The Effect of Cow Dung Ash as A Filler on The Mechanical Characteristics of Hot Mix Asphalt

Abstract

Highway pavements are being exposed to increasing traffic loads and severe environmental conditions, resulting in reduced service life. A lot of studies have been conducted to modify asphalt by using different materials, especially to replace the ordinary filler. Because the behaviour of the hot asphalt mix is influenced by the fillers. The use of unusual materials as fillers in asphalt mixes can help to improve the mix’s characteristics. As a result, this study uses cow dung ash materials with various replacement ratios as fillers to investigate the mechanical properties of asphalt. In the asphalt mix, a replacement percentage of limestone (0%, 10%, 20%, 30%, 40%, 50%, 60%, 80%, and 100%) was utilized. After that, various tests were performed such as Marshall stability, Marshall flow, voids in mineral aggregate, theoretical maximum specific gravity, air voids. The results revealed a significant improvement in the asphalt mix’s behaviour, as well as an increase in the replacement percentage. According to the findings, the 50% replacement rate has the highest Marshall stability which is equal to 11.11 with a 33.5% rise and the lowest flow of 3 with a 17.83% decrease when compared to the reference mix. As a result, cow dung ash can be used as a filler to modify the mechanical properties of the asphalt mix.

Biodegradable cow dung for brake friction material: a preliminary investigation

“…The cow dung fibres used as fillers have a cellulose content of 33%, hemicellulose content of 16% and lignin content of 10%. Magnesium, calcium and potassium are also present as macronutrients along with traces of iron, cobalt and copper [18,19]. The composite samples were prepared by using the technique of powder metallurgy.…”

“…The efficiency of anaerobic digester in the production of biogas was also investigated in open literature [17, , 18]. Experimental study related to usage of eco-friendly cow dung ash as fillers in highway pavement was also available in literature [19]. Cow dung is a cheap and easily available resource over the world.…”