Evaluation of western and eastern shale oil residua as asphalt pavement recycling agents.

摘要

The objective of this investigation was to perform a preliminary evaluation of the utility of residual materials prepared from Green River Formation (western) and New Albany Shale (eastern) shale oils as recycling agents for aged asphalt pavement. Four petroleum asphalts were first aged by a thin-film accelerated-aging test, which simulates long service life of asphalt in pavement. The aged asphalts were mixed (recycled) with Green River Formation shale oil distillation residua to restore the original viscosities. Separately, for comparison, a commercial recycling agent was used to recycle the aged asphalts under the same circumstances. The recycled asphalts were reaged and the properties of both binder and asphalt-aggregate mixtures studied. Originally, the same study was intended for an eastern shale residua. However, the eastern shale oil distillation residua with the required flash point specification also had the properties of a viscosity builder; therefore, it was studied as such with asphalts that do not achieve sufficient viscosity during processing to serve as usable binders. Results show that Green River Formation shale oil residuum can be used to restore the original asphalt properties with favorable rheological properties, the shale oil residuum has a beneficial effect on resistance to moisture damage, the low-temperature properties of the shale oil residuum recycled asphalts are not adversely affected, and the low-temperature properties of the shale oil residuum recycled asphalts are dependent upon the chemistry of the mixture. The eastern shale oil residua was blended with soft petroleum asphalts. Results show the products have higher viscosities than the starting materials, the rheological properties of the soft asphalt-eastern shale oil residue blends are acceptable, and the eastern shale oil residue has dispersant properties despite its high viscosity. 11 refs., 3 figs., 9 tabs.