Performance of a novel epoxy crack sealant for asphalt pavements

ABSTRACT

An epoxy resin/powder curing agent crack-repair material (EPCRM) was developed to overcome the limitations of the existing materials used to seal asphalt pavement cracks. The EPCRM was prepared by mixing a powder curing agent with a base solution containing an epoxy resin. The viscosity, tensile properties, compression properties, water stability, interfacial bonding properties, low-temperature crack resistance, and ageing resistance of the EPCRM were tested to evaluate its suitability for crack repair. Other representative sealants were also tested to compare the performance of the EPCRM with that of the representative sealants. Although the elongation at break for the EPCRM was found to be moderate at low temperatures compared with those for the other sealants, the EPCRM exhibited a high tensile bond strength, interface shear strength, and freeze–thaw splitting tensile strength. This indicates that the tensile bond performance, shear resistance, and water stability of the EPCRM are sufficient for crack repairing. After aging, the values of the aforementioned parameters of the EPCRM decreased only slightly, indicating that its durability can satisfy practical requirements.

KEYWORDS:

• Asphalt pavement
• crack sealing
• epoxy resin
• curing agent
• road performance

Acknowledgments

This work was supported by the Transportation Industry of High-level Technical Personnel Training Projects Funded Plan under Grant [number 2018-019]; Scientific Research Project of Department of Transportation of Shaanxi Provincial under Grant [number 18-03 K]; National Science Foundation of China under Grant [numbers 51708044, 51608044]; Special Fund for Basic Scientific Research of Central College of Chang’an University under Grant [numbers 300102210211, 300102218408]; and Natural Science Basic Research Program of Shaanxi under Grant [number 2020JM-251].

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the High-level Technical Personnel Training Project in the Transportation Industry under Grant [number 2018-019]; Scientific Research Project of Department of Transportation of Shaanxi Provincial under Grant [number 18-03 K]; National Natural Science Foundation of China under Grant [numbers 51708044, 51608044]; The Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities, CHD under Grant [numbers 300102210211, 300102218408]; and Natural Science Basic Research Program of Shaanxi under Grant [number 2020JM-251].