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Epoxy asphalt adhesive (EAA) is a thermosetting polymer modified asphalt that has been widely applied on steel bridge decks as a strong adhesive and waterproof layers. In this study, the influence of the asphalt penetration grade on the viscosity, damping and mechanical properties, bond strength, and microstructures of EAAs was investigated. The viscosity of the EAAs increased with increasing asphalt penetration grade. The presence of base asphalt increased the glass‐transition temperature (Tg) of the neat epoxy. The asphalt penetration grade had a negligible effect on the Tg values of the EAAs. The existence of base asphalt improved the damping behaviors of the neat epoxy. Moreover, the damping properties of the EAAs increased with increasing asphalt penetration grade. The tensile strength, elongation at break, and bond strength values of the EAAs increased with increasing asphalt penetration grade. The bond strengths of the EAAs were 7‐ to 10‐fold higher than that of the neat asphalt. The asphalt penetration grade had a negligible effect on the bond strengths of the EAAs. Morphological observations revealed that the average size of the dispersed asphalt particles in the epoxy decreased with increasing asphalt penetration grade. A more homogeneous phase separation was formed in the EAA with a higher penetration‐grade asphalt. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2019, 136, 47027. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]