Reusability of reclaimed asphalt from SMA layers: extended evaluation of recovered polymer-modified bitumen properties

The article presents the results of research aimed at evaluating the properties of asphalt binders recovered from material obtained during milling of polymer-modified SMA layers. Laboratory tests were carried out on asphalts recovered from RAP, on blends in defined proportions with fresh polymer-modified binders, as well as on binders recovered from SMA mixtures containing reclaimed asphalt. The study’s scope included standard classification tests of polymer-modified binders and an assessment of rheological properties using the MSCR method. An analysis of the results was performed to evaluate the condition of the recovered binders and to select binders for blending with fresh PMB and reclaimed aggregates for the design of SMA mixtures with RAP. The analysis of blends and recovered binders enabled a relative evaluation of binder properties, indicating variants that may potentially require the application of rejuvenators. The presented research constitutes one of the stages of the rSMA2 project focused on the recycling of SMA layers.