Abstract
Polypropylene fibers are completely native modifiers and they do not have any dependence on abroad in case of technology. When viewed from this point, the modification of bituminous binders with polypropylene fibers is a very important step for our country’s “economical” concerns. In this study, first of all, the physical and chemical effects of polypropylene fibers on bitumen were investigated. Next, the amount of “optimum” polypropylene fibers that has to be added into the mixture was determined. In order to determine it, first, static creep tests and Marshall tests were carried out and then, images of the polypropylene fiber added bituminous binders under fluorescence microscopy were researched. With the application of physical and mechanical tests to the Marshall specimens prepared with the optimum polypropylene amount that was obtained, optimum bitumen content was determined and finally economical analyses were carried out. By carrying out extensive analyses it was seen that the utilisation of polypropylene fibers improves the physical and mechanical properties of the resultant asphalt mixture mainly by enhancing the permanent deformation resistance. On the other hand, polypropylene modification results in 30% economy from bitumen which is a clear indication of the benefit in the mass production of asphalt concrete.
Highlights
Fiber modification is a type of polymer modification and polypropylene fiber modification is a specialized fiber modification
Polypropylene fibers altered the mechanical behavior of asphalt mixtures by increasing their Marshall stability values, their fatigue life, and decreasing their flow values
The increase in softening point values is 106.03 °C when compared to control specimens. This is an enormous increase from the pavement engineering point of view which is showing the clear decrease in the temperature susceptibility of the bituminous binders with polypropylene fiber modification
Summary
Fiber modification is a type of polymer modification and polypropylene fiber modification is a specialized fiber modification. Extensive studies using the simple creep test or uniaxial creep test as a basis of predicting permanent deformation in dense bituminous mixtures has been carried out all throughout the pavement research laboratories around the world up to date. It has been admitted by all of the researchers that creep test must be performed at relatively low stress levels, such as the ones not exceeding 30 psi (206.9 kPa) and low temperatures such as ones again not exceeding 104 °F (40 °C). The optimum polypropylene amount that has to be added into the mixture by the percentage of aggregate has been determined for a dense bituminous mixture that is prepared by using local aggregate and bitumen sources
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