Performance Study on Modified Asphalt Cement Using Trinidad Lake Asphalt (TLA) as a Polymer Modifier

Authors

  • Shiva Ramlal Department of Research and Technical Services Unit, Lake Asphalt of Trinidad and Tobago Limited, Brighton La Brea, 8310 Trinidad and Tobago, W.I.
  • Amy Clark Process Engineering Unit, University of Trinidad & Tobago, Esperanza Road, Point Lisas 540517, Trinidad and Tobago W.I.
  • Vitra Ramjattan-Harry Process Engineering Unit, University of Trinidad & Tobago, Esperanza Road, Point Lisas 540517, Trinidad and Tobago W.I.
  • Rean Maharaj Process Engineering Unit, University of Trinidad & Tobago, Esperanza Road, Point Lisas 540517, Trinidad and Tobago W.I.

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.24191/jsst.v5i2.134

Keywords:

pavement, Dynamic Shear Rheometer, asphalt, phase angle, complex shear modulus

Abstract

Asphalt binders play a crucial role in pavement performance by providing the necessary viscoelastic properties to withstand traffic loads and environmental stressors. This study investigates the rheological characteristics of Trinidad Lake Asphalt (TLA) blended with penetration grade (PEN 60/70 and PEN 160/220) binders to assess suitability for road applications. Using the Dynamic Shear Rheometer (DSR) test, this study evaluates efforts on varying TLA concentrations as influencing key parameters such as complex shear modulus and phase angle across different temperatures and frequencies. The results demonstrate that increasing TLA content enhances rutting resistance by increasing stiffness, but it also impacts fatigue resistance. These findings contribute to the optimisation of asphalt formulations for improved pavement performance under diverse traffic and climatic conditions.

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Published

2025-09-30

Issue

Vol. 5 No. 2 (2025): Journal of Smart Science and Technology

Section

Articles

License

Copyright (c) 2025 Authors

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.