Analytical approach for the mix design optimisation of bituminous mixtures with crumb rubber

The present paper provides a basis for defining a mix design method specifically tailored to rubberised asphalt that takes into account the behaviour of crumb rubber. An analytical approach to quantifying the recovered deformation of crumb rubber in the post-compaction phase has been developed in order to adjust the number of gyrations proposed by the Superpave method for compacting specimens of hot mix asphalt using a Superpave gyratory compactor. The maximum allowable amount of rubber has been calculated. Finally, a step-by-step protocol has been proposed in order to fabricate and compact crumb rubber modified mixtures with the gyratory compactor.