Kraton® Polymer
Performance
With the addition of Kraton polymers, bitumen changes from a viscous liquid into a cost-effective elastomer. Polymer modified bitumen can provide flexibility, elasticity and toughness over a wide temperature range (-30°C to 80°C), helping to:
- Reduce permanent deformation such as rutting
- Reduce crack formation
- Reduce low temperature thermal stress cracking
- Improve shear resistance allowing thinner layers to be applied
- Reduce fretting and stripping
Modifier Performance
Test sections were laid on a road in the eastern California desert to compare the performance of different road materials. Due to the high temperatures and sun exposure, the road surface experiences extreme aging.
The following products were tested:
They were compared to unmodified asphalt reference sections. The figure on the right shows the performance of the road after several years of service.
