Evaluation of Using Natural Fillers to Improve Moisture Damage Resistance and the Use of Pull-Off Tensile Test in Determining Moisture Damage Resistance in Asphalt Mixture

Kroekphon Rachabut,Preeda Chaturabong

doi:10.3390/app10124318

Kroekphon Rachabut, Preeda Chaturabong

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.3390/app10124318

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Abstract

Moisture is one of the critical failures affecting asphalt pavement. It has been recently found that moisture created by rainwater and undrained water deteriorate the bonding interface between asphalt mastic and aggregate. Using different mineral fillers can lead to different moisture resistance in the same mix design. Nowadays, waste natural materials allow agriculturists to receive more income by recycling in many industries. In this study, the researchers adopted bagasse and coconut peat grinding into very fine particle passing through the sieve number 200 (0.075 mm) to replace the mineral fillers. Although the indirect tensile strength (ITS) test is commonly used for evaluating the moisture damage resistance of hot-mix asphalt (HMA) in a laboratory, there are some shortcomings in using this test, such as costly, heavy and indirect equipment. Another potential test that is likely to be more advantageous than the ITS test for evaluating the moisture damage resistance is the pull-off tensile strength (POTS) test. However, it is typically measured on a concrete surface, and no results using an asphalt mixture have been reported. The objectives in this study were to investigate the effects of waste natural fillers in asphalt mixture on adhesive bonding caused by moisture, and to determine whether the POTS test is a potential method in measuring moisture damage resistance in a laboratory. Results showed that the tensile strength ratios (TSR) of asphalt mixture with bagasse and coconut peat fillers are approximately equivalent to those with mineral fillers. Results also showed that asphalt mixtures with bagasse and coconut peat fillers can effectively prevent the moisture damage resistance. In addition, with the preliminary result, it was found that the POTS test showed a very good R square (R2) for a relation of TSR with the ITS test. As a result, the POTS can be a valid tool of quantifying moisture damage resistance with better simulating to field behavior, lower cost of equipment, and light weight.

Highlights

Filler is a necessary component to maximize the stability of asphalt mixture
Mineral fillers are and important in asphalt mixtures as they assist in increasing the stiffness of Mineral fillers are important factors in asphalt mixtures as they assist in increasing the stiffness asphalt binder, providing more resistance to rutting at temperatures
Results showed that the tensile strength ratio (TSR) presented in the pull-off tensile strength (POTS) test for the asphalt mixture, which showed the mixtures with granite filler gave lower TSR than those with limestone filler

Summary

Introduction

Filler is a necessary component to maximize the stability of asphalt mixture. It plays a role in increasing the bonding between asphalt and aggregate, which is typically chosen on the basis of the material’s properties [1]. Many types of waste materials can be used in various purposes, such as the replacement of mineral fillers or additives to increase the asphalt mixture performance [2]. The use of these materials can help to solve environmental problems, and it can enhance the economic value to those materials [3].

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