Rheological Characterization of Bitumen Modified with Crumb Rubber Percentages and Surfactant

People working with crumb rubber-modified bitumen (CRMB) frequently complain about its unpleasant or objectionable odor. To lower construction temperatures, poor workability, and dangerous gas emissions, warm mix additives (WMA) have been added to rubberized asphalt mixes. WMA can increase long-term pavement efficiency when used along with rubberized asphalt pavements. The surfactant has been shown to effectively allay worries about WMA’s capacity to be worked without impairing its mechanical qualities. The characteristics of crumb rubber surfactant-modified bitumen (CRSMB) and CRMB are examined in this work. Crumb rubber (CR) powder with a particle size of 0.425 mm and a Brij 58 surfactant were used in this study. A number of laboratory tests were conducted to determine several characteristics that were utilized to define the surfactant-CR binder and make comparisons with a standard pure bitumen. These measurements included phase angle (δ) and complex shear modulus (G*) at amplitude and frequency sweep. The rheological characteristics of pure and modified bitumen were examined using dynamic shear rheometer (DSR) tests at various amplitudes and frequencies. The variability of these characteristics was examined at different temperatures, strain rates, and frequencies. The rutting and fatigue properties of the binders were also studied. The results indicate that the higher percentages of CRSMB binders exhibited improved rut resistance. Furthermore, the surfactant-treated CR binders showed lower fatigue parameters and aging index values than CRMB, indicating enhanced fatigue and aging resistance. The range of rheological assessments showed that the CRSMB exhibited superior performance at elevated temperatures compared to CRMB and enhanced performance at intermediate and lower temperatures.