Verification and improvement of the rate of asphalt aging simulated by AASHTO PP1-98 protocol

It is well documented that environmental effects play a significant role in characterizing material properties, which in turn affect pavement performance. Studies under the Strategic Highway Research Program (SHRP) were carried out on the age-hardening characteristics of asphalt binders and mixes. As a result, laboratory procedures to simulate the field hardening of asphalt binders and mixes, AASHTO Provisional Protocols PP1-98 and PP2-99, were developed. The approaches followed in these procedures are of great value for the ongoing research on pavement aging; however, due to limited resources and time constraints under the SHRP program, these provisional procedures have certain limitations. A research study, NCHRP Project 9-23, was initiated to overcome these limitations and enhance the predictive capabilities of these protocols. The current research paper is a part of NCHRP 9-23, which deals with the PP1-98 protocol. Binders and field cores were obtained from long-term pavement performance and other sites across the United States. Original, laboratory-aged, and field-aged binders were characterized through dynamic shear rheometer testing. The existing protocol was verified; on the basis of the findings, the protocol was improved to include the effect of field aging conditions and mix properties. The developed model was calibrated and validated with field data. Parametric analysis was performed on the final model to ascertain the practicality of the output On the basis of those findings, a recommended provisional protocol was developed. The recommendations apply only for conventional, nonmodified binders.