Performance of a novel epoxy crack sealant for asphalt pavements

Abstract

An epoxy resin/powder curing agent crack-repair material (EPCRM) was developed to overcome the limitations of the existing materials used to seal asphalt pavement cracks. The EPCRM was prepared by mixing a powder curing agent with a base solution containing an epoxy resin. The viscosity, tensile properties, compression properties, water stability, interfacial bonding properties, low-temperature crack resistance, and ageing resistance of the EPCRM were tested to evaluate its suitability for crack repair. Other representative sealants were also tested to compare the performance of the EPCRM with that of the representative sealants. Although the elongation at break for the EPCRM was found to be moderate at low temperatures compared with those for the other sealants, the EPCRM exhibited a high tensile bond strength, interface shear strength, and freeze–thaw splitting tensile strength. This indicates that the tensile bond performance, shear resistance, and water stability of the EPCRM are sufficient for crack repairing. After aging, the values of the aforementioned parameters of the EPCRM decreased only slightly, indicating that its durability can satisfy practical requirements.