An epoxy asphalt with polyethylene glycol chains for porous mixtures containing reclaimed asphalt pavement

With the ongoing advancements in porous asphalt pavement and the recycling of reclaimed asphalt pavement (RAP), there is a need to develop a new class of high-performance epoxy asphalt (EA) to enhance the performance of the porous structure and facilitate the efficient utilization of RAP. To achieve this objective, polyethylene glycol (PEG) with number-average molecular weights (Mn) of 200, 400, 800, and 1000 g/mol were individually incorporated into epoxy asphalt. The critical performance of different PEG-modified EAs in comparison with high-viscosity asphalt or commercial EA was investigated for PAM containing RAP. The results indicate that the addition of PEG leads to higher initial viscosity and extended construction time for EA with aged asphalt from RAP. The EA with higher Mn PEG causes a slight reduction in high-temperature performance for PAM containing RAP. However, it mitigates the deformability, resistance to water damage, long-term friction stability, and anti-strip performance deterioration induced by RAP. PEG-modified EA imparts excellent skid resistance and surface friction performance to RAP porous mixtures. Overall, PEG-modified EA porous structures containing RAP exhibit superior workability and toughness compared to commercial EA, and higher strength and road performance compared to high-viscosity asphalt. In terms of one-way ANOVA, Mn significantly influenced various key physical and functional parameters of EA mixtures with RAP. EA modified with PEG having Mn in the range of 800–1000 g/mol is recommended as a binder for porous structures containing RAP. The research is highly relevant towards the exploratory design and applications of thermosetting PEG-modified EA in the porous mixture and waste concrete. •A new thermosetting epoxy asphalt was adopted for porous structures containing RAP.•Longer PEG chains improved the compatibility between EA and aged asphalt.•Longer PEG chains improved the road and long-term performance of EA-PAM.•PEG with Mn of 800–1000 was recommended for EA-PAM containing RAP.