Experimental Survey on Dry Asphalt Rubber Concrete for Sub-ballast Layers

Abstract

This paper presents the results of an experimental survey on the potential application of DARC (dry asphalt rubber concrete) in rail superstructure, within sub-ballast layers by measuring its damping and mechanical properties. Based on the environmental friendly point of view the DARC has the significant advantage as the backfill material of sub-ballast layer because the rubber comes from the waste tires of truck and its usage can results a significant recycling of non-biodegradable wastes. After a preliminary mix-design of several DARCs, with different rubber content that confirmed by using the Marshall test, the stiffness modulus and damping ratio both of a standard bituminous mixture and of dry asphalt rubber concrete with a rubber content equal to 1.5% were determined using the four points bending device. The experimental results were compared and a numerical analysis by means of a 2D lumped mass model was developed in order to evaluate the different performance within the rail superstructure in terms both of the deflection and of the pressure on sub-grade. Both the results on the mechanical and dissipative properties of the DARC and the mechanical behavior of the correlate rail superstructure encourage the authors to continue the research on the application of such material for sub-ballast layers.