Asphalt Rubber Technology Service
| Current
Projects |
| Each
year, ARTS grants are awarded to municipalities and public works agencies
in South Carolina for the use of rubberized asphalt and crumb rubber
in their Civil Engineering applications. Grants are still outstanding
to the following agencies. Specific information about each of these
projects is listed below. Updates and pictures will follow as each
project is completed. A total of 40 projects have been awarded to
date. To view information about the projects completed to date, see
our Completed Projects page. Visit our Grant Application page for details about how to apply for an ARTS grant. |
Chemical Analysis of Crumb Rubber Modified (CRM) Asphalt Binder Study This project will involve physical and chemical analysis of asphalt binders, physical and chemical analysis of crumb rubber modifier (CRM), and correlations between this information and the rheological properties of rubber-modified (R-M) asphalt binders. The following tests would be performed:
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| City of Seneca The City of Seneca previously constructed a rubber recreational track at Shaver Complex that failed due to lack of a proper base under the track. The current track is in dangerous condition and will be replaced with a new track consisting of a 5-inch-thick crushed aggregate base course, a 2-inch-thick hot mix asphalt intermediate course, and a 2-inch-thick surface course of recycled rubber surfacing. The grant funding requested for this project is $5,000 (which is 4.2% of the project cost) plus $500 for project signage. |
Contaminant Sorption of Scrap Tire Rubber Study This project will include research to lay the groundwork for applications utilizing scrap tire rubber as a contaminant sorption media. The results of this study will provide guidelines regarding what types of scrap tire rubber have the capacity to absorb different contaminants that commonly lead to NPS pollution. The methods to measure such properties will also be refined to such applications. The scope of the project will include:
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Co-Polymer Study This project will include research to determine the feasibility of the creation of co-polymers made with crumb rubber from scrap tires. This study will examine the effect of different variables of crumb rubber used in co-polymers, such as percentage, type of production (cryogenic vs. ambient), and particle size. The results of this study will provide information regarding various physical properties of co-polymers made with crumb rubber, such as tensile strength, compressive strength, elongation, percent absorption, specific gravity, and fire resistance. The scope of the project will include:
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| Cryogenic Rubber-Modified Asphalt Field Test Sections This project will involve the placement of the first sections of cryogenic rubber-modified hot mix asphalt (R-M HMA) in South Carolina. The test sections will include several roads surrounding Clemson Memorial Stadium (Death Valley), the access road for the Clemson Hydraulics Laboratory, and the driveway and parking area for the new laboratory addition to be constructed at the ARTS facility. Approximately 2,100 tons of cryogenic R-M surface course, 600 tons of cryogenic R-M intermediate course, and 150 tons of cryogenic R-M open-graded friction course will be utilized. |
Evaluation of Phase Angle in CRM Binders This project will evaluate the effect of several variables on binder performance of CRM asphalt binders. The variables will include: •
CRM particle size |
Feasibility of Crumb Rubber in Microsurfacing This project will consist of the exploration of the effect of several different percentages of crumb rubber mixed with aggregate to meet the required gradation from the SCDOT specification for micro surfacing. The percentages to be tested are: •
10% |
Laboratory Performance of CRM Asphalt Mixtures Containing Vestenamers This project will evaluate the performance of CRM asphalt mixtures using Vestenamer materials compared to mixtures made with conventional wet-process CRM binder, polymer-modified binder, and virgin (un-modified) binder. It will involve the exploration of several important mix performance properties of hot mix asphalt (HMA), including: •
Rut resistance |
| Laboratory Performance of Rubber-Modified Hot Mix Asphalt (R-M HMA) Study This project is the next logical step to follow research on the high-temperature and low-temperature properties of rubber-modified binders. It will involve the exploration of the effect of several different variables on several different mix performance properties of hot mix asphalt (HMA) made with rubber-modified (R-M) asphalt binders. Several different binder and aggregate sources will be used in the study, as well as the same variables that were used in the high- and low-temperature properties studies:
Some of the mixture performance properties that will be tested include:
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Laboratory Performance of Warm Asphalt Mixtures Made with CRM Binders The main objective of the research project is to investigate the performance of warm mix asphalt as compared to hot mix asphalt. The specific objectives of the research project include the following. • To study the performance of warm mix asphalt with respect to hot mix asphalt in terms of indirect tensile strength, rutting and resilient modulus. • To study the rheological properties of the warm asphalt binder. • To study the compatibility of warm asphalt technologies with rubber modified asphalt binder. • To study the compatibility of the warm asphalt technologies with recycled asphalt pavement materials. • To develop a systematic standard specification for the use of warm asphalt. |
Low-Temperature Properties of Crumb Rubber Modified (CRM) Asphalt Binder Study This project is the next logical step to follow the research completed by ARTS in 2003 on the high-temperature properties of rubber-modified binders. It will involve the exploration of the effect of several different variables on the low-temperature properties of crumb rubber-modified asphalt binder. Several different binder sources will be used in the study, as well as the same variables that were used in the high-temperature properties study:
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Miracle League: Greenwood An existing baseball/softball field in the City of Greenwood will be resurfaced with Sofscape pavers in order to provide a safety surface that meets or exceeds all ADA requirements for physically and mentally challenged children to participate in sporting events. The Sofscape pavers that are proposed for use on this project consist of 95% recycled tires. The area to be resurfaced is 17,000 square feet and will utilize approximately 11,000 scrap tires. |
Rubber-Modified Asphalt Research This project will involve the completion of several research projects involving rubber-modified binder, rubber-modified open-graded friction course, stress absorbing membrane interlayer, and reclaimed asphalt pavement in rubber-modified mixtures. These projects were grouped together because the results from much of the required testing can be used for several of the projects. The projects will cover the following topics:
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Septic Tank Tire Chip Study 1. Several different tire chip sizes will be tested: a. 6-inch b. 4-inch c. 2-inch d. 0.5-inch 2.
Leachate from the tire chip drainage layers will be measured under
the following test conditions: 3.
The hydraulic conductivity of the tire chip drainage layers will
be measured. |
| Sound Absorption of Rubber-Modified Asphalt Study The use of crumb rubber modified (CRM) asphalt mixtures have been identified as having the ability to reduce the noise from the tire/pavement interface. However, there has been limited research comparing the sound absorbing benefits of CRM asphalt to the same mixtures produced with conventional binders. Results of this study have the potential to add to the attractiveness of CRM asphalt as a paving material, which has already shown to be a more durable paving material. The scope of the project will include:
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2002 HUGO DRIVE • CLEMSON UNIVERSITY • CLEMSON, SC 29634
PHONE: (864) 656-6799 • FAX: (864) 656-6186 • EMAIL: arts@ces.clemson.edu