Tender Advertisement #1295831

PURPOSE:
The purpose of this project is to assess methods for identifying binders that have superior crack resistance when aged and hence extend the life of sprayed seals. The project will also assess alternatives to the durability test that better reflect the fatigue performance of aged bitumens.

SCOPE:
The project will develop a test method to provide a fundamental measure of crack resistance performance for aged binders (bitumens and PMBs). The test method could be included in future updates to AS 2008 Bitumen for pavements and ATS 3110 Supply of Polymer Modified Binders (PMBs). This would replace the current durability test and address the current PMB specifications lack of long-term performance criteria, which for thin surfacings such as sprayed seals is predominantly related to cracking. This new test would be based on aged binder cracking performance and not just bitumen viscosity changes. An appropriate test developed to rank the cracking performance of aged binders could be used to exclude bitumens and PMBs that are prone to ageing prematurely.
Three tests have been developed in the United States that appear to be able to assess the cracking performance of aged binders. These will be assessed to determine the most accurate and practical method. The tests proposed include time-sweep, linear amplitude sweep (LAS) and Glover-Rowe parameter tests which have been used internationally to investigate binder cracking performance using the dynamic shear rheometer (DSR).
The project scope is expected to include the following work:
• Conduct the stress ratio test and the three US tests on a series of fresh bitumen and PMB samples. Conduct four point beam asphalt fatigue tests on a single apshalt mix with the range of binders to be included in the study. Compare the stress ratio and US tests results to the fatigue cracking performance. Assess if a correlation between the tests exists and determine which method could act as a reference test for assessment of cracking resistance in binders.
• Conduct the three US tests and stress ratio tests on series C170 bitumens with a range of durabilities after various periods of laboratory ageing to determine how bitumen cracking performance changes with time for each test. Compare the US test results with the results obtained in durability tests.
• Conduct the three US tests and stress ratio tests on PMB samples representing various ATS 3110 PMB grades after various periods of laboratory ageing to determine how PMB cracking performance changes with time for each test.
The results will be used to determine which test (i.e., time-sweep, LAS, Glover-Rowe, or a modified version of the stress ratio test), provides the best compromise between test duration/simplicity and the accuracy of predicting aged bitumen and PMB cracking performance.

DELIVERABLES:
This project will produce the following final deliverables:
• Technical report
• Test method
• Project data
• Webinar.

Also included as part of this tender are the following documents:
• Instructions for Authors of Austroads Publications which sets out the writing and formatting standards for research, technical and internal reports.
• Master Services Agreement outlining our Terms and Conditions. Please note that our Terms and Conditions are not negotiable.

All submissions are to be submitted as a PDF at a maximum size of 10MB.

All submissions are to include a completed Tender Proposal Coversheet.

The naming convention for submissions is: [your Company name] – [Project No.] – [any internal reference numbers].