Laboratory Evaluation of the Use of Florida Washed Shell in Open-Graded Asphalt Mixtures

This study investigates the substitution of conventional aggregate with a Florida washed shell in open-graded asphalt mixtures and evaluates the optimal substitution percentage in aggregate gradations of various nominal maximum aggregate sizes (NMASs) (i.e., 4.75, 9.5, and 12.5 mm). Laboratory experiments were performed on open-graded asphalt mixture specimens with the coarse aggregate of sizes between 2.36 and 12.5 mm being replaced by the Florida washed shell at various percentages (0, 15, 30, 45, and 100%). Specimen properties relevant to the performance of open-graded asphalt mixtures in the field were tested, evaluated, and compared. Specifically, a Marshall stability test, Cantabro test, indirect tensile strength test, air void content test, and permeability test were conducted to evaluate the strength, resistance to raveling, cracking resistance, void content, and permeability of open-graded asphalt mixtures. The results show that there is no significant difference in the Marshall stability and indirect tensile strength when the coarse aggregates are replaced with Florida washed shell. This study also found that the optimum percentages of Florida washed shell in open-graded asphalt mixture were 15, 30, and 45% for 12.5, 9.5, and 4.75 mm NMAS gradations, respectively.

Performance Comparison of Asphalt Emulsion Stabilized Granular Base Modified with Cement or Asphaltenes

Asphalt emulsion is a common material used for pavement base course stabilization, and cement is usually added as an active filler to improve the stability of asphalt emulsion mixtures further. However, using cement in these mixes has several drawbacks, including high material costs and environmental issues. On the other hand, asphaltenes is a waste by product derived from the processing of Alberta oil-sands bitumen that could be used for the same purpose. This investigation compares the impact of cement and asphaltenes as additives to asphalt emulsion-stabilized layers. To compare the performance properties, cement- and asphaltenes-modified mixtures are prepared at different concentrations. The performance properties of the modified mixtures are investigated by conducting a series of tests including Marshall stability, indirect tensile strength, IDEAL-CT, and tensile strength ratio. In addition, to evaluate low-temperature cracking resistance of the mixtures, indirect tensile strength test is conducted at 0 °C and −10 °C.

Recycling of Waste Materials Using Bitumen Emulsion for Road Pavement Stabilized Base Courses: a Laboratory Investigation

The valorisation and reuse of waste materials can enhance the environmental sustainability of road constructions, especially by means of cold recycling techniques, which, moreover, allow to reduce polluting emissions in atmosphere. Among the various technological approaches, the use of bitumen emulsion to stabilize waste materials is very common, especially in case of reclaimed asphalt pavement (RAP) aggregates. However, even other types of waste materials could be considered using a Cold Central Plant Recycling (CCPR) approach. The paper discusses the main results of a laboratory investigation aimed to evaluate the mechanical performance of bitumen emulsion stabilized mixtures for road pavements base courses, prepared with RAP, steel slag, coal ash and glass wastes, used with various percentages. In a first step of the laboratory study, both physical and toxicological properties of each waste material have been investigated, in order to assess their environmental compatibility. Subsequently, an extensive mechanical analysis of the bitumen emulsion stabilized mixtures has been carried out in the laboratory, in terms of indirect tensile strength, indirect tensile stiffness modulus at three temperatures (10°C, 25°C, 40°C) and repeated load axial tests at 30°C. The moisture resistance of the mixes has been also investigated by means of indirect tensile strength tests carried out on soaked specimens. Very good results have been observed, depending on the mix composition: indirect tensile strength at 25 °C on dry specimens up to 0.52 MPa and stiffness modulus up to 4,056 MPa (at 25 °C, for a rise time equal to 124 ms). Therefore, it has been verified that the waste materials considered in the study can be successfully reused to completely substitute conventional aggregates in bitumen emulsion stabilized mixtures for road pavements base courses.

Alternative Using of Fine Aggregate in Concrete with Acid Curing

One of the most widely used construction materials is concrete. Concrete technology is currently developing, one of which is looking for alternative materials concrete forming. This research focuses on the use of slag as a fine aggregate in concrete, especially in environments containing sulfuric and chloride acid. Observations were made by testing compressive strength, indirect tensile strength, and flexural strength, with 171 cylindrical specimens and 27 sample beam specimens. The test results show that the relative percentage of compressive strength of normal concrete on H2SO4 curing against normal curing decreased 1.85% and 2.58% on HCl curing. The biggest reduction in the percentage of concrete compressive strength was found in 30% slag substitution with a value 8.42%, while the percentage reduction in the relative strength of the indirect tensile strength concrete is found in concrete with a slag substitution of 35% with a value 9.26%. As well as the decrease in relative percentage of flexural strength was found in 35% slag substitution with a value 12.84%. Although there is a decrease in each characteristic of concrete, slag material can be used as a constituent for concrete under environmental conditions of sulfuric acid and chloride acid.

The Use of Steel Slag as Substitution of Coarse Aggregate on Indirect Tensile Strength and Marshall Properties of AC-WC

High traffic levels on road can causing road damage, especially cases of permanent deformation and fatigue cracking. One solution is to utilize waste of material, such as steel slag as coarse aggregate and polymer modified asphalt as binding material. This paper explores experimental laboratory investigation on the use of steel slag on Marshall characteristics and indirect tensile strength of AC-WC mixture by using Starbit E-60 and Pen 60/70. Laboratory works begin with physical testing of material, then, finding the optimum bitumen content (OBC) for each type of the mixtures. Finally, Marshall Standard and indirect tensile strength (ITS) at OBC were conducted. Results shows that the use of steel slag for AC-WC mixture are proven to improve resistance to permanent deformation as well as fatigue cracking. Substitution of steel slag for coarse aggregates were able to increase Marshall stability, Marshall Quotient and indirect tensile strength (ITS) of the mixtures, however, it slightly decreases the volumetric performance of mixture, such as voids in total mixes become higher and voids filled with asphalt as well as voids in mineral aggregates tend to decrease.

Calculation Derivation and Test Verification of Indirect Tensile Strength of Asphalt Pavement Interlayers at Low Temperatures

When the direct tensile test is adopted to determine the interlayer tensile strength of the asphalt pavements, specimen separation or internal cracking often occurs at the bonding area of the loading head, rather than at the interlaminar bonding interface. In view of the tedious and discrete data of the direct tensile test, this paper attempts to introduce an indirect tensile test to determine the interlayer bond strength of asphalt pavement to solve this problem. However, the indirect tensile test method of a binder lacks the corresponding mechanical theory. This paper deduces the calculation formula of the indirect tensile strength of a binder based on elastic theory. A mechanical model of the test was established with the finite element method. In accordance with the two-dimensional elastic theory and the Flamant solution, an analytical solution of tensile stress in the indirect tensile test is proposed through the stress superposition. On this basis, the calculation formula for the indirect tensile strength of the interlaminar bonding is derived according to Tresca’s law. A low-temperature indirect tensile test was designed and conducted to verify the correctness of the formula. By comparing the results of the indirect tensile test and direct tensile test, it is found that the interlaminar strength of the mixture measured by them is similar, and the dispersion of indirect tensile test results is small. The results show that the indirect tensile test can replace the direct tensile test to evaluate the interlaminar tensile strength.

Evaluation of Fatigue Potential for Crumb Rubber Modified Bitumen in Stone Mastic Asphalt Mixes

SMA is a gap graded mix composed of a high concentration of coarse aggregate that is held together in a thick asphalt film by a matrix of mineral filler and stabilizers. Since natural aggregates have become expensive, hence Reclaimed Asphalt Pavement (RAP) can be reused in pavement construction to reduce the environmental hazardous due to disposal problems. Since the RAP contains used aggregates, it is highly prone to fatigue, thermal and reflective cracking effect. Rheological and chemical properties of aged bitumen in RAP can be enhanced by use of untreated waste oils such as waste engine oil as rejuvenators. This research presents a study on fatigue performance of SMA mix with Reclaimed Asphalt Pavement (RAP) materials with and without rejuvenators and results were compared with conventional SMA mix. The materials used were first characterized by common laboratory tests. Then the three SMA mixes are tested using several laboratory test procedures: Marshall Stability, indirect tensile strength, moisture susceptibility, and indirect tension fatigue test. The optimum proportions of the of the mixes with highest stability are selected from the Marshall stability test. The indirect tensile strength test results show that the SMA mix replaced with RAP without rejuvenators showed higher tensile strength ratio and resistance to moisture damage when compared to conventional mix and optimum RAP replacement mix with rejuvenators. The fatigue test was conducted for the three optimum mixes at different temperature and stresses. The fatigue test results showed that at lower temperature and stresses, the RAP replaced SMA without rejuvenator offered better fatigue resistance than those with rejuvenator and conventional SMA mix. At higher temperatures, the RAP replaced SMA mix with rejuvenator offered similar fatigue lifecycle as conventional mix. However, at high stresses, conventional SMA mix offered better fatigue lifecycle. Increase in failure stresses resulted in decrease of number of fatigue cycles and increased in initial tensile strain of the mix. Thus, with the use of RAP substantial decrease in cost can be achieved without compromising the fatigue characteristic of the SMA mix.

Laboratory Evaluation of Mechanical Properties of Modified Asphalt and Mixture Using Graphene Platelets (GnPs)

Recently, nanomaterials have attracted attention in the field of pavement construction as modifiers to endure heavy loads and climate changes. In this study, conventional asphalt (bitumen) of penetration grade AC (60/70) was modified with graphene platelets (GnPs) at three different contents: 0.5%, 1.0%, and 1.5% by weight of asphalt content. Kinematic viscosity, softening point, penetration, and dynamic shear rheology tests were performed to evaluate the mechanical properties of modified binder. The results showed that adding GnPs improves the mechanical properties of asphalt binder; the kinematic viscosities, softening points, and rutting parameters increased but penetrations decreased with the contents of GnPs. Hot mix asphalt specimens with GnPs-modified asphalt were prepared and characterized with Marshall tests, thermal stress restrained specimen tests (TSRST), wheel tracking tests, and indirect tensile tests. Similar to the results of asphalt binder, the mechanical properties of asphalt mixture were improved by GnPs. Marshall stability increased by 21% and flow decreased by 24% with accepted value of 2.8 mm in penetration when the mixture was modified with 1.0 wt% of GnPs. At the same GnPs content, modified asphalt mixture led to lower failure temperature by 2 °C in comparison with unmodified asphalt mixture and the cryogenic failure stress was improved by 12%. The wheel tracking tests showed that GnPs-modified asphalt mixture has outstanding deformation resistance in comparison with unmodified asphalt mixtures: after 5000 cycles, 1.0 wt% of GnPs reduced the rut depth of asphalt mixture by 60%—the rut depth of unmodified asphalt mixture was 6.9 mm compared to 2.75 mm for modified asphalt mixture. After 10,000 cycles, the modified asphalt mixture showed rut depth of 3.24 mm in comparison with 8.12 mm in case of unmodified asphalt mixture. Addition of GnPs into asphalt mixture significantly improved the indirect tensile strength: 1.0 wt% of GnPs increased the indirect tensile strength of unmodified asphalt mixture from 0.79 to 1.1 MPa recording ~40% increment. The results of this study can confirm that graphene platelets enhance the mechanical properties of asphalt mixture and its performance.