ABSTRACT
The crumb rubber (CR) from end-of-life tyres has become a common additive to bitumen due to its capacity to improve the mechanical properties of bituminous binders in terms of high-temperature stability. This study aims to investigate the influence of adding CR into a bituminous binder using the wet process by relating the microstructural characterisation with its rheological properties. The impact of the mixing conditions, and percentage of the added CR on the rheological properties was determined. The CR particles digested within the binder matrix influences the softening point as well as the penetration test results. The addition of CR decreases the temperature susceptibility and improves the elasticity of the binder, as shown by the DSR results. By using a Confocal Laser Scanning Microscope (CLSM), the roughness of the surface could be observed, enabling us to find a close relationship between this parameter, conventional binder tests, and rheological tests.
