CHARACTERIZATION OF PAVING ASPHALTS BY DIFFERENTIAL SCANNING CALORIMETRY

Abstract

Differential Scanning Calorimetry (D.S.C.) has been used to characterize the thermal behavior of various paving asphalts and their chromatographic fractions. In a single determination, several parameters, such as the glass transition temperature of the hydrocarbon matrix and the crystallized fractions, may be determined with good reproducibility. The glass transition is attributed to the aromatic and one part of the saturated fractions. The rest of the satured fraction has been found responsible for the endoihermal effect observed on warming which corresponds to the dissolution into the matrix. A method of determination of the crystallized fractions is described, and a comparison with the L.C.P.C. (Laboratoire Central des Ponts et Chaussdes - French Highway Administration Laboratory) method is made. The L.C.P.C. method was found to underestimate the real percentage of the crystallized fractions.