ABSORPTION OF ASPHALT INTO POROUS AGGREGATES

Abstract

This study is an initial attempt at providing a basic understanding of the mechanism of absorption and at developing a model to predict the absorption behavior between asphalt and aggregates. Aided with this knowledge highway construction engineers will be able to perform a better mix design. In most cases, the modeling of the absorption of liquids by porous aggregate is very complex. One way to begin to approach this problem is to reduce the complexities by choosing model liquids with well-known properties and proper synthetic aggregates as porous media. In this study, the authors examined the absorption behavior of several liquids and asphalts into porous synthetic aggregates as a function of the properties of asphalt and aggregates. The authors have tried to correlate these experimental data using a simple model for fluid absorption based on Darcy's law and capillary pressure relationships together with the appropriate mass balance.