Effect of mineral fillers on epoxy-modified open-graded porous asphalt durability

Epoxy-asphalt (EA) attracted the attention of road authorities in many countries as a solution for open-graded porous surface layers with enhanced durability and longevity. This research presents an experimental programme to assess the durability of epoxy-modified open-graded porous asphalt (EMOGPA) mixes, emphasising the effects of the reactivity of two mineral fillers on mixes containing various EA proportions. Results indicate that the EMOGPA mixes have shown a high sensitivity to the conditioning time before compaction (aka. preconditioning). The materials produced exclusively by EA are the most sensitive to preconditioning, reducing their water and ravelling resistance with increased preconditioning time lengths. The number of gyrations has also been proven as an efficient quantity of the compaction effort required to reach the target mix properties. Moreover, the proportional increase of EA in mixes led to substantially improved durability. Hydrated lime in epoxy-modified asphalt mixes also affected their mechanical response. The indirect tensile strength and toughness of EA mixes were higher than other mixes, while mixes with limestones were stronger and tougher than those with hydrated lime. This attribute reflects the positive contribution of apolar fillers to strengthen and toughen the EA mixes.