International Journal of Civil Engineering (2021) 19:777–787

https://doi.org/10.1007/s40999-021-00614-y (0123456789().,-volV)
(0123456789().,-volV)

RESEARCH PAPER

Effect of Binder Rheology and Aggregate Gradation on the Permanent

Deformation of Asphalt Mixtures
Rafael V. Mota1 • André K. Kuchiishi2 • Marcia M. Takahashi1 • Gabriel de Souza1 •

Felipe F. Camargo3 • Iuri S. Bessa1 • Kamilla L. Vasconcelos1 • Liedi L. B. Bernucci1

Received: 29 August 2020 / Revised: 25 December 2020 / Accepted: 12 February 2021 / Published online: 8 March 2021
 Iran University of Science and Technology 2021

Abstract
Rutting is one of the main sources of distress in asphalt pavements and has been widely studied because it influences safety
and maintenance costs. To mitigate this distress, the selection of adequate asphalt binder and aggregates and an appropriate
balance between them are key elements. This paper analyzed seven asphalt binders (2 neat, 3 polymer-modified, and 2
rubber-asphalt binders) and asphalt mixtures with different gradations (19-mm dense-graded and 12.5-mm gap-graded
asphalt mixtures). The asphalt binders were evaluated in terms of rheology with the use of a dynamic shear rheometer
(DSR) and a bending beam rheometer (BBR) to obtain the high- and low-performance grade (PG) temperatures. Addi-
tionally, multiple stress creep and recovery (MSCR) tests were performed to analyze the rutting potential of the materials at
different temperatures. To evaluate the effect of the mineral skeleton on the asphalt mixtures, the Laboratoire Central des
Ponts et Chaussées (LCPC) wheel tracking rutting test was performed. The polymer-modified binders (PMBs) and the
asphalt mixtures produced with them were the most resistant to permanent deformation with low values of rut depth
(\ 2.5%). In general, the gap-graded mixtures had better resistance than the dense-graded mixtures; however, this com-
parison is dependent on the type of asphalt binder. Relationships between the binder and mixture parameters were also
proposed and they demonstrated a good relationship between the nonrecoverable creep compliance of the binders (Jnr) and
the rut depth of the dense mixtures (R2 = 0.81); however, no significant relationship was found for the gap-graded mixtures
(R2 = 0.52).

Keywords Asphalt mixtures
Nominal maximum aggregate size
Modified asphalt binder
Rutting resistance

LCPC wheel tracking rutting test
Multiple stress creep and recovery binder test

& Iuri S. Bessa Liedi L. B. Bernucci

iuribessa@usp.br liedi@usp.br

Rafael V. Mota 1
Department of Transportation Engineering, University of São
rafael.vicente.mota@usp.br Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
André K. Kuchiishi 2
Department of Civil, Construction, and Environmental
akkuchii@ncsu.edu Engineering, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC,
Marcia M. Takahashi USA
marcia.takahashi@alumni.usp.br 3
Department of Pavement Maintenance and Conservation,
Gabriel de Souza Arteris S.A., São Paulo, SP, Brazil
gabriel2.souza@usp.br
Felipe F. Camargo
fcamargo@uwalumni.com
Kamilla L. Vasconcelos
kamilla.vasconcelos@usp.br

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1 Introduction and background
Rutting and fatigue cracking are the main distresses
observed in asphalt pavement structures that accelerate the
degradation of highways, as well as reduce road safety
since cracks and rutting can damage vehicles and cause
hydroplaning [1]. Pavement engineers should select the
best asphalt mixture design in a highway project to avoid
early distress, optimize the performance of the pavement
during its service life and reduce construction and main-
tenance costs. These selections are mostly related to an
adequate asphalt mixture for the surface layer along with
other desired structural parameters. The type and content of
asphalt binder and the aggregate composition are factors
that should be carefully considered in asphalt mixture
design since they are related to the strength and flexibility
of the pavement structure.
With the objective of improving pavement performance
due to the increase in traffic demand, the use of polymers
and rubber as modifying agents has increased throughout
the years [2, 3]. The previous Superpave asphalt binder
specification (AASHTO M320-10) considered the |G*|/sind
parameter to predict the resistance of asphalt binders to
permanent deformation [4, 5]. However, several research-
ers have demonstrated the inadequacy of this parameter,
especially for modified materials [6–9], due to a low cor-
relation to field performance [10] and a low correlation
with the elastic characteristics [11]. According to Del-
gadillo et al. [12], this inadequacy can also be attributed to
the fact that the parameters |G*| and d are measured in the
linear viscoelastic (LVE) region of the asphalt binder, and
the material might be under nonlinear behavior in the field
due to high stress levels. To address this limitation, the
Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) developed the
AASHTO M332-19 specification, which included the
traffic input into the classification of the asphalt binder.
The multiple stress creep and recovery (MSCR) test was
developed to consider the elastic and stiffness effects of
polymers on the modified asphalt binder properties, which
were not captured by the |G*|/sind parameter [8, 13, 14].
The main result from the MSCR test is the nonrecov-
erable creep compliance parameter Jnr, which is related to
the nonrecoverable strain of the specimen after the stresses
are unloaded. The more a material deforms permanently
with applied loading, the higher the value of Jnr. Another
important parameter obtained from the MSCR test is the
percent recovery, R, which represents a measurement of the
material’s ability to return to its initial form after repeated
loading and unloading cycles. The more elastic the material
is, the higher the R parameter is. Both Jnr and R can also be
used to confirm the presence of polymer additives in the
asphalt binder using a function that relates the R value after
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International Journal of Civil Engineering (2021) 19:777–787
the application of the 3.2 kPa stress level, R3.2, to Jnr after
the 3.2 kPa stress level, Jnr3.2. Salim et al. [15] evaluated
the relationship between R3.2 and Jnr3.2 and developed a
model based on their experimental conclusions (Fig. 1) to
better adjust the polymer-modified materials and to estab-
lish a realistic limit from the original relationship presented
in the AASHTO M332-19 standard. According to Salim
et al. [15], values above the curve indicate the presence of
polymers in the asphalt binder, and values below the curve
results are attributed to nonmodified asphalt binders.
Aggregates also play an important role in asphalt mix-
ture behavior and are responsible for its strength and
stiffness. Several researchers have assessed the effect of
aggregate gradation on the permanent deformation behav-
ior of asphalt mixtures [16–18]. Ismael [18] studied this
effect by means of a computer program analysis, in which
asphalt mixtures designed using a 19-mm nominal maxi-
mum aggregate size (NMAS) presented better resistance to
permanent deformation in comparison to the asphalt mix-
tures with a maximum aggregate size of 12.5 mm. This
behavior was observed for three different gradations
(passing above, through and below the Superpave restricted
zone). In conclusion, higher NMAS values tend to lower
the level of rutting. The same conclusion was found by
Mascarenhas et al. [19] when comparing 9.5-, 19- and
32-mm NMAS dense asphalt mixtures.
Silva et al. [20] investigated the aggregate size selection
and its effect on the permanent deformation resistance of
asphalt mixtures and concluded that coarse-graded mix-
tures tend to have better permanent deformation perfor-
mance than fine-graded mixtures. Additionally, Ferreira
et al. [21] developed a tool to evaluate the quality of the
aggregate particle size distribution with respect to the
permanent deformation behavior. These authors proposed a
parameter that included the asphalt binder content and the
asphalt binder viscosity along with properties derived from
the dominant aggregate size range (DASR) methodology.
Fig. 1 Relationship between Jnr3.2 and R3.2 ( adapted from Salim et al.
[15])
International Journal of Civil Engineering (2021) 19:777–787 779

This parameter was able to provide a good exponential fit
to the flow number values of several asphalt mixtures.
The present paper aims to evaluate the effect of the
asphalt binder type and the aggregate gradation on the
permanent deformation behavior of asphalt mixtures,
comparing different types of binders and asphalt mixture
compositions by means of the MSCR test and the Labo-
ratoire Central des Ponts et Chaussées (LCPC) wheel
tracking rutting test.
2 Materials
2.1 Asphalt Binders
In the present study, seven different commercial asphalt
binders widely used in Brazilian highways were evaluated:
one neat binder with penetration grade AC 50/70, one neat
binder with penetration grade AC 30/45, one polymer-
modified binder with the addition of Styrene–Butadiene–
Styrene (SBS), one highly polymer-modified binder
(HPMB) with SBS, one asphalt binder modified by Reac-
tive Elastomeric Terpolymer (RET) which is identified in
this research as elastomer-modified binder (EMB), and two
plant-produced rubber-asphalts (RA and RB) with crumb
rubber passing through the #30-mesh. The physical prop-
erties of the asphalt binders are presented in Table 1. The
Brookfield viscosity values were obtained at three different
temperatures for the neat and polymer-modified asphalt
binders according to ASTM D 4402-15, while for the
rubber-asphalt materials, only one temperature was
required (ASTM D 6114-97).
The rubber-asphalt binders had higher penetration val-
ues than the neat asphalt binders, with RA being more
viscous than RB, indicating that asphalt binders with the
same type of materials might exhibit different behavior,
depending on the amount and type of rubber added (along
with the neat asphalt binder characteristics). Regarding the
polymer-modified binders, HPMB showed higher values of
elastic recovery and viscosity than the other polymer-
modified binders (SBS and EMB). The polymer-modified
binders in this study have more potential for elastic
recovery than the rubber-modified binders. As expected,
the neat binders have a lower viscosity than the modified
materials.
2.2 Asphalt Mixtures
The asphalt mixtures evaluated in this study were prepared
following the Superpave gradation limits. The blending of
aggregates was composed of three different sizes of
granitic materials along with the addition of hydrated lime.
Two asphalt mixture compositions were prepared for each
asphalt binder: one dense-graded mixture with NMAS of
19 mm and one gap-graded mixture with NMAS of
12.5 mm. The asphalt mixtures were produced in the lab-
oratory using a pugmill mixer that simulates field condi-
tions in terms of asphalt plant mixing. After mixing, the
mixtures were kept in the oven for two hours at the com-
paction temperature, which varied for each asphalt binder,
to simulate short-term aging [22]. The design aggregate
gradations of the asphalt mixtures are shown in Fig. 2.
The mixture design parameters are presented in Tables 2
and 3, including the porosity values, which can be defined
as the ratio between the volume of voids and the total
volume of a material. For this research, this parameter was
obtained by means of the DASR methodology developed
by Kim [23]. According to this author and to Ferreira et al.
[24], the porosity value should be lower than 48% to
indicate a good resistance to permanent deformation. The
asphalt mixtures tested in the present research had similar
results in terms of porosity, which were all below 48%,
with the gap-graded mixtures having slightly lower values
in comparison to the dense-graded mixtures.
The binder content of the 19-mm mixtures is lower than
that of the 12.5-mm mixtures, as well as the air void
content. The rubber-asphalt mixtures have the highest
binder contents for the two NMAS, which could possibly

Table 1 Physical properties of the asphalt binders evaluated

Property Standard Units AC 30/45 AC 50/70 HPMB SBS EMB RA RB

Penetration @25 C ASTM D5-13 0.1 mm 30 53 41 55 57 59 63

Softening point ASTM D36-14 C 55.2 49.2 87 68 64 57 57
Elastic recovery ASTM D6084-06 % – – 96 88.5 83 79 78
Brookfield viscosity
@135 C (20 rpm) ASTM D4402-15 cP 479 347 2130 1205 1994 – –
@150 C (50 rpm) cP 233 147 917 576 861 – –
@177 C (100 rpm) cP 82 66 287 218 259 – –
@175 C (20 rpm) ASTM D6114-97 cP – – – – – 2830 1600

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100 100
19mm dense-graded mix 12.5 mm gap-graded mix
80 Control points (Superpave) 80 Control points (Caltrans)
Percent passing

60 60

Percent passing
40 40

20 20

0 0
0.01 0.1 1 10 100 0.01 0.1 1 10 100
Sieve size (mm) Sieve size (mm)
(a ) (b )
Fig. 2 Aggregate gradation: a 19-mm NMAS dense-graded gradation and b 12.5-mm NMAS gap-graded gradation

Table 2 Design parameters of the 19-mm NMAS dense-graded asphalt mixtures

Parameter/binder type AC 50/70 AC 30/45 RA RB EMB SBS HPMB

Asphalt binder content (%) 4.0 4.1 4.7 4.7 4.3 4.3 4.4
Theoretical maximum density (g/cm3) 2.532 2.527 2.505 2.505 2.519 2.519 2.513
3
Bulk density (g/cm ) 2.431 2.426 2.405 2.405 2.418 2.418 2.412
Air void content (%) 4.0 4.0 4.0 4.0 4.0 4.0 4.0
Voids in the mineral aggregates (%) 13.0 13.2 14.6 14.5 13.7 13.7 14.0
Porosity values (%) 35.2 35.4 36.6 36.6 35.9 35.9 36.1
Indirect tensile strength (MPa) 1.6 2.3 1.8 1.8 1.8 1.8 2.4

Table 3 Design parameters of the 12.5-mm NMAS gap-graded asphalt mixtures

Parameter/binder type AC 50/70 AC 30/45 RA RB EMB SBS HPMB

Asphalt binder content (%) 5.2 5.3 5.9 5.6 5.5 5.5 5.6
Theoretical maximum density (g/cm3) 2.478 2.474 2.461 2.469 2.469 2.468 2.469
Bulk density (g/cm3) 2.354 2.350 2.338 2.346 2.346 2.345 2.346
Air void content (%) 5.0 5.0 5.0 5.0 5.0 5.0 5.0
Voids in the mineral aggregates (%) 16.3 16.6 17.5 17.0 16.9 17.0 17.0
Porosity values (%) 33.5 33.7 34.5 34.1 34.0 34.0 34.1
Indirect tensile strength (MPa) 1.4 2.0 1.5 1.8 1.9 2.2 2.2

be related to the high viscosity normally found for these
binders, whereas the lowest contents are observed for the
neat binders. Furthermore, as the gradation of the 19-mm
NMAS mixtures is dense (as shown in Fig. 2a), the air void
content in this mix design is lower than that of the gap-
graded 12.5-mm NMAS mixtures.
Regarding the indirect tensile strength (ITS) values for
each asphalt mixture, higher values were found for the
asphalt mixtures constituted by the AC 30/45 neat asphalt
binder and by the HPMB for both aggregate gradations
proposed. The AC 50/70 neat asphalt binder resulted in a
lower ITS value among all the tested asphalt mixtures.
3 Methods
The present research can be divided into two main labo-
ratory studies: (1) the characterization of different types of
asphalt binders in terms of their rheological properties and
rutting potential and (2) the prediction of rutting resistance

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of asphalt mixtures with different gradations by means of
laboratory traffic simulation. Figure 3 shows the research
framework, including the materials and the tests.
3.1 Rheological Characterization of the Asphalt
Binders
The determination of the performance grade (PG) of the
binders was performed according to AASHTO R29-15.
Tests were conducted following the criteria described in
AASHTO M332-19 regarding the evaluation of the rheo-
logical properties of the asphalt binders using a dynamic
shear rheometer (DSR).
The rheological characterization was performed on the
virgin binders (without aging) to determine the LVE
properties (dynamic shear modulus, |G*|, and phase angle,
d) according to the ASTM D7175-15 specification. The
tests were performed at temperatures ranging from 46 to
82 C (6 C increments) at a frequency of 10 rad/s. The PG
classification requires that the virgin asphalt binder pre-
sents a minimum value of 1 kPa for the Superpave
parameter |G*|/sind.
The binders were short-term aged in an RTFO, rolling
thin film oven (ASTM D2872-19), and then MSCR tests
(ASTM D7405-15) were performed to obtain the nonre-
coverable creep compliance (Jnr) and the percent recovery
(R). The MSCR test was carried out at the testing tem-
peratures according to ASTM D7405-15 and consisted of
applying loading cycles of 1 s followed by 9 s of rest.
Twenty creep and recovery cycles were run at a creep
stress of 0.1 kPa followed by ten cycles at 3.2 kPa. The
percent recovery, R, and the nonrecoverable creep com-
pliance, Jnr, were used to evaluate the modification of the
binders. The current PG classification considers the traffic
level of the pavement structure in which the asphalt binder
will be used by including the maximum limit values for
Jnr3.2 based on different numbers of accumulated equiva-
lent single axle loads (ESALs), which are shown in
Fig. 3 Research framework
781
Table 4. When a very heavy traffic level is considered
([ 30 million ESALs), which is usual in Brazil, modified
binders are usually used in critical scenarios (heavy and
high-volume traffic), resulting in the criterion
Jnr3.2 B 1 kPa-1.
After long-term aging in the pressure aging vessel, PAV
(ASTM D6521-19a), the rheological properties of the
asphalt binders were evaluated in terms of the fatigue cri-
terion that is based on the intermediate temperature. The
tests were carried out using DSR at temperatures deter-
mined by AASHTO M332-19 at 10 rad/s. Based on the
results obtained at this step, the bending beam rheometer
(BBR) testing temperature was performed according to the
|G*|9 sind B 6000 kPa criterion, associated with a very
heavy traffic input.
To perform the BBR, the PAV-aged specimens were
conditioned in a thermal bath at the testing temperature for
one hour. The tests were performed according to ASTM
D6648-16, and the results were considered in the deter-
mination of the low PG temperatures.
3.2 LCPC Wheel Tracking Rutting Test
Specimens of asphalt mixture slabs were prepared on an
LCPC French compactor (EN 12697–33). The rutting test
was performed in an LCPC French traffic simulator. For
each mixture, two samples with dimensions of 50 mm
thick, 180 mm wide and 500 mm long were tested. The test
was carried out according to EN 12697–22 at 60 C and
consisted of applying a 5 kN tire load on each asphalt
mixture specimen at 1 Hz, in which the rut depth was
measured at 100, 300, 1000, 3000, 10,000 and 30,000
cycles. In terms of the limits proposed for rut depth, the
maximum recommended for very heavy traffic in Brazilian
highways is 5% after 30,000 cycles when the asphalt
mixture is designed to be used in the surface layer [25].
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Table 4 Traffic level according to Jnr (AASHTO M 332, 2014)

Traffic level Number of ESALs and traffic speed Maximum value of Jnr at 3.2 kPa (kPa-1) Maximum value of Jnrdiff (%)

Standard (S) \ 10 9 106 and [ 70 km/h 4.5 75.0

Heavy (H) 10 9 106–30 9 106 or 20–70 km/h 2.0 75.0
Very heavy (V) [ 30 9 106 or \ 20 km/h 1.0 75.0
6
Extremely heavy (E) [ 30 9 10 and \ 20 km/h 0.5 75.0

4 Results and Discussion
4.1 Asphalt Binders
The PG grading of the asphalt binders (Table 5) was
obtained based on the average results of two specimens
tested on each step required by the Superpave methodol-
ogy. The criteria used to accept the results obtained for
each material were based on the standard ASTM D7405-15
for single-operator precision. HPMB presented a wider PG
temperature range (PG 82 V-22), as this asphalt binder has
broader application on highways in terms of temperature
due to its high polymer content. However, AC 50/70
exhibited the lowest PG temperature range (PG 52 V-10),
which can be related to its low viscosity and low elastic
behavior. The RA binder, which is more viscous than RB,
had a higher PG high temperature, indicating that the vis-
cosity might influence the results of the MSCR test and
hence influence the temperature range (PG grade). The AC
30/45 asphalt binder could not be classified for very heavy
traffic (V) highways since it did not meet the intermediate
temperature criterion (|G*|9 sind) for any testing temper-
ature; therefore, the heavy traffic (H) classification was
considered.
For comparison purposes, MSCR tests were conducted
at the same temperature, 64 and 70 C, for all the materials
tested, independent of their high-temperature PG grade.
Values of R and Jnr for both stress levels as well as the
difference between the Jnr results (Jnrdiff) were obtained for
each temperature (Table 6). Additionally, the relationship
between R3.2 and Jnr3.2 is shown in Fig. 4. The results were
obtained from two specimens of each material, and the
average values are presented. The curve proposed by Salim
et al. [15] limits the polymer modification region through
this relationship and is also presented in Fig. 4.
For the neat asphalt binders, the values of Jnr3,2 were
high at 70 C, especially for AC 50/70 (6.0 kPa-1), which
indicates that their rutting resistance is poor at this tem-
perature (above its high PG temperature). For the polymer-
or rubber-modified asphalt binders, the Jnr3,2 values were

Table 5 Performance grade obtained for the asphalt binders evaluated

Asphalt Temperature PG grade
binder
Virgin rheological RTFO-aged MSCR PAV-aged rheological BBR
properties results properties
|G*|/sind C 1 kPa Jnr3.2 B 1 kPa-1 |G*|9 sind B 6,000 kPa S B 300 MPa and
m C 0.300

AC 50/70 64 52 25 0 PG 52 V-
10
AC 30/45* 70 64 31 0 PG 64H-
10
RB 76 64 16 - 12 PG 64 V-
22
RA 82 70 19 - 12 PG 70 V-
22
EMB 70 70 19 - 12 PG 70 V-
22
SBS 70 70 25 -6 PG 70 V-
16
HPMB 82 82 28 - 12 PG 82 V-
22
*Asphalt binder that could not be classified for very heavy (V) traffic

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Table 6 MSCR test results obtained for the asphalt binders evaluated
Asphalt binder MSCR parameter
Jnr0.1 %R0.1 Jnr3.2 %R3.2 Jnrdiff
64 C 70 C 64 C 70 C 64 C 70 C 64 C 70 C 64 C 70 C

AC 50/70 2.3 5.7 0.0 0.0 2.4 6.0 0.0 0.0 4.3 0.1
AC 30/45* 1.0 2.5 2.1 0.0 1.0 2.6 0.0 0.0 4.4 0.1
RB 0.4 0.8 0.6 55.2 0.8 1.9 0.3 13.9 1.1 137.8
RA 0.1 0.2 79.9 75.9 0.2 0.5 59.6 39.0 116.6 202.2
EMB 0.1 0.2 87.0 84.2 0.1 0.2 83.7 82.1 17.5 1.1
SBS 0.2 0.4 81.7 80.9 0.3 0.8 73.2 65.3 47.9 82.0
HPMB 0.0 0.0 94.0 89.3 0.0 0.1 89.2 82.3 87.0 73.7

100% 100%
SBS RA SBS RA
AC 50/70 HPMB AC 50/70 HPMB
80% RB AC 30/45 80% RB AC 30/45
EMB EMB
R3.2 at 64°C
R3.2 at 70°C

60% 60%

40% 40%

20% 20%

0% 0%
0 2 4 6 0 1 2 3
Jnr3.2 at 70°C Jnr3.2 at 64°C
(a) (b )
Fig. 4 MSCR test results at a 70 C and b 64 C for the binders

lower than 1.0 kPa-1 at 70 C (except for RA), repre-
senting substantial rutting behavior. At both temperatures
tested, the binders HPMB and EMB also presented high
percent recovery values, which were 20% higher than the
values found for the conventional SBS-modified binder,
probably due to the higher viscosity and higher elasticity of
these two polymer-modified binders compared to the
standard modification by SBS. Since the MSCR test eval-
uates the rutting resistance potential of the binder, the
results indicate that the HPMB and the EMB have high
elastic properties and better permanent deformation
resistance.
The rubber-asphalt binder results fall below the curve,
which would indicate that they do not behave as polymer-
modified binders according to Salim et al. [15]. However, it
is noted that the RA binder results are plotted below but
close to the curve at both tested temperatures, indicating
that its elastic characteristics might be similar to the typical
characteristics of a polymer-modified binder. Finally, the
neat binders showed no percent recovery, and therefore,
their results were below the curve, as expected. As found
by Saboo et al. [26], the results show that neat binders are
more sensitive to temperature (with greater variation in
Jnr), indicating a limited potential of these materials in
high-temperature roads.
4.2 Asphalt Mixtures
Regarding the LCPC wheel tracking rutting test, Figs. 5
and 6 show the average results obtained for both 19-mm
and 12.5-mm mixtures, respectively, in terms of the rut
depth. For each asphalt mixture, a pair of asphalt mixture
slabs was tested. In general, a benefit in the rutting per-
formance of the mixtures is observed when modified bin-
ders are used, corroborating the results presented by
Jahromi and Khodaii [27] and Qadir [28].

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784
The results for the 19-mm dense-graded asphalt mix-
tures show that the mixture with AC 50/70 had the lowest
resistance to permanent deformation (9.7% rut depth),
exceeding the recommended limit of 5% after 30,000
cycles, which indicates that it is necessary to revise the mix
design. Previous studies reported that an excessive amount
of binder decreases the resistance to permanent deforma-
tion [29, 30]; however, this asphalt mixture had the lowest
asphalt binder content among all the materials designed
and tested. This poor resistance might be related to the
quality of the asphalt binder used, especially because all
the 19-mm dense-graded asphalt mixtures were composed
of the same aggregate size distribution. In addition, AC
50/70 had a lower softening point and was classified as PG
52 V-10, which was not suitable for high temperatures and/
or heavy traffic. Considering that the test was performed
above the softening point at 60 C, this might have been
excessively high for this specific mixture, contributing to
its permanent deformation. Leandro et al. [31] reported that
asphalt mixtures prepared with SBS-modified binder
showed lower permanent deformation than mixtures pre-
pared with AC 50/70. However, the use of neat binder
could still be feasible if the aggregate shape and resistance,
along with its gradation, were accurately selected. The
same result was observed in this study when comparing the
results of the asphalt mixtures with AC 50/70 for both
gradations (19-mm dense graded and 12.5-mm gap-gra-
ded). In relation to the mixtures with the other asphalt
binders, the permanent deformation values were all below
the limit of 5% after 30,000 cycles. The mixture with
HPMB was the most resistant to permanent deformation
among all the materials tested (2.1% rut depth). There was
a decrease of more than 50% in the value of the rut depth
10.0% 9.7%
3.7%
3.5%
3.1%
Rut depth
1.0%
AC 50/70
AC 30/45
RA
RB
Limit of 5.0%
0.1%
100 1000 10000 100000
Number of cycles
(a)
Fig. 5 LCPC wheel tracking rutting test results for the 19-mm NMAS dense-graded asphalt mixtures: a neat and rubber-asphalt mixtures and
b polymer-modified asphalt mixtures
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International Journal of Civil Engineering (2021) 19:777–787
when this asphalt binder was used instead of the conven-
tional SBS-modified binder.
The lowest permanent deformation for the gap-graded
asphalt mixtures (12.5-mm NMAS) was again observed for
the mixture with HPMB (2.3% rut depth). The results are
consistent with those presented by Bła_zejowski et al. [32],
who concluded that this type of binder presents excellent
performance for permanent deformation and can be applied
in sites with high strain levels, thin wearing courses and a
wide range of pavement temperatures. As previously pre-
sented, the PG grading of the HPMB (82 V-22) has the
widest temperature range among the seven binders studied.
The LCPC wheel tracking rutting test results showed
that the asphalt mixtures with the AC 30/45 binder pre-
sented permanent deformation resistance similar to those
found for the asphalt mixtures with modified binders
(within 3.0 and 4.0% of the rut depth), especially for the
gap-graded mixture. However, it is worth mentioning that,
in general, the asphalt binder content for the nonmodified
asphalt mixtures was lower than that for the rubber- and
polymer-modified asphalt mixtures, which tends to
enhance the permanent deformation resistance. Finally, the
use of AC 30/45 might be limited to the performance of
this material in fatigue behavior since the PG of this asphalt
binder could not be determined for very heavy traffic due to
the |G*|9 sind limitation.
Overall, the gap-graded 12.5-mm NMAS mixtures pre-
sented similar values of rut depth compared to the dense-
graded mixtures with coarser gradation (19-mm NMAS),
which might be related to the balance between the higher
air void content of the gap-graded mixtures combined with
the higher asphalt binder content. Regarding the mineral
structure, the porosity values obtained by the DASR
methodology (presented in Tables 2 and 3) also indicated
10.0%
4.3%
2.5%
2.1%
Rut depth
1.0%
SBS
EMB
HPMB
Limit of 5.0%
0.1%
100 1000 10000 100000
Number of cycles
(b )
International Journal of Civil Engineering (2021) 19:777–787 785

10.0% 10.0%
4.2%
4.2% 3.7%
3.6% 3.1%
3.2%
2.3%

Rut depth
Rut depth

1.0% 1.0%

AC 50/70
AC 30/45 SBS
RA EMB
RB HPMB
Limit of 5.0% Limit of 5.0%
0.1% 0.1%
100 1000 10000 100000 100 1000 10000 100000
Number of cycles Number of cycles
(a) (b )
Fig. 6 LCPC wheel tracking rutting test results for the 12.5-mm NMAS gap-graded asphalt mixtures: a neat and rubber-asphalt mixtures and
b polymer-modified asphalt mixtures

that the asphalt mixtures could have similar behavior. The 5 Conclusions
results also corroborate the fact that lower levels of rutting
are achieved with higher levels of NMAS [18, 19]. How- The present paper evaluated the effect of the asphalt binder
ever, it is important to mention that the NMAS was not the type and aggregate gradation on the permanent deforma-
only variable in this study in terms of the aggregate gra- tion of asphalt mixtures by means of multiple stress creep
dation since two types of asphalt mixtures were analyzed and recovery (MSCR) tests and French wheel tracking
(dense graded and gap-graded). rutting tests. The conclusions are summarized below:
To verify the relationship between the permanent
• The rubber-asphalt binders tested in this research were
deformation resistance of the asphalt binders and the
not classified as having similar characteristics to
asphalt mixtures, the MSCR test results and the LCPC
polymer-modified binders, despite being composed of
wheel tracking rutting test results at 30,000 cycles were
an elastomeric polymer. This indicates that the model
correlated in terms of Jnr at 3.2 kPa and 64 C and rut
proposed by Salim et al. [15] might not be suitable for
depth values (Fig. 7). In contrast to what was presented by
identifying the presence of crumb rubber in asphalt
D’Angelo et al. [8] and Zhang et al. [10], in which the
binders;
parameter Jnr at 64 C correlated well with rutting per-
• In relation to the permanent deformation behavior of
formance, the 19-mm NMAS dense-graded mixtures were
asphalt binders, polymer-modified and rubber-asphalt
the only ones that showed good correlation, resulting in an
materials have better resistance than neat binders. The
R2 value of 0.81 (Fig. 7a). For the 12.5-mm NMAS gap-
asphalt mixtures constituted by the modified materials
graded mixtures, this relation was not significant, having an
also tend to result in better behavior; however, gap-
R2 value of 0.52 (Fig. 7b). This might be explained by the
graded asphalt mixtures have similar values of rut depth
major influence of the aggregate skeleton in this type of
independent of the type of asphalt binder used in their
asphalt mixture, which plays an important role in the per-
composition, which indicates that the gap gradation has
manent deformation resistance. Nevertheless, the MSCR
more influence on the results than the binder’s
test results are suitable for predicting the asphalt binder
rheology;
potential to permanent deformation resistance [33], since
• The modification of asphalt binders with reactive
AC 50/70 presented the highest value of Jnr and the worst
elastomer terpolymer (RET) resulted in better rutting
performance in the LCPC wheel tracking rutting test, and
resistance than the modification with conventional
HPMB and EMB, which presented the lowest Jnr values
elastomer polymer (SBS), especially for dense-graded
and the highest recovery percentages, resulted in the two
asphalt mixtures, which resulted in rut depth values of
best mixture behaviors.
2.5 and 4.3%, respectively. Additionally, the increase in
the amount of polymer addition by using HPMB has a
substantial impact on the PG grading of the asphalt

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786 International Journal of Civil Engineering (2021) 19:777–787

AC 30/45 AC 50/70 RA AC 30/45 AC 50/70 RA

RB EMB SBS RB EMB SBS
HPMB HPMB
2.50 2.50

2.00 2.00

Jnr3.2 at 64°C
Jnr3.2 at 64°C

1.50 1.50

1.00 1.00 y = 88.873x - 2.3905

y = 29.483x - 0.5254 R² = 0.52
0.50 R² = 0.81 0.50

0.00 0.00
0% 2% 4% 6% 8% 10% 12% 0% 2% 4% 6% 8% 10% 12%
Rut depth at 30,000 cycles Rut depth at 30,000 cycles
(a) (b )
Fig. 7 Correlation between the LCPC wheel tracking rutting test and Jnr obtained using the MSCR test for: a 19-mm NMAS dense-graded
asphalt mixtures and b 12.5-mm NMAS gap-graded asphalt mixtures

binder, increasing the PG high-temperature from 70 to References

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• The PG grading (PG 64H-10) of a hard asphalt binder
with nonelastic behavior (AC 30/45) indicates that
some precaution is necessary for using this material at
very heavy traffic highways due to its low fatigue
resistance observed at intermediate temperatures. This
type of asphalt binder could work better for lower
traffic level highways;
• Nonmodified asphalt mixtures designed with softer and
less viscous asphalt binders might have a low rutting
resistance resulting in high values of rut depth (the
asphalt mixture with AC 50/70 resulted in a 9.7% rut
depth). Therefore, it is possible to enhance their
behavior by changing the aggregate gradation, which
could increase the particle interlock due to the discon-
tinuity in the aggregate distribution;
• In general, it is expected that using gap-graded asphalt
mixtures even with smaller NMAS values might
provide a better rutting resistance in comparison to
dense-graded mixtures when a neat soft asphalt binder
is used (e.g., AC 50/70).
Acknowledgements The authors would like to acknowledge the
financial support of the Brazilian National Council for Scientific and
Technological Development (CNPq) and the Coordination for the
Improvement of Higher Education Personnel (CAPES) for the
research scholarships of the authors. The authors also acknowledge
the support of the Arteris Concessionary.
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Author Contributions The authors confirm contribution to the paper
as follows: study conception and design: RM, MT, AK, KV, LB; data
collection: RM, GS, MT, AK; analysis and interpretation of results:
RM, GS, MT, AK, FC, IB, KV, LB; draft manuscript preparation:
RM, IB. All authors reviewed the results and approved the final
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