Assessment of the Impact of Fiber Types on the Performance of Fiber-Reinforced Hot Mix Asphalt

Abstract

This study aims to evaluate the impact of fiber types on the performance of hot mix asphalt (HMA) mixtures. Specifically, the impacts of fiber type on HMA mix design and laboratory performance are investigated. Four types of fiber (fiberglass, basalt, carbon, and polyolefin/aramid blend) were used to produce four fiber-reinforced HMA mixes, and a control mix without fibers was also prepared. The fiber dosage rates used in this study were 0.16% (fiberglass, basalt, and carbon) and 0.05% (polyolefin/aramid) by total mixture weight, based on manufacturer recommendations. Two mixing procedures for introducing fibers into HMA were also evaluated: dry and 15-s dispersion methods. The dry method involved mixing the fibers with aggregates before the addition of asphalt binder while the 15-s dispersion method involved adding the fibers into the mix every 15 seconds (as aggregates were coated by asphalt binder during the mixing process). All the HMA mixtures (unreinforced and fiber-reinforced) were then subjected to several different laboratory performance tests: dynamic complex modulus, Cantabro durability, asphalt pavement analyzer, flow number, and indirect tensile strength. Analysis of variance was conducted to evaluate statistically the impact of fibers on mix performance. Results showed that fibers affected the volumetric properties, mix durability, and rutting resistance of HMA mixes. It was also found that the process for introducing fibers into the mix (i.e., mixing method) affected the consistency of fiber-reinforced HMA samples. Overall, the results of this study showed that the use of fibers improved the rutting and durability performance of asphalt mixtures in the laboratory.

Uso de distintos tipos de fibras para mejorar las propiedades mecánicas de la mezcla asfáltica: Una revisión literaria

“…Alfalah y colaboradores en su estudio usaron fibras de vidrio, basalto, carbono y aramida en proporciones de 0,16% (fibra de vidrio, basalto y carbono) y 0,05% (aramida) por peso total de la mezcla, logrando alcanzar la mejora del desempeño en formación de surcos y durabilidad de las mezclas asfálticas en caliente (HMA) (Alfalah et al, 2020). Por otro lado, Miao y colaboradores estudiaron el uso de cuatro tipos de fibra, incluido un plástico reforzado con fibra (FRP), dos fibras de lignina y una fibra de basalto, destacando que las fibras de basalto presentaron el mejor efecto de refuerzo en HMA al contar con una alta energía superficial (Miao, Wang, y Wang, 2019).…”

Influence of Fiber Type and Dosage on Tensile Property of Asphalt Mixture Using Direct Tensile Test

“…Moreover, in engineering practice, many defects have occurred on asphalt concrete pavement resulting from tensile performance deficiency, among which cracking is the most typical one [ 1 , 2 ]. Once cracking occurs, it can induce stress concentration in asphalt mixture, which can not only accelerate the failure of the pavement structure, but also affect driving comfort and even driving safety [ 3 ]. Therefore, it is of great significance to improve the tensile properties of asphalt mixture.…”

Recent Advances in Basalt Fiber Reinforced Asphalt Mixture for Pavement Applications

“…Today, increased traffic volume causes increased difficulty in pavement loading conditions, extreme environmental conditions cause increased road stability requirements, and basalt fiber asphalt mixes are considered an effective material for improving road performance such as anti-fatigue, anti-water damage, and anti-cracking [ 11 , 12 ]. Currently, scholars studying the exploration and application of fiber-reinforced asphalt mixtures range from improving road performance to finding alternative materials with low energy consumption and high performance returns, from the study of the effect of fiber size or doping on the simple parameters of the mixture to the detailed analysis of the physical and chemical parameters of various aspects of fiber materials and the suitability of asphalt mixtures [ 13 , 14 ].…”