The　physico-chemo-rheological　properties　of　asphalt　binder　are　critical　for　the　long-term　performance　of　asphalt　pavement　infrastructures.　The　objectives　of　this　study　are　to　characterize　the　physico-rheological　properties　of　unmodified　neat　and　polymer-modified　asphalt　binders　with　newly　developed　rheological　performance　tests,　and　further　investigate　the　binder　chemical　properties　as　well　as　the　possible　performance　relationship　from　macroscale　to　microscale　perspective.　Three　neat　asphalt　binders　and　two　styrene-butadiene-styrene　(SBS)　modified　asphalt　binders　are　selected　in　this　study.　The　physical　properties　of　asphalt　binder　include　traditional　penetration,　softening　point　and　ductility.　The　saturates,　aromatics,　resins　and　asphaltenes　(SARA)　fractionation　test,　gel　permeation　chromatography　(GPC)　and　fourier　transform　infrared　spectroscopy　(FTIR)　tests　are　respectively　conducted　to　quantify　the　chemical　composition,　molecular　weight　distribution　and　structure　properties　of　asphalt　binders.　The　rheological　rutting　and　fatigue　resistance　are　evaluated　through　the　multiple　stress　creep　recovery　(MSCR),　linear　amplitude　sweep　(LAS)　and　DSR-based　elastic　recovery　(DSR-ER)　tests.　Experimental　results　indicate　that　the　physical　properties　are　only　effective　to　distinguish　the　rheological　performance　of　neat　asphalt　binders.　The　lower　aromatics　contents　improve　the　binder　rutting　resistance　and　an　unified　relationship　between　aromatic　contents　and　binder　rutting　performance　is　obtained　for　both　neat　and　modified　binders.　In　addition,　increasing　the　amount　of　small　asphalt　molecules　decrease　the　resistance　to　permanent　deformation　respectively　for　neat　and　modified　binders.　However,　the　small　asphalt　molecule　is　favorable　for　improving　the　binder　fatigue　performance.　The　large　molecular　size　(LMS)　parameter　from　GPC　test　is　demonstrated　a　unified　correlation　to　the　fatigue　life　of　both　neat　and　modified　binders.　(C)　2018　Elsevier　Ltd.　All　rights　reserved.