Epoxy modified bitumen: Chemical hardening and its interpretation

Epoxy modified bitumen (EMB) is a promising technology for long lasting paving materials ensuring higher resistance to rutting, oxygen- and moisture-induced damage. In this paper, an analysis of the chemical reactions that take place during the chemical hardening process (curing) of epoxy modified bitumenwas conducted by means of Fourier Transform Infrared (FT-IR) spectrometer. For various amount of epoxy resin modification in bitumen, the hardening process was evaluated under various conditions. The fluctuation of the most crucial chemical groups occurring during the hardening process was identified and discussed. After the interpretation of chemical hardening, the critical hardening conditions were determined and fatigue tests were performed by Dynamic Shear Rheometer (DSR). Comparison with the unmodified bitumen shows that the fatigue resistance of epoxy modified binders improved significantly with increasing the amount of the epoxy resin in bitumen