Fiber modified layer and methods of making and using same

1. A method of selecting a fiber modified layer for applying on an existing surface, comprising the steps of:

providing a binder mixture having an effective amount of an aggregate material, a binder, and a plurality of fibers, wherein each of the plurality of fibers has a length greater than 0.25 inches;

applying the binder mixture to a selected surface to form a fiber modified proposed layer;

testing the fiber modified proposed layer for fatigue or crack resistant properties, where testing the fiber modified proposed layer for fatigue or crack resistant properties comprises using a Modified Disc Compact Tension Test in accordance with Modified ASTM D7313-07; and

selecting the binder mixture for application on the existing surface for performance if the fiber modified proposed layer has fatigue or crack resistant properties.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the aggregate material is mineral aggregates, man made aggregates, recycled materials, or mixtures thereof.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the mineral aggregates are sand, stone, lime, Portland cement, kiln dust, or mixtures thereof.

4. The method of claim 2 wherein the man made aggregates are wet bottom boiler slag, blast furnace slag, or mixtures thereof.

5. The method of claim 2 wherein the recycled materials are reclaimed asphalt pavement, glass, ground rubber tires, ceramics, metals, or mixtures thereof.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the binder is an asphalt emulsion.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein the asphalt emulsion is elastomer-modified.

8. The method of claim 6 wherein the asphalt emulsion is polymer modified.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein the polymer is natural latex.

10. The method of claim 8 wherein the polymer is SBR latex or neoprene latex.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein the binder is an asphalt emulsion, hot asphalt cement, hot polymer modified asphalt cement, petroleum solvent cutback asphalt, polymer modified petroleum solvent cutback asphalt, resinous hydrocarbons, emulsified resinous hydrocarbons, emulsified polymer modified resinous hydrocarbons, or mixtures thereof.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein the plurality of fibers is formed from polyester.

13. The method of claim 1 wherein the plurality of fibers is synthetic fiber, glass fiber, metallic fiber, steel fiber, boron fiber, aluminum fiber, acrylic fiber, nylon fiber, rayon fiber, polyester fiber, polystyrene fiber, cellulose acetate fiber, acetate base fiber, polypropylene fiber, polyacrylamide fiber, polyethylene fiber, carbon fiber, aramid fiber, or mixtures thereof.

14. The method of claim 1 wherein each of the plurality of fibers has a length of at least 0.5 inches.

15. The method of claim 1 wherein the binder mixture further comprises one or more additives.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein the additives are adhesion promoters, surfactants, polymers, cross-linking agents, vulcanization agents, accelerators, extenders, or fluxing agents.

17. The method of claim 1 wherein the fiber modified proposed layer has fatigue or crack resistant properties if the testing results in a mixture fracture energy of greater than 148 J/m 2 .

18. The method of claim 1 wherein testing the fiber modified proposed layer for fatigue or crack resistant properties comprises using flexibility tests, bending tests, or fracture energy and fracture toughness tests.

19. The method of claim 1 further comprising applying the selected fiber modified proposed layer having crack resistant properties to the existing surface.

20. The method of claim 19 wherein said existing surface has a direction of travel, further comprising preferentially aligning the plurality of fibers in the binder mixture in the direction of travel.