Adhesion in Bitumen/Aggregate System: Adhesion Mechanism and Test Methods

A literature review of the five main theories describing the interaction mechanisms in the bitumen/aggregate system was conducted: theory of weak boundary layers, mechanical theory, electrostatic theory, chemical bonding theory, and thermodynamic theory (adsorption theory). The adhesion assessment methods in the bitumen/aggregate system are described, which can be divided into three main groups: determination of adhesion forces for bitumen with different materials, determination of bitumen resistance to the exfoliating action of water with different materials, and determination of adhesion as a fundamental value (contact angle measurements, interfacial fracture energy, adsorption capacity and others). It is proposed to evaluate the quality of adhesive interaction in the bitumen/aggregate system in two stages. The authors recommend using the adhesion determination methods for these two stages from the second group of methods the determination of bitumen resistance to the exfoliating action of water with different materials. In the first stage, the adhesion in the bitumen/aggregate system is determined by an accelerated technique in which the used bitumen binder and mineral material are considered as test materials. After the first stage, there are positive results in the second tests on compacted mixtures (indirect tensile strength test, Modified Lottman indirect tension test, immersion-compression test, and Hamburg wheel tracking test).