Ground Tire Rubber Density Modification for Asphalt
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Solution Overview
Problem
Asphalt blended with ground tire rubber (GTR) has a higher density than traditional asphalt, causing it to settle and become unevenly distributed, requiring continuous agitation and complex, costly processes to achieve homogeneity, while also posing environmental disposal challenges due to the accumulation of scrap tires.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating elastomeric polymers like polyisoprene, polybutadiene, and polyisobutylene into GTR to modify its density, allowing for uniform dispersion within asphalt without continuous agitation, thereby improving road resilience and reducing environmental impact.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If ground tire rubber is added to asphalt, then road resilience and viscoelastic performance are improved, but the mixture density increases causing GTR to settle and requiring continuous agitation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent modifies the density parameter of GTR by blending it with elastomeric polymers having different density characteristics. This parameter change allows the GTR-polymer mixture to achieve density compatibility with asphalt, preventing settling while maintaining the beneficial road resilience properties of GTR.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a composite material system combining GTR with elastomeric polymers (such as polyisoprene, polybutadiene, or styrene-butadiene copolymers). This composite approach allows the mixture to exhibit improved uniform distribution and density matching with asphalt, eliminating the need for continuous agitation while preserving road performance benefits.
2Stability of the object's composition
If additional constituents and process steps are used to achieve homogenous GTR-asphalt mixture, then uniform distribution is improved, but process complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and removes the need for complex additional process steps and constituents by using density modification through elastomeric polymer blending. This simplification achieves homogeneity through the natural density matching of the GTR-polymer-asphalt mixture, eliminating unnecessary process complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
By changing the density parameter of GTR through polymer modification, the patent achieves homogenous mixture formation without requiring complex additional process steps. The density-adjusted GTR-polymer mixture integrates seamlessly with asphalt, simplifying the overall formulation process.
3Adaptability or versatility
If scrap tires are accumulated for recycling, then resource utilization is improved, but environmental problems increase due to landfill occupation and pest breeding
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a recovery process for scrap tires by blending them with elastomeric polymers and incorporating the modified mixture into asphalt. This recovery approach converts waste tires into a useful road construction material, reducing landfill occupation and eliminating pest breeding grounds while maintaining recycling utility.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent converts the harmful accumulation of scrap tires into a beneficial road resilience enhancement. By modifying GTR density through elastomeric polymer blending, the previously problematic waste material becomes a valuable component that improves road performance while solving environmental disposal challenges.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The elastomeric polymer-modified GTR-asphalt mixtures enhance road performance by reducing rutting, cracking, and noise, while providing a cost-effective and sustainable solution for recycling old tires and ensuring consistent dispersion of GTR particles.
Implementation Method 1
The invention introduces the use of elastomeric polymers, such as polyisoprene, polybutadiene, and polyisobutylene, as a way to modify the density of GTR before it is mixed in asphalt
Implementation Method 2
The asphalt component and the plurality of pellets have a difference in density of less than 10%
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention relates to an asphalt product that comprises an asphalt component and a plurality of pellets comprising a mixture of a ground tire rubber and an elastomeric polymer, where the density difference between the asphalt component and the plurality of pellets is less than 10%. The present invention further relates to a pellet comprising a ground tire rubber (“GTR”) and an elastomeric polymer mixed with the GTR, where the GTR has a density of less than 1.12 g/cm3. Also disclosed are methods of producing improved asphalt and paving a surface.