The increase in the number of trucks and other heavy vehicles in Iraqi highways lead to cracking and deteriorations in the flexible highway. The use of polymermodified asphalt may solve this problem to match the required performance standards. This study investigates the effects of styrene-butadiene-styrene (SBS) polymer on the performance behaviour of Iraqi bitumen binder. The characteristics of bitumen binder were analysed to observe the compatibility of bitumen with SBS polymer. The bitumen binder was mixed with three different contents of SBS (4%, 4.5%, and 5%) by weight of asphalt cement. Viscosity tests were conducted on the SBS polymer-modified asphalt at 135 oC and 165 oC in addition to conventional binder tests. The preparation of the asphalt concrete mixes was done at a fixed optimum asphalt content of 4.7% and evaluated for moisture resistance and Marshall Stability. From the test result, the modification of the binders with SBS increased the binder consistency by reducing the penetration and increasing the softening point. The SBS modification also reduced the susceptibility of bitumen to temperature as evidenced by the improved penetration index. Moreover, the relationship between mixing and compaction temperatures with SBS modification is a positive relationship. The asphalt mixes modified with SBS have shown a developed of Marshall Stability and high durability against environmental effects
