Grant for sustainable asphalt technologies

How to increase the durability and lifespan of pavement materials? Xueyan Liu, Panos Apostolidis, Prof. Scarpas and Prof. Erkens from the Engineering Structures department received a grant from the Dutch Province Noord Holland to research Epoxyasphalt technologies. With the grant of over 350 000 euros they will research the optimum balance between epoxies and the asphalt binder technologies necessary to develop an environmentally friendly and financially attractive Epoxy modified Asphalt Concrete (EpoxAC) technology.

The project aims to develop durable and re-usable epoxy modified asphalt mixes suitable for the Dutch asphalt paving industry. A novel approach will be taken. Emphasis will be placed on the multi-scale response of the individual mix components so as to fully understand and optimize their interaction and improve the overall material performance. To determine the optimum balance between epoxies and asphalt binder technologies, at each hierarchical level that will be investigated, detailed studies will be performed to provide the necessary information for the relevant chemo-physico-mechanical processes by means of lab testing at the facilities of Delft University of Technology (TUD).  

This project was established within the framework of the Infra Innovation Covenant concluded recently between the Province of North Holland (PvNH) and TU Delft. The project consortium is composed by TU Delft, PvNH and Dura Vermeer. The research of TU Delft is primarily aimed at developing Epoxy modified Asphalt Concrete technology with increased durability and lifespan to build a road at a location to be determined in the PvNH. An epoxy modified asphalt mix will be developed for the construction of a trial section. One lane will be constructed by Dura Vermeer. The project will start on April 2018 and will last four years.  One full time PhD student will work on this project.