Comparison of methods for measuring zero shear viscosity in asphalts

Permanent deformation or “rutting” is a common mode of failure in asphalt pavements. In order to better determine why rutting occurs, current research is focussed on the rheological properties of the asphalt binder. Zero shear viscosity (ZSV) seems to adequately explain how the asphalt binder contributes to the rutting behaviour of the pavement. Still, the measurement of ZSV in a reliable and reproducible way is an open field of discussion. This work looks into the repeatability, benefits and duration of two test methods to measure ZSV: the creep test and frequency sweep test. To account for the influence of the asphalt type, six different conventional and modified asphalts were tested. A statistical analysis was performed to study the variability of each test method and a comparison between both was made.