Roads and Bridges - Drogi i Mosty
7, 4, 2008, 23-46
7, 4, 2008, 23-46
New method of analysis of polymer modified bitumen microstructure
Abstract
The paper presents a new method of assessment of polymer modified bitumen microstructure. Properties of microstructure of polymer modified bitumen and factors influencing propertes of polymer-bitumen system are discussed. Two methods of evaluations of microstructure are presented: the qualitative method based on the model images and the quantitative method based on the mathematical description of polymer particle dispersed in bitumen matrix. Morphological operations performed on captured images in order to separate polymer phase dispersed in bitumen are described. In this study images obtained from fluorescent microscope are analysed with computer image analysis program. The computer image analysis method enables automation of the processing of large number of images and allows an exclusion of human suggestion factor.