Abstract

Binder bonding strength (BBS) is critical to aggregate retention and friction performance in high-friction surface treatment (HFST). Although epoxy resin is traditionally used, asphalt-based binders offer a sustainable alternative; however, their bonding behavior and influence on polishing performance remain insufficiently understood. This study investigated the evolution and optimization of BBS in crumb rubber-modified (CRM) asphalt for rhyolite-based HFSTs. BBS was measured under dry and wet-conditioned states for two CR contents (10% and 15%), two CR types (cryogenic and ambient), two interaction temperatures (170 and 200 °C), and interaction times from 10 to 240 min. HFST performance was assessed using the British pendulum tester (BPT), dynamic friction tester (DFT), and circular track meter (CTM) under accelerated polishing. CR modification reduced dry BBS relative to the base binder but substantially improved moisture resistance: wet conditioning reduced base-binder BBS by 23.8%, versus 5.8–9.8% for CRM binders. BBS evolution was temperature-dependent. At 170 °C, BBS decreased and gradually recovered through 240 min, while binders prepared at 200 °C peaked at 120 min before declining. Type III factorial ANOVA identified CR content as the dominant factor affecting BBS, with interaction temperature, interaction time, and their combined effects also being significant. Despite lower BBS, 15% CRM binders generally retained higher HFST friction performance than 10% binders after accelerated polishing. The moderate relationship between dry BBS and coefficient of friction (COF) loss (R2 = 0.68) confirmed that BBS alone could not predict HFST durability, while a stronger BPN-COF loss correlation (R2 = 0.79) confirmed consistent rankings across friction test methods. Cryogenic CRM prepared at 200 °C for 120 min provided the best balance among bonding development, rheology, and friction retention. These findings demonstrate that while bonding strength alone does not govern HFST durability across interactions, its evolution with interaction time exerts a significant effect on friction retention within a given interaction condition, highlighting interaction-time optimization as a critical parameter for developing sustainable CRM-based HFSTs.

Department(s)

Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering

Publication Status

Open Access

Comments

Missouri University of Science and Technology, Grant None

Keywords and Phrases

binder bonding strength (BBS); crumb rubber-modified (CRM) asphalt; friction retention; high-friction surface treatment (HFST); moisture resistance; rhyolite aggregate

International Standard Serial Number (ISSN)

1996-1944

Document Type

Article - Journal

Document Version

Final Version

File Type

text

Language(s)

English

Rights

© 2026 The Authors, All rights reserved.

Creative Commons Licensing

Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.

Publication Date

01 Sep 2026

Download

Full Text Link

Share

 
COinS