Practical Applications of FTIR to Characterize Paving Materials

Practical applications of Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) in determination of quality and uniformity of antistripping additives, curing membrane compounds, concrete spall repair epoxy materials, evaporation retardants, and concrete cement were investigated. Polymer content in a number of polymer modified asphalt samples were measured based on calibration curves developed for two sets of samples (received from asphalt suppliers to Texas Department of Transportation) with known polymer contents. Quantification of polymer in asphalt was based on the relationship between the intensity ratio of 966 cm-1/1375 cm-1absorption bands to the polymer concentration (wt%). Correlation factor for this relationship for the two sets of data was above 0.96. FTIR technique appears to be capable of quantifying alkali content in concrete cement. A linear relationship was observed relating absorption bands ratio of 750 cm-1/923 cm-1 to Na2O equivalent (as measured with X-ray Fluorescence) with R² =0.97. FTIR fingerprints of spall repair patching epoxy, concrete curing membrane, and evaporation retardants were obtained. A separate practical protocol for each kind of analysis was developed for identification and quantification (where applicable) for paving materials constituents. Despite successful applications of FTIR in the analysis of polymer content in asphalt binders, alkali content assessment in concrete cement, and fingerprinting of spall repair epoxy, curing membranes, and evaporation retardants, FTIR was not found to be a suitable technique to detect and quantify antistripping agents in asphalt materials due to low concentration of the antistripping agents and possibly band overlap in the spectra of organic compounds.

• Record URL:
  https://library.ctr.utexas.edu/hostedpdfs/UNT_0-5608-1.pdf
• 
• Supplemental Notes:
  • Project Title: Practical Applications of FTIR to Characterize Paving Materials. Report Date: November 2009; Published: December 2010.
• Corporate Authors:

  University of North Texas, Denton

  Department of Engineering Technology
  3940 North Elm Street
  Denton, TX  United States  76207

  Texas Department of Transportation

  Research and Technology Implementation Office, P.O. Box 5080
  Austin, TX  United States  78763-5080

  Federal Highway Administration

  1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE
  Washington, DC  United States  20590
• Authors:
  • Nasrazadani, Seifollah
  • Mielke, David
  • Springfield, Tyler
  • Ramasamy, Naresh
• Publication Date: 2010-12

Language

• English

Media Info

• Media Type: Print
• Edition: Technical Report
• Features: Appendices; Figures; References; Tables;
• Pagination: 163p

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Antistrip additives; Asphalt emulsions; Bituminous binders; Cement; Curing agents; Epoxides; Fourier transforms; Infrared spectroscopy; Membrane curing; Polymer asphalt
• Uncontrolled Terms: Alkali content; Evaporation reducers; Polymer content; Spall repair materials
• Subject Areas: Highways; Materials; Pavements; I31: Bituminous Binders and Materials; I32: Concrete; I35: Miscellaneous Materials;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01338174
• Record Type: Publication
• Report/Paper Numbers: FHWA/TX-11/0-5608-1, Report 0-5608-1
• Contract Numbers: Project 0-5608
• Files: TRIS, USDOT, STATEDOT
• Created Date: Apr 28 2011 2:48PM