Cellulose Nanocrystal Modified Bitumen Pavement Materials
| Authors: | Isaac L. Howard, Amanda Hufft, Gregory Schueneman |
| Year: | 2025 |
| Type: | Scientific Journal |
| Station: | Forest Products Laboratory |
| DOI: | https://doi.org/10.1061/9780784485965.030 |
| Source: | Geotechnical Frontiers 2025 |
Abstract
The objective of this research was to assess the potential of cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) at laboratory scale within paving materials that make use of bituminous binders. Brittleness potential as measured by AASHTO T401 protocols was the primary evaluation mechanism where unconditioned, laboratory-conditioned, and field-aged materials were assessed. The investigation was divided into two components, neither of which are prevalent in literature or practice. The first evaluated CNCs within traditional dense graded asphalt mixed at temperatures on the order of 160°C and the second evaluated emulsion-stabilized sand at mixing temperatures on the order of 65°C. The emulsion-stabilized sand was the main focus as it was used to evaluate CNCs’ potential in pavement base layers. The primary conclusion was that emulsion-stabilized sand observed drastic behavior improvements at some dosages across a variety of treatments ranging from unaged, to combined effects laboratory conditioning, to field aging.