Up　to　now,　the　underlying　mechanism　about　the　salt　erosion　aging　of　the　asphalt　has　not　been　fully　revealed　yet,　leading　to　the　limitation　of　research　on　extending　the　lifespan　of　asphalt　in　salt　erosion　environment.　Therefore,　this　work　adopted　the　molecular　dynamics　(MD)　method,　aimed　to　investigate　the　potential　mechanism　of　the　salt　erosion　aging　behavior　of　the　asphalt　from　a　molecular　perspective.　The　asphalt　models　invaded　by　sodium　sulfate　and　sodium　chloride　were　established,　and　the　invading　salt　amount　was　controlled　to　simulate　the　different　aging　degree.　Various　thermodynamics　and　energy　parameters　are　output　as　simulation　results.　Results　indicated　that　the　potential　energy　and　CED　of　the　asphalt　raise　with　the　increasing　amount　of　the　salt　invading　into　the　asphalt,　and　the　sodium　sulfate　exhibits　a　significant　impact　on　increasing　energy　compared　to　the　sodium　chloride.　Besides,　the　introduction　of　the　salt　increased　the　FFV　of　the　asphalt,　increasing　the　possibility　of　water　damage　in　asphalt.　Results　of　RDF　exhibited　that　salt　will　intensify　the　self-assembly　of　the　asphaltenes,　which　will　endow　asphalt　with　stronger　elastic　response.　Moreover,　at　the　same　weight,　sodium　chloride　had　a　larger　number　of　ions,　which　formed　wider　connection　with　the　asphaltenes,　leading　to　a　more　serious　self-assembly　behavior　compared　to　the　sodium　sulfate.　In　addition,　the　curve　of　relative　concentration　showed　that　the　presence　of　salt　prompted　the　weak　or　no　polar　fractions　to　separate　from　asphalt　and　enter　the　aqueous　phase,　which　was　called　salt-out.　Finally,　an　aging　test　in　the　laboratory　was　conducted,　and　the　results　prove　the　accuracy　of　the　simulation.　©　2024　Elsevier　Ltd