Effect of different aqueous solutions on physicochemical properties of asphalt binder
Yingxue Zou, Serji N. Amirkhanian, Shi Xu, Yuanyuan Li, Yafei Wang, Jianwei Zhang
Abstract
Aqueous solution is one of the main factors of asphalt pavement disease. However, the physicochemical changes of asphalt are ambiguous during immersion in different aqueous solutions. This study evaluated the physicochemical properties of asphalt under the action of different aqueous solutions to further understand the mechanism of moisture erosion. The morphology, chemical structure and four components of asphalt were observed after immersion, while the pH value, total organic carbon (TOC) and characteristic functional groups of residual solutions were monitored. The test results showed that aqueous solution could change the bee structure on the asphalt surface and increased the mean roughness. The carbonyl index (IC=O) and sulfoxide index (IS=O) of asphalt increased with immersion time. And the asphaltenes of asphalt fluctuated and eventually increased during immersion. Solute could accelerate the erosion on asphalt through interaction, the degree of which increased in the order, Na2SO4 saline < NaCl saline < pH 3 acid < pH 11 alkali.