Geopolymer concrete paving blocks made with Recycled Asphalt Pavement (RAP) aggregates towards sustainable urban mobility development

Abstract

Policy makers in India have realized the importance of facility for pedestrians and non- motorized vehicles in an urban infrastructure setup. This has resulted in increased utilization of construction materials like Portland cement and crushed stone, which are not environmentally friendly and sustainable. The current study presents the development of paver blocks for pedestrian facility using different wastes. Geopolymer concrete was synthesized by fly ash and recycled asphalt pavement aggregates for making of paver blocks. Paver blocks were produced in laboratory with recycled asphalt pavement aggregate replacement levels of 0%, 20%, 40%, 60% and 80% by weight of virgin coarse and fine aggregates. The developed paver blocks were tested for dimensions and tolerances, water absorption, compressive strength and abrasion resistance as per IS15658:2006 standard. The results of the laboratory study show that recycled asphalt pavement aggregates can be introduced into geopolymer matrix to produce paver blocks of desirable quality. Furthermore, its use in pedestrian facilities provides a new avenue for managing the excessive waste, which otherwise goes in landfills, incurring loss to the paving industry. Therefore, the proposed method can help decision makers to effectively utilize recycled asphalt pavement in paving industry with environment-friendly approach.