Asphalt Concrete Production Research Articles

Development of a flow diagram for the production of asphalt concrete mixture using polyethylene waste, contaminated with oil products

Large quantities of low-pressure polyethylene containers used for transportation and storage of oil products (motor oils) entail higher environmental risks produced by their utilization or disposal. An urgent scientific task is to search for new ways for utilization of such containers, to involve them in production of new target products without thorough cleaning of waste from contaminants and residues of motor oils. The present study involved crushed containers used for storage and transportation of motor oil in order to explore the possibility of including polyethylene in the production of asphalt concrete mixture. A sample, containing 17.5% of low-pressure polyethylene (contaminated with motor oil by 8% of asphalt mass), and a control sample of asphalt concrete mixture free of polyethylene, were made in order to investigate the change of properties, occurring in the low-pressure polyethylene asphalt concrete. Results. The study assessed main physical and mechanical properties of asphalt concrete samples containing low-pressure polyethylene and motor oil. According to the assessment, a number of properties exceed the values stated in GOST 9128-2013. In addition, the study results included development of technological regulations for producing asphalt concrete mixture with polyethylene as well as the flow diagram for obtaining asphalt concrete mixture. Using polyethylene waste contaminated with motor oil in the production cycle of asphalt concrete mixtures will reduce the consumption of raw materials for asphalt concrete production and the negative impact on the environment.

Evaluating the Environmental Impact of Reusing Baghouse Dust in Asphalt Concrete: A Sustainable Approach

The purpose of this study is to assess the environmental impact of reusing baghouse dust in asphalt concrete production. Baghouse dust, a byproduct of asphalt creation, presents natural removal challenges; nonetheless, its true capacity reuse in asphalt concrete could give an economical solution. This study aims to survey and align the environmental and ecological implications of utilizing varying extents of baghouse dust in asphalt mix combinations. This research review starts by describing the physical and chemical properties of baghouse dust. In this way, substantial samples were ready and prepared with various percentage rates of baghouse residue to examine the effect on the mechanical properties of the mix. The discoveries demonstrate that consolidating baghouse dust into asphalt cement mostly decreases peak stress and strength qualities characteristics. As far as the environmental and ecological effect, the investigation analysis shows that utilizing baghouse residue can decrease in general energy utilization and discharge emissions. The energy utilization rate diminished from 500 MJ/ton for ordinary conventional asphalt to 400 MJ/ton for asphalt with 20% baghouse residue, and CO2 emanations decreased from 120 kg/ton to 80 kg/ton for a similar correlation. Also, the squander and waste decrease was huge, with 200 tons/year saved at 10% baghouse dust and 400 tons/year at 20%. Asset resources proficiency likewise improved, with raw unrefined material savings investment funds of 150 tons/year at 10% baghouse dust and 300 tons/year at 20%. Notwithstanding this decrease, the mechanical properties stay within ranges for specific applications, proposing that baghouse dust residue can be effectively and successfully utilized in non-basic underlying structural layers of asphalts.

Three-dimensional meso-scale modeling of asphalt concrete

An efficient method to address the three-dimensional modeling of the visco-elasto-plastic material behavior, specifically of bituminous conglomerates used in asphalt concrete production, is proposed. The method resorts to one of the most recent formulations for asphalt creep modeling, represented by the modified Huet-Sayegh fractional rheological model. The Grünwald-Letnikov representation of the fractional operator is adopted to treat the operator numerically in an efficient manner. Further, a coupling scheme between the creep model and elasto-plasticity is proposed by adopting the additive decomposition of the total strain tensor. This enables the numerical assessment of the mechanical behavior for bituminous materials under short- to long-term loading. In this context, both constant strain rate tests, and creep recovery tests are numerically simulated.Numerical analyses are conducted at the meso-scale with the aim to evaluate the development of inelastic strains in the binder during creep, due to the local interaction between the different material components.

Study of the microstructure of asphalt concrete using X-ray computed tomography

A mechanical digital twin (a mechanical finite-element model) of an asphalt concrete sample has been developed in the framework of a project for recycling polymer composite materials with fibrous reinforcement (fiberglass) as an alternative for crushed stone in the asphalt concrete production. A methodology of using X-ray computed tomography (XCT) for analysis of the asphalt concrete microstructure and calculation of the mechanical properties is developed. The data processing chain for developing a digital twin of the asphalt concrete microstructure, based on X-ray micro-computed tomography (XCT) image includes the following steps: 1) image enhancement; 2) image segmentation; 3) analysis of the morphology of pores and solid particles; 4) transformation of the segmented image into a voxels-based finite element (FE) model. It is demonstrated that the XCT resolution of 40 μm is sufficient for a reliable identification of microstructural parameters, i.e., volume fractions of the components, distributions of voids (pores) in size, shape and spatial position, as well as distributions of the crushed brittle additives (fiberglass chips) in size. The FE model constitutes a digital twin of the material, and, after specifying the characteristics of the material components, can be used for simulation of the thermomechanical and functional properties of the material. The developed procedure is exemplified in the calculation of statistics of the compression and shear moduli of the asphalt concrete with addition of crushed fiberglass particles. The dependence of the calculated elastic properties on the size of the digital twin is studied. It is shown that a model size of 10 mm and more is sufficient for the microstructural representativity and calculation of the homogenization characteristics. The results can be used for analysis of the microstructure and structure-dependent thermomechanical properties of asphalt concrete. The developed finite element model can be used for modelling of the visco-elastic response of asphalt concrete and its behavior under cyclic loading.

Experimental study of the mechanical properties of an asphalt concrete with a binder modified with a hyperbranched polymer

An epoxy resin is an important modifier in the production of polymer asphalt concretes; adding epoxy resins to bitumen increases the crack resistance, shear resistance, and the long-term strength of the final product. However, polymer asphalt concrete production is chargeable compared to that of traditional asphalt concrete due to high fraction of epoxy introduced. Hyperbranched polymers (HBP) with epoxy end groups form a highly branched spatial network at curing, their application as an active modifier in bitumen composition leads to the formation of additional spatial reinforcement architectures in asphalt concrete, which allows to strengthen the effects achieved by epoxy resins, as well as to increase impact toughness, moisture resistance, fuel resistance, and temperature stability of asphalt concrete at low fraction of the modifier. We present an experimental study of the mechanical properties of asphalt concrete with a bitumen modified by a hyperbranched polymer. The bitumen was modified with relatively low fractions (3, 5, and 8 wt.%) of the hyperbranched epoxy resin. The mechanical properties of asphalt concrete were characterized with the modulus of elasticity, compressive strength, tensile strength at break, shear strength, residual compressive strength after low-cycle loading, coefficient of residual compressive strength, and the ultimate percent compression. The results demonstrated that asphalt concrete with modified bitumen has improved characteristics compared to the original asphalt concrete, even at low fractions of the modifier. The elastic modulus and compressive strength are closely bound and, during the formation of the architecture of links in bitumen, increase almost linearly with an increase of hyperbranched modifier fraction, achieving an improvement of 9.0 and 17.7%, respectively, for samples with 8 wt.% of epoxy modifier. At the same time, asphalt concrete becomes more ductile; the ultimate percent compression increases from 2.75 to 3.5% and does not depend significantly on the amount of hyperbranched polymer. The tensile strength at break decreases as the fraction of an epoxy modifier increases, which is consistent with the literature data. However, the ductility of asphalt concrete is significantly improved, reaching the ultimate percent deformation of 1.8% at 5 wt.% of the modifier. At the same fraction of the modifier, the highest shear strength of 0.48 MPa is achieved. With an increase in the mass fraction of the epoxy modifier, the compaction under low-cycle loading decreases; the residual strength coefficient, as the ratio of the residual compressive strength after low-cycle fatigue to the static compressive strength, tends to unity for asphalt concrete, also modified with 5 wt.% of hyperbranched polymer. Thus, the best result, as a compromise of all factors under study, is achieved when 5 wt.% of epoxy hyperbranched modifier is introduced into the bitumen.

Mineral powder based on basalt insulation waste for asphalt concrete

The article discusses the composition and production technology of mineral powder using waste basalt insulation. This study aims to confirm the hypothesis about the possibility of using basalt waste in the production of mineral powder with technical parameters corresponding to approved standards for the production of asphalt concrete. For definition of qualitative indicators of the received product in comparison with the control sample the researches of the basic indicators of mineral powder according to operating norms are given. Such indicators as grain composition of mineral powder, porosity and density were determined, indicating a more dense structure of the developed composition: the content of particles finer than 0.125 mm – 91.4 %, finer than 0.063 mm – 82.2 % with porosity index 28.1 % and true density 2.49 g/cm3. It was found that the mineral powder from waste basalt mineral slabs has a uniform and balanced grain distribution. At moisture content of samples less than 0.1 % by weight the bitumen capacity index of the tested mineral powder sample in comparison with the control sample showed better value by 2 g, at the same time the degree of swelling of samples from the mixture of powder and bitumen showed better result by 0.1 %. The obtained results indicate that the mineral powder on the basis of waste is able to hold bitumen well on its surface, which contributes to the improvement of adhesion between bitumen and mineral particles. The lower degree of swelling characterizes the increased water resistance and frost resistance of asphalt concrete with the use of this mineral powder. Considering that basalt mineral slabs are waste, their use in the production of mineral powder for asphalt concrete fits into the concept of sustainable construction and can contribute to waste reduction and environmental sustainability of the construction process.

Модифицирующая добавка для повышения качества асфальтобетона

The paper describes the production of modifying additive on the basis of waste - deferrization sludge of waste groundwater of Nekrasovskoye settlement, Yaroslavl region. The authors found that the predominant components of this waste are trivalent and divalent colloidal iron in the ratio of 3:1. The authors propose to use this waste as a modifier of asphalt concrete mixture to increase the adhesion of bitumen to mineral components of asphalt concrete based on the study of its physical and chemical properties. The authors have conducted studies of asphalt concrete mixes of various grades and selected optimal conditions for the use of deferrization sludge in the technological process of asphalt concrete production. The use of modifying additive allows to increase shear stability and water holding capacity of asphalt concrete, which indicates the increase of adhesive strength of bitumen bond with mineral components of asphalt concrete.

Life Cycle Assessment for the Use of Waste Plastics in Asphalt Concrete Mixes

Improper waste disposal poses the risk of contaminating natural water bodies and soil. The low recycling rate of plastics and their fate in landfills are significant global environmental concerns. Efforts to increase the use of recycled plastics worldwide aim to address the hazardous consequences of improper plastic treatment. One potential solution is incorporating plastics as binder or mixture modifiers in asphalt concrete (AC) mixtures, which repurposes waste plastics while reducing environmental impacts related to AC production. This study calculated the environmental impacts of repurposing waste plastics, specifically low-density polyethylene and polystyrene, into modifiers in AC mixes. Wet and dry processes were considered. The environmental impacts of plastic-modified AC mixes were compared with those of styrene-butadiene-styrene (SBS)-modified mixes. The life cycle assessment covered the following processes: (1) collection, sorting, and shredding of waste plastics; (2) transportation of waste plastics from landfill to recycling facility and then to the asphalt plant; (3) supply and transportation of virgin materials; (4) production of AC mixtures; (5) transport of material and equipment to site; and (6) onsite operations. The study concluded that waste plastic-modified mixes outperformed SBS-modified mixtures with regard to environmental performance, except for ozone depletion resulting from certain recycling process activities. The high-shear mixing in the wet process had a significant impact. Sensitivity analyses revealed the influence of binder content and material transportation on the overall environmental assessment.

Resource potential of dust entrainment of asphalt-concrete plants

In the modern construction industry, the problem of finding materials with increased stability that would provide minimal environmental impact with optimal economic efficiency is urgent. Considering global trends in the field of ecology and sustainable development, attention is focused on recycling and reuse of industrial waste. Of particular interest is the pulverized material formed during the operation of asphalt concrete plants. In this paper, the potential of integrating this type of waste as an alternative construction resource is studied. This article focuses on the urgent need to adapt the principles of sustainability in construction practice through the integration of materials with minimal environmental footprint. The key aspect of the study is the concept of recycling of pulverized waste from asphalt concrete production, which can help optimize the resource potential and reduce the environmental burden on the ecosystem. The study examines various dust compositions obtained from asphalt plants of different operating principles. The morphology of particles and the bitumen capacity parameter were investigated. It was found that by replacing up to 50% of mineral powder with carryover dust, there can be a significant environmental and economic impact for the road construction industry.

Analyzing an Efficient Mix Design for the Production of Quality Asphalt Concrete: A Means of Reducing Roads’ maintenance cost

Poor road design is the bedrock for strength deformation and formation of potholes on road pavements. The best choice of aggregates for asphalt concrete production has a great impact on its stability, sustainability and durability during its serviceability lifestyle. The critical design and analysis methods are the standard methods needed to eradicate these defects of roads deformation in the global construction industries. This study reveals the hidden knowledge about the formulation of standard mix design for asphaltic concrete production. In the experiment, three different mixed designs were evaluated in order to ascertain the best and quality aggregates for durable road’s pavement production. The results proved that, the proportion of aggregate obtained from the first mix design yielded the best result, and this is suggested for the global production of quality and standard asphalt concrete for roads’ binder pavements’ construction. Also, the formulated aggregates’ mix design for roads’ wearing course pavement obtained was considered the best for industrial practice. Furthermore, the accuracy and efficiency of the results obtained relied so much on standard estimate made for the quality production of asphalt concrete cost about $270,830.00 from Chainages 26 + 700 to 26 + 925. All the experimental results proved that, standard aggregates’ mix design prevents unnecessary defects on road pavement system. In conclusion, the application of the first mix design in road construction will improve its sustainability, durability and stability capacity. Likewise, it will prevent unnecessary spending on road pavement’s maintenance.

RECYCLING OF ASPHALT PAVEMENT AGGREGATES AND WASTE PLASTIC BOTTLES IN ADDITION TO HOT-MIX ASPHALT PRODUCTION: ADEQUATE RECYCLING RATE

This study focused on the recycling of asphalt pavement aggregates and waste plastic bottles (WPB) in addition to hot-mix asphalt (HMA) production. To achieve this objective, non-probable sampling methods were used to gather samples from the study locations. Crushed stone aggregate (CSA), bitumen, mineral filler, reclaimed asphalt pavement aggregate (RAPA), and WPB were the ingredients employed based on the requirements in the standard specification for asphalt concrete production. Initially, the Marshall Stability Test was then carried out using CSA with 6% and bitumen levels of 4.0, 4.5, 5.0, 5.5, and 6% by weight of the total mix to ascertain what the bitumen content should be with RAPA with replacement rates of 10, 20, and 30% and that of WPB with 2, 6, 8, 10, 12, and 14%. In the Marshall Stability Test, which consisted of three trials of 195 samples and 60 mix designs, 45 were for the control mix and 150 for the replacement proportion. In the Marshall Stability Test, the ideal value for CSA was 5.1%; for RAPA, 5.1%; and for WPB, 7.7, 5.5, 5.4, 5.0, 5.5, and 5.4% optimum bituminous content (OBC). 20% RAPA and 10% WPB by weight of OBC in the stability-modified asphalt mix satisfies Ethiopian Road Authority (ERA) and American Society for Testing and Material (ASTM) specifications for all qualities tested. Finally, for improved asphalt mix performance, a combined 70% CSA, 20% RAPA, and 10% WPB should be used in asphalt mixes at 5.0% OBC. These experimental Marshal Stability Test findings satisfy the necessary specifications of ERA and ASTM for all tests used in HMA production. Thus, this proportion is strongly advised.

EVALUATION OF LOCUST BEAN POD ASH AS MINERAL FILLER IN HOT MIX ASPHALT

An increase in the consumption of agricultural products generates large quantities of waste daily. The husks of the locust bean seeds when removed from the plant are littered in the environment which negatively affects the environment. In this research, locust bean pod ash (LBPA) was used as a mineral filler in hot mix asphalt. Physical and chemical tests were done on the aggregate, bitumen and LBPA, showing adequacy for use in asphalt concrete production. All tests were conducted in accordance with relevant standards. LBPA was admixed with granite dust from 0–50% (at intervals of 10%) with varying bitumen content from 4–7% (at 0.5% intervals). For this experiment, the Marshall mix design method was used. The Marshall stability of samples containing LBPA improved by 19%, from 8.16kN to 9.67kN. Similarly, Marshall flow decreased by 19% from 3.4 mm to 2.75 mm. The density-void analysis of the asphalt samples also revealed an improvement. The microstructural examination revealed an enhanced structural arrangement due to the flocculation of the LBPA particles. Overall, the hot mix asphalt samples meet the Federal Ministry of Works and Housing specifications for flexible pavement-wearing courses. It was determined by the study that adding 40% LBPA with 60% granite dust at 5% bitumen content would improve the performance of hot mix asphalt.

Comparison of energy and environmental performance between warm and hot mix asphalt concrete production: A case study

The use of additives to produce warm bituminous mixtures in asphalt pavements gives the possibility to decrease temperatures with positive implications on energy consumption, and on emissions of greenhouse gases and airborne pollutants. This study investigates the changes in energy and environmental performance of an asphalt plant switching from hot to warm asphalt concrete production. A full-scale trial section was constructed in an Italian motorway with recycled bituminous mixtures containing SBS polymer modified bitumen. Reference hot mix asphalts (HMAs) mixed at 170 °C were compared with warm mix asphalts (WMAs) mixed at 130 °C with different chemical additives. Calculations and analysis were performed considering three production phases during which the production technologies (HMA and WMA) and the mixture types varied in temperatures, mixing duration, and quantity of virgin materials employed. Energy performance was calculated through values provided by the asphalt plant operator and thermodynamic equations. Emissions of CO2 were calculated based on energy consumption and emission factors reported in the literature for the Italian energy mix. Airborne pollutants were measured at the stack of the dryer drum. The results showed that for each mixture type, a reduction of 40 °C in the production temperature corresponds to 15% lower thermal energy values for the drying/heating of the aggregates, with consequent lower consumption of fuel oil. The drying/heating of aggregates for WMA lead to lower emissions of particulate matter, NOx, and VOCs compared to HMA.

Recycling glass fiber-reinforced plastic in asphalt concrete production

<abstract> <p>Glass fiber-reinforced plastics (GFRP) have been produced in large quantities for over half a century and nowadays their waste has become a problem worldwide. Their recycling is difficult because they are predominantly manufactured from thermosetting matrices that are not suitable for secondary processing. Only few technologies are able to target full-scale utilization of residual mechanical performance at recycling, with the replacement of gravel in asphalt concrete being one of them. The possibility of introducing crushed GFRP (GFRP crumb) into asphalt concrete and its impact on mechanical characteristics have been investigated in our study. As the source of GFRP, road noise-protection fence was chosen due to large quantities of its waste accumulated in urban economy. Several approaches to produce crumbs were attempted with only shredding being successful. The GFRP crumb has provided excellent mechanical performance of asphalt concrete fabricated by standard routine. In particular, the improvement in compressive modulus was 40%, even under conditions of elevated asphalt concrete temperature at 50 ℃. Besides, introduction of GFRP crumb reduced the overall weight of asphalt concrete mixture, providing further reduction of a carbon footprint. The results obtained indicated that recycling of GFRP waste as replacement of gravel in asphalt concrete provides an economically and environmentally safe solution.</p> </abstract>

Lab-scale environmental impact measurement of polymer-modified asphalt concrete mixtures production

This study aims to evaluate and compare the environmental impact of producing numerous polymer-modified asphalt concrete mixture types for road structures at the laboratory scale measured by air quality monitoring devices in a designed isolated area. Several mixture combinations were examined in this study, namely between the production of the standard hot mix at 160oC (case 1) and polymer-modified warm mix asphalt with 5% and 6% polymer dosages at 130oC (case 2 and case 3), as well as the production of hot mix asphalt using polymer modification by wet mix - known as polymer modified binder/PMB at 180oC (case 4) and dry mix methods using 5% and 6% polymer dosages at 160oC (case 5 and case 6), with each case represented by five samples fabrication. Case 4 yields the highest carbon dioxide, the volatile organic compound (VOC), formaldehyde (HCHO), and particulate matter (PM10 and PM1) by a total of 8195ppm, 10.12ppm, 6.5ppm, 1643 µg/m3, and 838 µg/m3, respectively, except PM2.5, where the outcome of case 3 is 1.2% higher than case 4. Meanwhile, the lowest emissions are recorded for case 2 and case 5, with the ratio to case 4 ranging from 43.5% to 96.5%. The heating phase generally gives the highest contribution to the total result, with the proportion ranging from 43.5% for carbon dioxide to above 90% for particulate matter. To sum up, producing hot mix asphalt with PMB and the mixer blending stage generates the highest emission.

Evaluation of the engineering properties of asphaltic concrete composite produced from recycled asphalt pavement and polyethylene plastic.

This study investigated the suitability of recycled asphalt pavement and polyethylene wastes as coarse aggregate in asphaltic concrete by evaluating the impact of the use of polyethylene polymer wastes and recycled asphalt pavement composite as aggregates on the physical and mechanical properties of the asphaltic concrete. The physical characteristics of the aggregate and bitumen were determined using relevant parametric tests. Recycled asphalt pavement was used to make asphaltic concrete samples using LDPE at 5%, 10%, 15%, RAP at 5% and HDPE at 5%, 10%, 15%, and a mixture of LDPE + HDPE at 5+5%, 7.5+7.5% and 10+10% RAP at 5% as additives. Marshall Stability test was conducted to assess the mechanical strength of the asphaltic concrete, and the results included information on the aggregate's stability, flow, density, voids filled with bitumen, voids filled with air, and voids in mineral aggregate. In addition, the surface and crystal structure of the aggregates was studied by carrying out a microscopic examination with a Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) and X-Ray diffraction (XRD). The results obtained from this study demonstrated that RAP, HDPE & LDPE are viable conventional aggregate substitute for asphalt concrete production.

Improvement of pavement engineering properties with calcium carbide residue (CCR) as filler in Stone Mastic Asphalt

Characteristics of pavement material are crucial factors in improving the stability and durability of asphalt pavement due to the poor performance of traditional asphalts. Reusing industrial waste in asphalt concrete production can address these concerns, reduce environmental problems and preserve resources. There have been few studies on the effects of using industrial waste materials on Stone Mastic Asphalt (SMA) properties. This paper examines the impact of Calcium Carbide Residue (CCR) as a filler in SMA. The study evaluates control samples, those with Rock Powder (RP) and Ordinary Portland Cement (OPC) filler, and those with CCR using Marshall stability (MS) and Indirect Tensile Strength (ITSdry and ITSsat) tests. Results show positive effects of CCR and RP on asphalt sample strength. The highest MS, MQ, and TSR values were observed in samples containing CCR80 %+RP20 %. These indices increased 45 %, 35 %, and 51 %, respectively, compared to control samples. The alkaline CCR material forms strong bonds with acidic bitumen, producing asphalt more resistant by 97 % compared to control samples. SMA modified with CCR + RP was also found to be less sensitive to water damage than traditional SMA with RP or OPC filler. The rough texture of CCR may positively affect the strength and durability of asphalt mixtures against moisture damage. Using CCR as a filler in SMA can enhance pavement engineering properties, reduce production costs and environmental problems, and develop sustainable asphalt mixtures for practical application. The main novelty of this research is the use of CCR and RP combination in SMA mixtures.

Prospects for the Use of Sulfur for the Modification of Road Bitumen and Production of Asphalt Concrete from Local Raw Materials with an Improved Set of Technical Properties

Prospects for the Use of Sulfur for the Modification of Road Bitumen and Production of Asphalt Concrete from Local Raw Materials with an Improved Set of Technical Properties

Study of the possibility of using sulfur asphalt and sulfur concrete in road construction

Abstract The introduction of new effective road construction materials for pavements and foundations of highways is an urgent task, including the development and application of resource-saving technologies aimed at the use of low-demand, large-tonnage mineral materials, semi-finished products, industrial waste, and their by-products. Research on this topic has shown that sulfur and sulfur-containing waste, as well as modified technical sulfur when used as a binder, should be widely used in sulfur structural and road concrete in liquid, granular, or lumpy form. Ferrous cakes from the Pobug Nickel Plant or “tailings” of sulfur ore flotation can be used as fillers for sulfur binder. Having a high specific surface, they will have a positive effect on the structure formation of sulfur during the crystallization of the melt in the direction of strengthening the structure. Their high acid resistance should significantly increase the corrosion resistance of sulfur concretes. Granular slag from a metallurgical plant can be used as a fine aggregate. Overburden rocks in the form of gabbro-dolerites, dolerites, and basalts can be used as acid-resistant large aggregates. To reduce the fragility of the sulfur binder, plasticizing additives such as naphthalene, chlorinated paraffin, and bitumen can be introduced. The results obtained in this study confirm a decrease in the cost in the production of asphalt and cement concrete and the possibility of expanding the range of building materials with new road-building mixtures. Also, the test results showed that when temperature was decreased, the strength characteristics of sulfur concrete in the temperature range 0°C to −60°C increased by 7%. Low water absorption of sulfur concrete (0.1%–0.3%) versus cement concrete (2%–4%), which positively affected the strength and operational characteristics, was revealed.

Use of Blast Furnace Dust in the Production of Asphalt Concrete for Pavements, Performance and Environmental Contribution

This study analyzed the possible use of a residue from the steel industry, blast furnace dust, as aggregate in asphalt mixtures for pavements, as a possible solution to the problems of generation and accumulation of industrial waste in the production of steel, as well as the exploitation of non-renewable materials for infrastructure construction. In the production of steel, solid residues such as slag and blast furnace dust are generated, which become industrial waste. Another found issue in pavement construction is the exploitation and use of stone materials are necessary. Two test states were selected to achieve the established objective where blast furnace dust totally (100%) or partially (50%) replaced the conventional fine aggregate in an asphalt mixture at the laboratory. The applied methodology consisted of four stages: establishing the properties of the materials, determining the composition of the blast furnace dust, designing each of the mixtures using the Ramcodes methodology, and finally performing performance tests such as dynamic modulus and fatigue laws. The results show an acceptable behavior of the blast furnace dust and allow to define that the use of this residue is technically feasible in manufacturing asphalt mixtures for pavements.