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.