Performance Experiments and Finite Element Simulation on Basalt Fiber Reinforced Asphalt Mixture

Abstract

The asphalt mixture can be reinforced by basalt fiber to improve its pavement performance. Firstly, the Marshall test was conducted on AC-13C asphalt mixture with 0.3% dosage of basalt fiber to determine the optimum asphalt-aggregate ratio. Comparisons between asphalt mixtures with and without basalt fiber were performed by means of immersion Marshall test, wheel tracking test and indirect tensile test. The results show that 0.3% dosage of basalt fiber can enhance asphalt mixture’s water stability, high temperature stability and low temperature cracking resistance. Secondly, based on asphalt mixture’s viscoelastic property, the deflection- time curves of basalt reinforced asphalt mixture were obtained through bending creep test. The general Maxwell model was utilized to fit viscoelastic parameters of asphalt mixture, then the wheel tracking test was simulated through finite element model to compare with laboratory test, and the results show that the simulation is very effective and the general Maxwell model can express asphalt mixture’s viscoelasticity satisfactorily.