One of the key factors that determines the susceptibility of a pavement to thermal cracking is
the ability of the binder to withstand or relieve thermal stresses before they reach a critical
point where cracks form. The mechanisms by which the addition of polyethylene improves
the low-temperature properties of asphalt binders are discussed. Also examined is the
degree to which the quality of the additive dispersion influences these mechanisms.
Notched bending beam tests conducted at-20 deg C yielded fracture toughness values for …

This paper gives an in-depth discussion on the low temperature fracture properties of
polyethylene-modified asphalt binders and concrete mixtures. Test results are presented for
chlorinated polyethylene-modified binders as well as for stabilized and unstabilized
polyethylene-modified binders. The objective of this research was to elucidate which
fundamental toughening mechanisms, if any, are responsible for the change in low
temperature properties of asphalt binders and aggregate mixes to which polyethylene has …