Grey correlation analysis of asphalt-aggregate adhesion with high and low-temperature performance of asphalt mixtures

The adhesion work and force of the five types of asphalt to andesite were measured using surface energy and pull-out tests, respectively. Various tests were operated to estimate the high and low-temperature characteristics of the five types of asphalt mixtures: high-temperature rutting, low-temperature bending, indirect tensile creep, and thermal stress restrained specimen tests. Furthermore, the high and low-temperature evaluation index, adhesion work, and adhesion force of these asphalt mixtures were analyzed using grey correlation analysis. The results show that compared with the adhesion work, the actual contact between mineral aggregate and asphalt in the pull-out test leads to the difference in adhesion force and work measured by SBS-modified, SBR-modified, and extreme cold asphalt. The correlation degree of adhesion work and force to the evaluation indexes of high and low-temperature properties in asphalt mixture is roughly the same, and the adhesion work has a more momentous impact on the high and low-temperature properties in asphalt mixtures. The adhesion work and force correlate best with low-temperature bending test parameters and thermal stress restrained specimen test (TSRST) parameters related to fracture failure of asphalt mixture, followed by the indirect tensile creep test parameters. It shows that the adhesion work and force significantly impact the low-temperature characteristics of asphalt mixture more than their high-temperature stability. • The asphalt-aggregate adhesion has a more significant impact on the low-temperature failure of asphalt mixtures. • The correlation between adhesion work and adhesion force and the evaluation indexes of asphalt mixture is similar. • The adhesion work has a more significant impact on the high and low-temperature performance of asphalt mixtures.