Simple method to obtain asphalt binders low temperature properties from asphalt mixtures properties

The purpose of this research was to investigate the possibility of developing a simple method that could be used to obtain the low temperature properties of the asphalt binders contained in an asphalt mixture without using the extraction and recovery process. This information is critical in developing blending charts for mixtures that use RAP. Limited tests performed with the Bending Beam Rheometer (BBR) on thin beams of mixtures showed good promise in obtaining reasonable values for the mixture stiffness. The recently proposed Hirsch model was used to backcalculate the binder stiffness from the BBR mixture stiffness and the results were compared to the extracted binder stiffness. The results were used to recalibrate one of the parameters in the Hirsch model to closely match the predicted and the experimental binder stiffness at 60 seconds.