Contents




Preface

graphical areas.

can vary to make asphalt heavier.

are subjected during their application.

failures or thermal properties.

This book presents specific information on asphalt modifications, which has become an in‐ teresting area in recent years, due to the relevance of these kinds of materials for applica‐ tions in roads and highways. The current requirements in terms of the capacity to withstand greater loads on roads and highways make it necessary to develop more resistance asphalt with better properties, for instance deformation resistance at high temperatures, low-tem‐ perature cracking, and fatigue cracking, with the aim of meeting the needs of different geo‐

Asphalt is a byproduct of oil refinery and is a complex mix of hydrocarbons. Because it has a varied composition that mainly consists of heavy oil fractions, such as saturated asphal‐ tenes, resins, and aromatics, and depending on its origin, the proportions of these fractions

The main problems with modified asphalts are phase separation and thermal stability, which are responsible for failures such as ruts, fractures, and cracks, among others. Depend‐ ing of the environmental conditions of use, these failures can increase in some cases, so it becomes necessary to use modifier agents that improve the characteristics of asphalts.

Asphalt modifiers by excellence are elastomers, mainly styrene-butadiene; however, even modified asphalt with these kinds of elastomers have fallen short in fulfilling their main purpose, which is why it is necessary to look for new modifiers and especially new develop‐

Among the main properties that a modified asphalt must have are mechanical properties, since final performance depends on their supporting the loads and conditions to which they

In recent years, environmental issues have become an important aspect of caring, so not on‐ ly should modified asphalts allow for lower fuel consumption, but also the modifying agents such as polymers or natural products can be recycled, because in this way natural

This book is divided into two sections: the first "Asphalts with Environmental Focus" and the second "Evaluation of Asphalt Performance." The objective of presenting in this way is to analyze the options to generate modified asphalts using environmentally friendly materi‐ als and, on the other hand, to analyze the performance of modified asphalts with conven‐ tional agents such as rubbers, polymers, or clays, or to evaluate properties such as fatigue

ments to adapt and evaluate the performance of modified asphalts.

resources would be used less and less pollution would be generated.
