The Governors of the University of Alberta

Published purpose

It is well-known that asphalt pavements in cold regions such as Canada are exposed to number of environmental stresses such as thermal fatigue cycles and low-temperatures which result in different modes of distresses most commonly cracking. In addition, repeated application of traffic loads on flexible pavement induces structural cracking known as bottom-up fatigue distress. Considering that cracked pavements are more susceptible to water seepage and frost action, it is crucial to reverse the cracking process through use of self-healing bituminous materials in order to extend the service life of the infrastructure, reduce the amount of Greenhouse Gas emissions and decrease the energy usage. Improving the self-healing properties of asphalt binder and Hot Mix Asphalt (HMA) through innovative techniques and novel applications is still at emerging stage. This project will investigate the rheological properties and healing characterization of nano-clay modified asphalt binder and performance testing of HMA specimens containing nano-clay modified asphalt binder.