**Acknowledgements**

**Figure 15** shows the coarse texture of rubber. The irregular shape and rough texture of rubber

Furthermore, the microstructure of HDPE is shown in **Figure 16**. It should be noted that HDPE has a higher viscosity compared to bitumen. The materials with high viscosity do not separate easily, and therefore, they present in the form of dispersed phase, as can be clearly

Today, pure bitumen no longer provides suitable performance for pavements due to the current traffic. Therefore, attempts have been made to maximize the effectiveness of asphalt binders selected for construction projects based on a standard asphalt binder classification system. Binder modification technique is used as an alternative to minimize the pavement failures

can be attributed to its processing method, which is the ambient procedure.

**Figure 16.** EDS analysis and SEM image of HDPE at 400 magnification.

**Figure 15.** EDS analysis and SEM image of rubber at 400 magnification.

observed in **Figure 16**.

126 Modified Asphalt

**7. Summary and conclusion**

The authors would like to acknowledge the Advanced Materials Characterization Facility (AMCF) at Western Sydney University for their expert technical assistance.
