Evaluation of the Physical Performance and Working Mechanism of Asphalt Containing a Surfactant Warm Mix Additive

This paper analyzes the influence of a surfactant warm mix additive on unmodified asphalt’s conventional performance, viscosity-temperature characteristics, surface energy, and spreading performance on aggregate surfaces. The effect of the additive on asphalt’s microstructure was explored by infrared (IR) spectral analysis. The results show the additive has little influence on the penetration, softening point, ductility, and viscosity-temperature characteristics of asphalt; this suggests that the additive does not work by lowering viscosity. The additive can reduce the zero-shear viscosity of asphalt, and adding too much can reduce antirutting performance. The additive also increases the asphalt’s surface energy and the asphalt-water contact angle, while the polar component of surface energy decreases. The additive improves the spreading performance of asphalt on aggregate surfaces and reduces the asphalt-aggregate contact angle; the lower the temperature, the greater the reduction. IR spectral analysis shows that the additive does not react with asphalt—only physical blending occurs. The addition of a surfactant warm mix additive to asphalt allows asphalt mixtures to be more easily mixed and compacted at lower temperatures, thereby saving energy.