EVALUATION OF MOISTURE CHARACTERISTICS OF WARM MIX ASPHALT INVOLVING SYNTHETIC ZEOLITE

Warm mix asphalt (WMA) are mixed at temperatures ranging 20 – 50 °C lower than those in which called hot mix asphalt (HMA). In this research, the effect of different percentage of synthetic zeolite on performance asphalt mixture in terms of water sensitivity. The best gradation of aggregate was selected and optimum asphalt content was determined according to Superpave design system. Superpave Gyratory Compactor (SGC) was used to compact asphalt samples with (100 and 150) mm in diameter. Five different percentages (3, 4, 5, 6 and 7) of synthetic zeolite were used for preparation warm mixes to compare with hot mixture. However, there are indications that the use of synthetic zeolites as a warm mix asphalt additive for some percentages increases the moisture sensitivity of pavements except for 5% there is a slightly improve. The results of the study indicated that the selected percentages of synthetic zeolite to the warm asphalt differently effected on the mixture properties. Also the WMA mixture with 5 % of synthetic zeolite increased the punching strength of the mixtures and slightly increased in the tensile strength ratio (TSR), compressive strength and index of retained strength (IRS)