooling cycles in summer). Two sizes of PET plastic waste were used: coarse(2.50–1.25 mm) and fine (0.315–0.16 mm), with three different contents (3, 5, and 7 %) by weight of bitumen, using the dry method. The tests conducted included creep-recovery (Four-point bending test), rutting test, retained strength test (moisture damage), and leaching test. Results showed that adding PET significantly improved resistance to permanent deformation (up to 45 %), reduced rut depth by 41.23 % with 5 % PET, enhanced resistance to moisture sensitivity, and was not aggressive to road construction. Conversely, freezing-thawing cycles caused more damage to asphalt pavement than heating-cooling cycles. Additionally, PET modification helps prevent damage from these thermal cycles and enhances road durability.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Thu, 16 Oct 2025 17:02:35 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://trid.trb.org/View/2593391</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Comprehensive Rheological, Thermal, Chemical, and Morphological Characterization of the LDPE-Modified Asphalt Binder</title>
      <link>https://trid.trb.org/View/2589080</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Globally, an enormous amount of low-density polyethylene (LDPE) waste is landfilled, causing drastic environmental impacts. Incorporating LDPE in asphalt binder can mitigate its negative impact on the environment, improve pavement performance, and reduce the life-cycle cost. Many studies have investigated the potential use of LDPE as an asphalt binder modifier, and have produced different, and sometimes contradicting, findings. This research investigated LDPE-modified asphalt binder behavior and characteristics, from different asphalt binder sources and using different techniques, to provide valuable insights into the use of LDPE as an asphalt binder modifier. An experimental program was designed to produce LDPE-modified asphalts. The LDPE-modified asphalts were characterized comprehensively using rheological, chemical, thermal, and microstructural analyses. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), and ultraviolet visible near infrared spectroscopy (UV-Vis-NIR) were used to characterize the chemical composition, micromorphology, temperature stability, and light absorption rate of the modified asphalt, respectively. Dynamic shear rheometer (DSR), bending beam rheometer (BBR), and Brookfield rotational viscometer (BRV) tests were employed to characterize the modified asphalts rheologically at different aging levels. The results demonstrate that modifying asphalt binder with LDPE produces a thoroughly homogenous LDPE-modified asphalt binder that typically has enhanced rutting resistance. However, the presence of LDPE may negatively affect the cracking resistance, aging resistance, and thermal stability of the modified asphalt binder. The type (source) of asphalt binder was found to have a significant effect on the LDPE-modified asphalt binder behavior, which can explain some of the contradicting findings found in the literature.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Thu, 25 Sep 2025 09:30:55 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://trid.trb.org/View/2589080</guid>
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