Rheological properties of the bituminous binder extracted from SMA pavement with hydrated lime

The durability of pavement layers depends on the type of bitumen and changes in its material structure during service life. In 1999, while rebuilding and modernizing road infrastructure in Kielce (Poland), a stone mastic asphalt wearing coarse layer with hydrated lime was placed on one of the town’s main streets. Stone mastic asphalt mixture contained 6.2% of D70 bitumen (currently 50/70) and 4% SBS polymer under the trade name Kraton 1101 CM. The hydrated lime was dosed into the stone mastic asphalt mixture to replace 30% of the filler mass. Pavement surface condition after 12 years of service life was very good. In 2011, bitumen samples were extracted from stone mastic asphalt and tested. The tests were performed on the samples that contained fatty amine and hydrated lime as adhesive agents, obtained from stone mastic asphalt wearing course layer in the rut paths and from between the area limited by rut paths. The hydrated lime additive was found to have a positive effect on rheological properties of the recovered bitumen providing resistance to the water and frost.