Assessment of the Effects of Temperature, Ultraviolet Radiation, and Moisture on the Properties of Asphalt Mixtures

The aging of asphalt materials causes physical, chemical, and rheological changes that lead to pavement deterioration and reduced performance, affecting service life. The impact of aging from ultraviolet (UV) radiation, particularly in combination with moisture, is still not fully understood, with the latter being a factor of great relevance because of its potential to cause premature degradation. This study evaluated the rheological fatigue behavior of asphalt binders using Glover-Rowe and binder fatigue factor parameters and the mechanical behavior of asphalt mixtures through indirect tensile strength, resilient modulus, moisture-induced damage, indirect tensile fatigue, dynamic modulus, and flow number tests, subjected to different aging protocols to infer their compatibility with real field conditions. The mixtures were subjected to short-term aging followed by long-term aging, which replicates aging factors such as heat, oxygen, UV radiation, and moisture. Asphalt binders exhibited increased susceptibility to cracking and reduced fatigue life at strain amplitudes >10% following the aging protocols. A notable increase in asphalt mixture modulus values was observed post-aging, with drying-oven aging having the most pronounced effect. UV-B radiation demonstrated greater impact on asphalt materials at temperatures >60°C or exposure durations >224 h.