Potential application of High Modulus Asphalt Concrete with TPS Additive for Asphalt Pavements in Vietnam

Abstract

Asphalt concrete (AC) pavements in Vietnam face increasing challenges due to heavy traffic loads, prolonged congestion, and extreme weather conditions, especially high temperatures and humidity. Conventional AC mixtures often suffer from rutting, cracking, and reduced durability under such conditions. This study investigates the potential of using TAFPACK-Super (TPS) as an additive to develop high modulus asphalt concrete (HMAC) mixtures for improved road performance in Vietnam. Three HMAC mixtures with different TPS contents (0.3 %, 0.5 %, and 0.7 %) were evaluated through a series of laboratory tests, including Marshall stability, wheel tracking, four-point bending fatigue, low-temperature flexural strength, and dynamic modulus. The results showed significant improvements in rutting resistance, water stability, fatigue life, and thermal cracking resistance with increasing TPS content. Quantitatively, dynamic stability increased by 458 % compared with the control mixture (893 → 4,989 cycles/mm). Notably, the mixture with 0.5 % TPS achieved a balanced enhancement across all performance criteria while maintaining practical economic feasibility through dry mixing application. Radar chart comparison revealed that TPS 0.5 % provided the most cost-effective and technically efficient solution. This study confirms the technical viability and high application potential of TPS-modified HMAC for highways and heavy-duty pavements in Vietnam, offering a promising material innovation to address current pavement distress and lifecycle performance requirements.