Mixing design and performance of porous asphalt mixtures containing solid waste

Abstract

The process of urbanization generates substantial amounts of solid waste materials, including glass, red brick, concrete, and ceramic tile. Effective treatment methods for these waste materials are currently lacking, resulting in significant land wastage and environmental pollution. Utilizing these waste materials in the construction of asphalt pavements presents a viable solution for their high-quality and large-scale utilization. In this study, the properties of commonly produced urban solid waste materials, including glass, red brick, concrete, and ceramic tile, were investigated for their suitability as limestone porous asphalt mixtures. The physical and chemical properties of the coarse aggregate were examined using four groups of preliminary tests, including leakage analysis, scattering, rutting, and freeze-thaw splitting tests. The results revealed that the apparent relative density varied for different particle sizes within the range of 2.36–4.75 mm, 4.75–9.5 mm, 9.5–16 mm, and 13.2–16 mm. However, the dynamic stability of the glass specimen was only 740 times/mm, which falls significantly below the technical requirement of 1500 times/mm. Additionally, the high-temperature stability of the glass specimen was deemed unsatisfactory. The red brick test piece exhibited inadequate water stability due to its high-water absorption rate. Therefore, reducing the amount of waste glass and minimizing the incorporation of waste red brick are recommended. The findings of this study contribute to the expansion of application methods and techniques for urban solid waste, improving the utilization rate of solid waste resources. Furthermore, the study sheds light on the changes in the performance of solid waste aggregates mixed with porous asphalt mixtures, providing valuable insights for road engineering endeavors.