A comprehensive review of rheological behaviors of asphalt binders, mastics, and mixtures from a generalized rheology perspective

Abstract

Studying the rheological behaviors of asphalt binders and mixtures, such as their temperature and stress dependency, is an important research direction for asphalt materials. Although the viscoelastic properties of asphalt mixtures are primarily derived from the characteristics of asphalt binders, asphalt mixtures are a granular viscoelastic solid material, and their rheological models and mechanical properties have both similarities and significant differences compared to those of asphalt binders. However, current research on the rheological properties of asphalt binders neglects the performance prediction of asphalt mixtures. Specifically, experiments using a dynamic shear rheometer (DSR) to test asphalt binders involve many control variables, and research on the correlations between various indicators is limited. Research that correlates the properties of asphalt mastics with those of asphalt mixtures is even scarcer, overlooking the role of fillers. Furthermore, current research predominantly focuses on the service performance of asphalt mixtures, with relatively less attention given to the rheological properties during the mixing and compaction period. The significant challenges faced in the study of the rheological properties of asphalt mixtures include the wide range of particle sizes, significant differences in material properties, and changes in rheological behavior with temperature. This article aims to provide a systematic review of existing research on the rheological properties of asphalt and its mixtures within a multi-scale dispersed system from a generalized rheology perspective. It is expected that this review will serve as technical reference for mixture proportioning and performance indicator determination, thereby contributing to improving asphalt pavement design.