A laboratory procedure using a fourier transform infrared (ftir)analyzer to quantitatively determine the polyethylene content of modified hot-mixed asphalt concrete paving mixtures was developed. Ftir provides a reasonably accurate and precise method for measuring polymer content of modified mixtures and is suitable for quality assurance testing for highway and airport agencies. However, certain factors limit the accuracy of the test, which is of concern when highly precise quantitative determinations are required. An attempt is madeto develop a gravimetric procedure for quantitative analysis of polymer in asphalt paving mixtures. Although no successful procedure was generated, the findings were important because they revealed that the solubility of polyethylene is altered upon high-shear blending and exposure to hot asphalt cement. This paper appears in transportation research record no. 1317, Asphalt mixtures: design, testing, andevaluation 1991.
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