ED Sciences Chimiques
Influence of polymer additives on reducing the manufacturing temperatures of bituminous mixtures
by Corentin VERILHAC (Laboratoire de Chimie des Polymères Organiques)
The defense will take place at 14h00 - Amphi 2 ENSMAC 16 Av. Pey Berland, 33600 Pessac
in front of the jury composed of
- Stéphane CARLOTTI - Full professor - Université de Bordeaux - Directeur de these
- Jean-François LE MEINS - Maître de conférences - Université de Bordeaux - CoDirecteur de these
- Thomas LEBARBE - Ingénieur de recherche - Vinci Construction Services partagés - Examinateur
- Lise DEVES - Ingénieure de recherche - ARKEMA - Examinateur
- Véronique SCHMITT - Directrice de recherche - Centre de Recherche Paul Pascal - Examinateur
- Michel CLOITRE - Directeur de recherche - ESPCI Soft Matter and Chemistry- UMR 7167 - Examinateur
- Ilias ILIOPOULOS - Directeur de recherche - Ecole nationale supérieure d'arts et métiers - Rapporteur
- Virginie MOUILLET - Directrice de recherche - CEREMA Méditerranée - Rapporteur
This thesis explores the influence of polymer additives on reducing the manufacturing temperatures of bituminous mixtures for road construction. The objective is to lower these temperatures to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and improve the durability of roads. Some additives modify the properties of bitumen, allowing application at lower temperatures without compromising the quality. The research employed analytical techniques such as nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and UV-visible spectroscopy to analyze the interactions between the additives and asphaltenes in model medium. Other analytical techniques, such as rheology and tribology, were used to examine the influence of polymers on the bituminous matrix. An exploration of these interactions was conducted at different scales using model systems to isolate various experimental parameters. The results show that selected additives enhance the diffusion of asphaltenes, delaying their precipitation and improving the lubrication of bitumen. Tests on real bituminous systems demonstrated that those additives improve the lubricating properties of bitumen, which partly explains the observed improvement in workability of mixtures produced at lower temperatures. The study also examined the effect of aging, showing that the additives can improve workability even in the presence of recycled materials. In conclusion, this thesis demonstrates that the use of polymer additives can offer significant environmental and economic benefits for the road construction industry.