Strip-resistant asphalt paving composition and method for making the same

1. An asphalt paving composition comprising an asphalt binder, aggregate, and an alkaline anti-stripping additive, wherein the asphalt binder comprises asphalt and polyphosphoric acid.

2. The asphalt paving composition of claim 1 wherein the asphalt binder is at a concentration that is between about 4 and about 7% by weight of the asphalt paving composition.

3. The asphalt paving composition of claim 1 wherein the aggregate is at a concentration that is at least about 90% by volume of the asphalt paving composition.

4. The asphalt paving composition of claim 1 wherein the polyphosphoric acid is at a concentration that is at least about 0.05% by weight of the asphalt binder.

5. The asphalt paving composition of claim 1 wherein the concentration of the polyphosphoric acid is no greater than about 2.0% by weight of the asphalt binder.

6. The asphalt paving composition of claim 1 wherein the alkaline anti-stripping additive comprises calcium hydroxide.

7. The asphalt paving composition of claim 1 wherein the alkaline anti-stripping additive is at a concentration that is at least about 0.5% by weight of the aggregate.

8. The asphalt paving composition of claim 7 wherein the concentration of the alkaline anti-stripping additive is no greater than about 2% by weight of the aggregate.

9. The asphalt paving composition of claim 1 wherein the asphalt binder further comprises a surface-active anti-stripping additive.

10. The asphalt paving composition of claim 9 wherein the surface-active anti-stripping additive comprises an amine.

11. The asphalt paving composition of claim 9 wherein the surface-active anti-stripping additive is at a concentration that is between about 0.5 and about 1.0% by weight of the asphalt binder.

12. The asphalt paving composition of claim 1 wherein the asphalt binder further comprises a polymer modifier.

13. The asphalt paving composition of claim 12 wherein the polymer modifier is selected from the group consisting of a styrene-butadiene-styrene copolymer, a styrene-butadiene copolymer, a terpolymer, an ethylene-vinyl-acetate polymer, an ethylene-methacrylate polymer, a styrene-isoprene copolymer, an epoxy resin, a natural rubber, a polydiolefin, and combinations thereof.

14. The asphalt paving composition of claim 12 wherein the polymer modifier is at a concentration that is at least about 1.0% by weight of the asphalt binder.

15. The asphalt paving composition of claim 12 wherein the concentration of the polymer modifier is no greater than about 10.0% by weight of the asphalt binder.

16. The asphalt paving composition of claim 1 consisting essentially of the asphalt, the aggregate, the polyphosphoric acid, and the alkaline anti-stripping additive.

17. A method for improving the resistance to stripping of an asphalt pavement prepared using an asphalt paving composition that comprises asphalt and aggregate, the method comprising modifying the asphalt paving composition by adding polyphosphoric acid and an alkaline anti-stripping additive to the asphalt paving composition.

18. A method for preparing an asphalt paving composition, the method comprising mixing a modified asphalt binder that comprises an asphalt and polyphosphoric acid with aggregate and an alkaline anti-stripping additive to produce the asphalt paving composition.

19. The method of claim 18 wherein the modified asphalt binder is at a concentration that is between about 4 and about 7% by weight of the asphalt paving composition, the aggregate is at a concentration that is at least about 90% by volume of the asphalt paving composition, the polyphosphoric acid has an H 3 PO 4 equivalent concentration of at least about 100% and is at a concentration that is between about 0.05% and about 2.0% by weight of the modified asphalt binder, and the alkaline anti-stripping additive is at a concentration that is between about 0.5 and about 2.0% by weight of the aggregate.

20. The method of claim 18 wherein the modified asphalt binder consists essentially of asphalt and polyphosphoric acid.