EFFECT OF ZYCOTHERM ADDITIVE ON PERFORMANCE OF NEAT BITUMEN AND BITUMINOUS CONCRETE MIXES

In India 95% of roads are bituminous roads which consists approximately 93-95% of aggregate and 5- 7% of binder material. Until now conventional bituminous binders were performing satisfactory results but with increase in traffic intensity there is a need of better binder material which can perform better under heavy traffic loads without compromising the performance of bituminous mix. Polymer modification in bitumen offers a better solution to overcome the deficiencies in properties of conventional binder. Various researches have shown that polymer modification in bitumen improves performance of bituminous mixes under wide range of temperature variation. Some polymers like SBS polymer have tendency to increase the viscosity of bitumen. More viscous binder requires high temperature for mixing and compaction of bituminous mix. Various additives are also added in bitumen so as to decrease the mixing and compaction temperature of mixes by lowering the viscosity of binder at elevated temperature. The reduction in mixing and paving temperature would decrease the energy required to make bituminous mixes [1]. Zycotherm additive is an odourless nano organosilane additive used for bituminous mixes. Zycotherm gives better chemical bonding for extended moisture resistance and it ensures 100% coating of bitumen at low temperature. In this study Zycotherm additive is added to neat bitumen and various comparisons were made using conventional test and rheological test on bitumen. Effect of Zycotherm on mechanical properties of bituminous binder is evaluated by the comparing results from Marshall Stability test and indirect tensile strength test