ABSTRACT
Re-refined Engine Oil Bottoms (REOB) is the heavy distillation residue from refining used engine oil. It is used as a modifier for asphalt binders to achieve a specific performance grade. Due to premature pavement failures experienced, several Northeast states developed concerns regarding the use of REOB. The objective of this study was to determine the implications of using REOB on binder and mixture performance as compared to when a straight run binder is used. Binders were formulated using two different types of REOB and three asphalt binder sources. Delta Tc and Extended Bending Beam Rheometer tests were used to characterize binder performance. The Illinois Flexibility Index Test (IFIT) was used to characterize the performance of these binders in a typical mixture. Results indicated that REOB formulated binders may have an increased potential for non-load associated and low temperature cracking. In a mixture, these binders may negatively impact cracking susceptibility.
