Investigation of the effects of the use of herbal additives on the properties of bituminous binders

Todays, freight and passenger transportation is mostly carried out by highways. %80 of highways are made up of bitumen, a byproduct of petroleum. Studies have been carried out to improve the properties of bitumen by using different additives, in order to improve the properties of bitumen against deterioration that occurs on highways over time. The fact that the additives used are plant-based is important both financially and ecologically. In this study, modified bitumen was produced by mixing plant-based additives to pure bitumen with a penetration grade of 50/70. The effect of the produced modified bitumen binders on the properties of bitumen has been investigated. In the thesis study, a literature review was conducted and mixing conditions were determined based on the results of previous research. Modified bitumen samples were prepared by adding olive pomace and Aloe vera gel separately at rates of 2%, 4%, 6%, 8%, and 10% by weight of bitumen, and mixing them at 160°C and 1000 rpm for 60 minutes. The prepared modified bitumen samples were subjected to penetration tests, softening point determination tests, Brookfield viscosity tests, Rolling Thin Film Oven Tests (RTFOT), and Marshall design stability tests. Based on the test results, the effects of the plant-based additives used for bitumen modification on the properties of the bituminous binder were identified by comparing them to those of the unmodified bitumen after modification.