Investigating the Influence of Replacing Two Biomass Ashes with Conventional Filler on High and Intermediate Temperature Performance of Mastic and Mixture

Abstract

Abstract The aim of this research was to evaluate the rheological properties of mastics and performance of mixtures consisting of two biomass ashes named as coal waste ash (CWA) and rice husk ash (RHA) used as a replacement of limestone filler at different concentrations. The high and intermediate temperature behavior of binders was evaluated through multiple stress creep recovery (MSCR) and linear amplitude sweep (LAS) tests. Moreover, Marshall stability, resilient modulus, dynamic creep, moisture susceptibility, wheel track, indirect tensile strength, and four-point beam fatigue tests were implemented to investigate the mechanical performance of mixtures. Based on MSCR test results utilization of RHA led to improve the rutting resistance of binders, while CWA decreases the rutting resistance of binders. LAS test results indicated that addition of RHA to original binder increase the fatigue life of binder, while CWA decreases the fatigue behavior of mastics. Based on the results, the addition of styrene-butadiene-styrene (SBS) increases the fatigue life of mastics. Results revealed that the addition of RHA improves the Marshall stability, resilient modulus, rutting properties, moisture resistance, and tensile strength of asphalt mixtures, while CWA has negative impact. In general, the obtained results from this study indicated that reuse of RHA and CWA waste materials in the northern part of Iran, where there are lots of RHA and CWA materials, especially RHA, in pavement engineering, has two main effects. First, environmental problems are reduced. Second, the performance properties of mixtures are enhanced.