Crumb Rubber Modified Bitumen

Abstract

The rapid utilization of crumb rubber in flexible pavements requires the better understanding of its effect on physical and rheological properties of rubberized bitumen binders. The properties of rubberized bitumen binder are influenced by the blending conditions and crumb rubber content. The main objective of present study was to investigate the effect of crumb rubber content on the physical, rheological properties and rutting resistance of rubberized bitumen by varying the percentage of rubber content. The rubber used in the present study has natural rubber content equal to 34%. Laboratory tests were conducted to evaluate properties of bitumen binder with different rubber contents. The percentage of rubber content was varied from 0 to 16% (0, 2.5, 5, 7.5, 10, and 16). The tests undertaken comprise the Ductility test, Penetration test, Softening point and Marshal Stability test. The results showed that the addition of crumb rubber has an effect on the physical properties of rubberized bitumen binders. Addition of crumb rubber decreased its penetration and ductility. The results indicated that the rubber content has the potential to resist rutting deformation that occurs in road pavement as result of increased traffic loading. The results of present study were also compared with previous study having natural rubber percentage as 60.