Improving durability of asphalt mixes produced with reclaimed asphalt pavement (RAP) by enhancing binder blending

道路建设行业通过使用沥青粘合剂与石油工业紧密相连。然而，沥青粘结剂的价格与原油价格挂钩，近年来价格波动较大。再生沥青路面创造了一个循环再利用的材料，优化自然资源的使用，如原始集料和粘合剂。再生沥青路面（RAP）是一种可持续的替代原始材料，因为它减少了生产沥青路面混合物所需的昂贵的新沥青粘合剂和原始集料的数量。因此，在沥青混合料中使用RAP正在成为加拿大沥青铺装行业的普遍做法。然而，用RAP生产的沥青混合物的耐久性仍然是一个主要挑战。因此，本研究计划的主要目的是研究通过增加RAP老化和添加的原始粘结剂之间的混合来提高RAP沥青混合料性能的可能解决方案。人们普遍认为，混合效率的不确定性可能是RAP混合物耐久性问题背后的主要因素。为了了解这种混合及其对性能的影响，提出了一种多尺度的研究方法。混合将在微观尺度上进行研究，并将与混合物的性能联系起来。这一过程将有助于科学界更好地理解复杂的混合现象。此外，拟议的项目将提供一份综合文件，为加拿大沥青行业的专业人士提供实用建议，以更经济、可持续和环保的方式在沥青混合料产品中更好地使用RAP。

The road construction industry is strongly linked to the petroleum industry through the use of asphalt binders. However, the price of asphalt binder is linked to the price of crude oil and high volatility has been seen in prices in recent years. Recycling asphalt pavement creates a cycle of reusing materials that optimizes the use of natural resources, such as virgin aggregates and binders. Reclaimed asphalt pavement (RAP) is a sustainable alternative to virgin materials because it reduces the amount of costly new asphalt binders and virgin aggregates required in the production of asphalt paving mixtures. Thus, the use of RAP in asphalt mixes is becoming a common practice by the asphalt paving industry in Canada. However, the durability of asphalt mixtures produced with RAP remains a major challenge. Hence, the main objective of this research proposal is to investigate possible solutions to enhance the performance of asphalt mixes with RAP by increasing the blending between RAP's aged and added virgin binders in the mix.It is well accepted that the uncertainty in blending efficiency may be a major factor behind some of the durability issues of RAP mixtures. To understand this blending and its effect on the performance, a multi-scale investigation is proposed. The blending will be investigated at a micro-scale level and will be linked to the performance of the mixture. This process will help the scientific community to have a better understanding of the complex blending phenomenon. Moreover, the proposed project will deliver a synthesis document that provides practical recommendations to the professionals of the Canadian asphalt industry for a better use of RAP in a more economic, sustainable and environmentally friendly fashion in asphalt mix products.