ABSTRACT
This paper presents a laboratory study in TLA (Trinidad Lake Asphalt) modified asphalt with different TLA content including the high temperature performance and microstructure. The softening point, viscosity-temperature characteristics, failure temperature and temperature sensitivity were adopted to characterize the high temperature performance of TLA modified asphalt. Meanwhile, the microstructure was investigated by Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), Differential Scanning Calorimeter (DSC) and infrared spectroscopy (IR). The results show that adding TLA could improve the high temperature performance and temperature sensitivity of TLA modified asphalt. With the increase of TLA content, the softening point, viscosity and failure temperature increase. By considering above properties, the optimum content of TLA is 25%–35%. With increase of TLA content, phase morphology is converted from a continuous asphalt phase with dispersed TLA phase to two twisted continuous phases. And the Tg of modified asphalt increases with the increase of TLA content, which is unfavorable for the low temperature performance of asphalt. Moreover, the chemical reaction was not happened after adding TLA.
