Decoupling Chemical Composition from Viscoelastic Recovery in Rejuvenated Asphalt Binders
Downloads
This study investigates the decoupling between bulk chemical composition and high-temperature viscoelastic recovery in rejuvenated asphalt binders. A pressurized aging vessel (PAV)-aged binder (AC60/70) was rejuvenated using pyrolytic bio-oils from sugarcane bagasse (SBO) and rice straw (RSO) at 5–20 wt% dosages. SARA fractionation, colloidal instability index (Ic), penetration, and multiple stress creep recovery (MSCR) testing at 0.1 and 3.2 kPa were conducted before and after a rolling thin film oven (RTFO) aging. Both bio-oils restored SARA fractions to nearly identical levels (Ic = 0.541–0.572), yet penetration diverged substantially (79 vs. 36 dmm at 20% for SBO and RSO, respectively). After RTFO aging, MSCR responses converged across all formulations regardless of pre-aging differences, yielding identical an Equivalent Single Axle Load (ESAL) classification. This convergence is attributed to selective volatilization of low-molecular-weight bio-oil components during thermal conditioning, consistent with findings from a companion rheological–fatigue study. The results reveal a fundamental decoupling: bulk chemical indices, while useful for compositional assessment, do not correspond to stress-dependent viscoelastic recovery mechanisms governing rutting resistance. Performance-based rheological testing is therefore essential for reliable evaluation of rejuvenated binders under field-relevant conditions.
Downloads
[1] Yang, T., He, Z., Huang, G., Zhao, Y., Fu, J., Xiang, H., & Zhou, Y. (2023). Study on materials composition and process parameters of polyurethane-modified asphalt synthesized in-situ by the one-shot process. Construction and Building Materials, 374. doi:10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2023.130661.
[2] Li, J., Xing, X., Hou, X., Wang, T., Wang, J., & Xiao, F. (2022). Determination of SARA fractions in asphalts by mid-infrared spectroscopy and multivariate calibration. Measurement: Journal of the International Measurement Confederation, 198. doi:10.1016/j.measurement.2022.111361.
[3] Luo, H., Huang, X., Tian, R., Huang, J., Zheng, B., Wang, D., & Liu, B. (2021). Analysis of relationship between component changes and performance degradation of Waste-Oil-Rejuvenated asphalt. Construction and Building Materials, 297. doi:10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2021.123777.
[4] Zahoor, M., Nizamuddin, S., Madapusi, S., & Giustozzi, F. (2021). Recycling asphalt using waste bio-oil: A review of the production processes, properties and future perspectives. Process Safety and Environmental Protection, 147, 1135–1159. doi:10.1016/j.psep.2021.01.032.
[5] Liu, F., Zhang, X., Zhou, Z., Cao, J., & Wang, X. (2023). A novel approach to predict the rheological properties of rejuvenated binder subject to secondary aging. Construction and Building Materials, 389. doi:10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2023.131788.
[6] Kumar, V., & Aggarwal, P. (2025). Application of Natural and Waste Oils as Rejuvenator in Reclaimed Asphalt Pavement: A Review. International Journal of Pavement Research and Technology, 18(4), 805–828. doi:10.1007/s42947-023-00388-7.
[7] Cavalli, M. C., Wu, W., & Poulikakos, L. (2024). Bio-based rejuvenators in asphalt pavements: A comprehensive review and analytical study. Journal of Road Engineering, 4(3), 282–291. doi:10.1016/j.jreng.2024.04.007.
[8] Zhang, Y., Si, C., Fan, T., Zhu, Y., Li, S., Ren, S., & Lin, P. (2023). Research on the optimal dosage of Bio-Oil/Lignin composite modified asphalt based on rheological and Anti-Aging properties. Construction and Building Materials, 389. doi:10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2023.131796.
[9] de Medeiros Melo Neto, O., de Figueiredo Lopes Lucena, L. C., Silva, I. M., de Figueiredo Lopes Lucena, L., Mendonça, A. M. G. D., da Silva Lopes, A. M., da Silva, F. M. M., de Amorim, A. G., & de Oliveira Neto, H. R. (2023). Effects of the addition of fatty acid from soybean oil sludge in recycled asphalt mixtures. Environmental Science and Pollution Research, 30(17), 50174–50197. doi:10.1007/s11356-023-25808-w.
[10] Park, K. B., Kim, J. S., Pahlavan, F., & Fini, E. H. (2022). Biomass Waste to Produce Phenolic Compounds as Antiaging Additives for Asphalt. ACS Sustainable Chemistry and Engineering, 10(12), 3892–3908. doi:10.1021/acssuschemeng.1c07870.
[11] Liu, S., Wang, H., & Yang, J. (2025). Utilization of biomass waste to produce phenol-rich bio-oil for enhancing the long-term aging resistance of rejuvenated bitumen. Materials and Structures/Materiaux et Constructions, 58(3), 94. doi:10.1617/s11527-025-02620-1.
[12] Hutabarat, M., Chamwon, S., & Chaturabong, P. (2026). Advanced characterization of bio-rejuvenated asphalt systems using agricultural waste pyrolytic oils: Integrated assessment of chemical composition, rheological, and aging performance. Construction and Building Materials, 518, 145801. doi:10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2026.145801.
[13] Xu, Y., Zhang, E., & Shan, L. (2019). Effect of SARA on rheological properties of asphalt binders. Journal of Materials in Civil Engineering, 31(6), 04019086. doi:10.1061/(asce)mt.1943-5533.0002723.
[14] Zeng, G., Zhang, J., Huang, H., Xiao, X., & Yan, C. (2023). A Comparative Study for Creep and Recovery Behavior Characterization of Modified Bitumens Using the MSCR Test. Coatings, 13(8), 1445. doi:10.3390/coatings13081445.
[15] Liu, H., Zeiada, W., Al-Khateeb, G. G., Shanableh, A., & Samarai, M. (2021). Use of the multiple stress creep recovery (MSCR) test to characterize the rutting potential of asphalt binders: A literature review. Construction and Building Materials, 269. doi:10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2020.121320.
[16] de Oliveira, Y. M. M., Cittadella, P. T., Rohde, L., & Thives, L. P. (2023). Simulation of the Time Needed for Long-Term Asphalt Ageing in the Rolling Thin Film Oven Relative to That of the Pressure Ageing Vessel. Materials, 16(22), 7081. doi:10.3390/ma16227081.
[17] Wang, T., Jiang, W., Xiao, J., Guo, D., Yuan, D., Wu, W., & Wang, W. (2022). Study on the blending behavior of asphalt binder in mixing process of hot recycling. Case Studies in Construction Materials, 17. doi:10.1016/j.cscm.2022.e01477.
[18] Tawkaew, S., Unsomsri, N., Asadamongkon, P., Jansri, S. N., Wiriyasart, S., & Kaewluan, S. (2025). Distillation study of light bio-oil from palm fresh fruit pyrolysis for enhanced bio-gasoline characteristics through blending with gasohol E85. Energy Nexus, 18. doi:10.1016/j.nexus.2025.100432.
[19] Kumar, M., Upadhyay, S. N., & Mishra, P. K. (2022). Pyrolysis of Sugarcane (Saccharum officinarum L.) Leaves and Characterization of Products. ACS Omega, 7(32), 28052–28064. doi:10.1021/acsomega.2c02076.
[20] Zhou, J., Dong, Z., Cao, L., Li, L., Yu, Y., Sun, Z., Zhou, T., & Chen, Z. (2024). Rheological evaluation of paving asphalt binder containing bio-oil from rice straw pyrolysis. Case Studies in Construction Materials, 20. doi:10.1016/j.cscm.2024.e03202.
[21] Toscano Miranda, N., Lopes Motta, I., Maciel Filho, R., & Wolf Maciel, M. R. (2021). Sugarcane bagasse pyrolysis: A review of operating conditions and products properties. Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, 149. doi:10.1016/j.rser.2021.111394.
[22] Uddin, I., Sohail, M., Hussain, M. I., Alhokbany, N., Amaro-Gahete, J., & Estévez, R. (2023). Probing the Pyrolysis Process of Rice Straw over a “Dual-Catalyst Bed” for the Production of Fuel Gases and Value-Added Chemicals. Sustainability (Switzerland), 15(14), 11057. doi:10.3390/su151411057.
[23] Alfe, M., Gargiulo, V., Ruoppolo, G., Cammarota, F., Calandra, P., Oliviero Rossi, C., Loise, V., Porto, M., Di Capua, R., & Caputo, P. (2024). Microstructural modifications in bitumens rejuvenated by oil from pyrolysis of waste tires. Frontiers in Chemistry, 12, 1512905. doi:10.3389/fchem.2024.1512905.
[24] Bouchonnet, S. (2013). Introduction to GC–MS coupling. CRC Press (Taylor & Francis Group), Boca Raton, United States.
[25] Yan, S., Dong, Q., Chen, X., Zhou, C., Dong, S., & Gu, X. (2022). Application of waste oil in asphalt rejuvenation and modification: A comprehensive review. Construction and Building Materials, 340. doi:10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2022.127784.
[26] Chen, C., Lu, J., Ma, T., Zhang, Y., Gu, L., & Chen, X. (2023). Applications of vegetable oils and their derivatives as Bio-Additives for use in asphalt binders: A review. Construction and Building Materials, 383. doi:10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2023.131312.
[27] Wetekam, J., & Mollenhauer, K. (2024). FTIR spectroscopy analysis assessment of reclaimed asphalt at asphalt mixing plants to optimize the recycling. Transportation Engineering, 16. doi:10.1016/j.treng.2024.100242.
[28] Zhang, D., Chen, M., Wu, S., Liu, J., & Amirkhanian, S. (2017). Analysis of the relationships between waste cooking oil qualities and rejuvenated asphalt properties. Materials, 10(5), 508. doi:10.3390/ma10050508.
[29] Zhou, X., Moghaddam, T. B., Chen, M., Wu, S., Zhang, Y., Zhang, X., Adhikari, S., & Zhang, X. (2021). Effects of pyrolysis parameters on physicochemical properties of biochar and bio-oil and application in asphalt. Science of the Total Environment, 780, 146448. doi:10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.146448.
[30] Kunanusont, N., Sangpetngam, B., & Somwangthanaroj, A. (2021). Asphalt incorporation with ethylene vinyl acetate (Eva) copolymer and natural rubber (nr) thermoplastic vulcanizates (tpvs): Effects of tpv gel content on physical and rheological properties. Polymers, 13(9), 1397. doi:10.3390/polym13091397.
[31] Pahlavan, F., Lamanna, A., Park, K. B., Kabir, S. F., Kim, J. S., & Fini, E. H. (2022). Phenol-rich bio-oils as free-radical scavengers to hinder oxidative aging in asphalt binder. Resources, Conservation and Recycling, 187. doi:10.1016/j.resconrec.2022.106601.
[32] Wang, Y., Wang, W., & Wang, L. (2022). Understanding the relationships between rheology and chemistry of asphalt binders: A review. Construction and Building Materials, 329. doi:10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2022.127161.
[33] Liu, J., Lv, S., Peng, X., & Yang, S. (2021). Improvements on performance of bio-asphalt modified by castor oil-based polyurethane: An efficient approach for bio-oil utilization. Construction and Building Materials, 305. doi:10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2021.124784.
[34] Li, C., Rajib, A., Sarker, M., Liu, R., Fini, E. H., & Cai, J. (2021). Balancing the Aromatic and Ketone Content of Bio-oils as Rejuvenators to Enhance Their Efficacy in Restoring Properties of Aged Bitumen. ACS Sustainable Chemistry and Engineering, 9(20), 6912–6922. doi:10.1021/acssuschemeng.0c09131.
[35] Fardhyanti, D. S., Megawati, Chafidz, A., Prasetiawan, H., Raharjo, P. T., Habibah, U., & Abasaeed, A. E. (2024). Production of bio-oil from sugarcane bagasse by fast pyrolysis and removal of phenolic compounds. Biomass Conversion and Biorefinery, 14(1), 217–227. doi:10.1007/s13399-022-02527-9.
[36] Joni, H. H., Al-Rubaee, R. H. A., & Al-zerkani, M. A. (2019). Rejuvenation of aged asphalt binder extracted from reclaimed asphalt pavement using waste vegetable and engine oils. Case Studies in Construction Materials, 11. doi:10.1016/j.cscm.2019.e00279.
[37] Zargar, M., Ahmadinia, E., Asli, H., & Karim, M. R. (2012). Investigation of the possibility of using waste cooking oil as a rejuvenating agent for aged bitumen. Journal of Hazardous Materials, 233, 254-258. doi:10.1016/j.jhazmat.2012.06.021.
[38] Wang, J., Xu, S., Zhu, S., Tian, Q., Yang, X., Pipintakos, G., Ren, S., & Wu, S. (2024). The Rejuvenation Effect of Bio-Oils on Long-Term Aged Asphalt. Materials, 17(13), 3316. doi:10.3390/ma17133316.
[39] Furtana Yalcin, B., & Yilmaz, M. (2024). Investigation of the Performance of Bio-Oils from Three Different Agricultural Wastes as Rejuvenators for Recycled Asphalt. Turkish Journal of Civil Engineering, 35(3), 95–123. doi:10.18400/tjce.1320185.
[40] Zhang, R., You, Z., Wang, H., Ye, M., Yap, Y. K., & Si, C. (2019). The impact of bio-oil as rejuvenator for aged asphalt binder. Construction and Building Materials, 196, 134–143. doi:10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2018.10.168.
[41] Zhang, M., Hao, P., Dong, S., Li, Y., & Yuan, G. (2020). Asphalt binder micro-characterization and testing approaches: A review. Measurement: Journal of the International Measurement Confederation, 151. doi:10.1016/j.measurement.2019.107255.
[42] Wang, T., Wang, J., Hou, X., & Xiao, F. (2021). Effects of SARA fractions on low temperature properties of asphalt binders. Road Materials and Pavement Design, 22(3), 539–556. doi:10.1080/14680629.2019.1628803.
[43] Prosperi, E., & Bocci, E. (2021). A review on bitumen aging and rejuvenation chemistry: Processes, materials and analyses. Sustainability (Switzerland), 13(12), 6523. doi:10.3390/su13126523.
[44] Hu, Y., Ryan, J., Sreeram, A., Allanson, M., Pasandín, A. R., Zhou, L., Singh, B., Wang, H., & Airey, G. D. (2024). Optimising the dosage of bio-rejuvenators in asphalt recycling: A rejuvenation index-based approach. Construction and Building Materials, 433. doi:10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2024.136761.
[45] El-Sherbeni, A. A., Awed, A. M., Gabr, A. R., & El-Badawy, S. M. (2025). Biomass-Derived Bio-Oil for asphalt binder applications: production feasibility and performance enhancement. Construction Materials, 5(1), 11. doi:10.3390/constrmater5010011.
- Authors retain all copyrights. It is noticeable that authors will not be forced to sign any copyright transfer agreements.
- This work (including HTML and PDF Files) is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
