Identification and Evaluation of Oil or Fuel Contaminants in Airport Asphalt Pavements

Despite the use of fuel-resistant asphalt binder in airport pavement, oil or fuel contaminants still lead to pavement deterioration or softening, which may pose a risk to aircrafts during their landing and taking-off. The identification and evaluation of the contaminants is a prerequisite for developing preventative or maintenance measures. In this study, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and mechanical tests were used to characterize asphalt pavements contaminated by four typical contaminants, including jet fuel, diesel, lubricant, and vegetable oil. The FTIR spectra of the contaminants, their blends with asphalt binder, and extracted binders from contaminated mixtures were comprehensively analyzed. Compacted asphalt mixture samples were treated by immersion into the four types of contaminants for different time durations and subsequently evaluated by visual observation, mass loss, and resistance to permanent deformation. The results indicate that FTIR is a rapid and reliable method to identify certain contaminants, and different types of contaminants lead to significantly different impacts on asphalt mixtures. Construction and maintenance strategies are recommended based on the research findings.