Abstract
This pilot study aims to develop a self-healing asphalt through microwave heating, to reduce processing time, save energy and allow real commercial applications in a near future. Asphalt based composites were produced with different percentages of steel short fibers, obtained from the cutlery industry, to serve as a heat source for microwave radiation. Structural characteristics, morphology, and thermic behavior of the short steel fibers were characterized through X-ray Diffraction, X-ray Fluorescence, Scanning Electron Microscopy and Thermogravimetric Analysis, that was also used to verify the relation between mass variation and temperature of the asphalt-based composite. Temperature was monitored during micro wave heating to determine the heating rate of the composites with different percentage of fibers. Brookfield viscosity, penetration, ductility, softening point and density tests were carried out to characterize physical properties of the most representative asphalt-based composite. Results show the feasibility to use microwave heating in the production of the composite, indicating potential for future application as self-healing asphalt and pavement repair.
Highlights
Inclement weather and growing tire pressures, originated by increased traffic levels due to larger and heavier trucks, have aggravated the conditions upon the highway system, resulting in rutting, stripping, fatigue cracking and reflective cracking (Golestani, Nam, Nejad, & Fallah, 2015)
This paper reports results obtained through a pilot study on the development of a new asphalt based composite material reinforced with short steel fibres for microwave heating purposes, aiming at to improve the efficiency of the existing asphalt pavement repair techniques
The quantitative chemical analysis obtained through X-ray fluorescence identified the following chemical elements in the waste: Fe (91.4%), Al (7.2%), Mn (0.66%), Cr (0.18%), and Si (0.56%)
Summary
Inclement weather and growing tire pressures, originated by increased traffic levels due to larger and heavier trucks, have aggravated the conditions upon the highway system, resulting in rutting, stripping, fatigue cracking and reflective cracking (Golestani, Nam, Nejad, & Fallah, 2015). Severe demands due to low traffic speed and frequent braking and acceleration in urban roads tend to accelerate pavement deterioration (Santos, Lucena, Lucena, Silva, & Costa, 2015). Asphalt coatings in Brazil are designed for a service life of 10 years (Bernucci, Motta, Ceratti, & Soares, 2007) but frequently present premature damage. Sound pavements are commonly repaired by means of crack sealing or filling, surface treatments such as fog seal, seal coat, double chip seal, slurry seal as well as micro surfacing, or even cold-mix asphalt, spray injection patching, and hot-mix asphalt, in case of pothole and patching repair (Johnson, 2000).
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