Experimental Investigation of Effect of Ceramic Fibers on Mechanical Properties of Asphalt Mixtures

Abstract

With the increasing number of vehicles and dynamic loads, the demand for more roads with higher quality is highlighted. Every year, a considerable portion of the national budget is spent on the rehabilitation of road pavements. Therefore, increasing the resistance of road pavements and extending their service life can greatly reduce the cost of pavement maintenance. A common solution for improving the strength of asphalt mixtures is the use of various additives, such as fibers. This study investigated the effect of ceramic fibers on the mechanical properties of asphalt mixtures. Asphalt mixture specimens modified with ceramic fibers were manufactured with crushed silica aggregates; PG64-16 asphalt binder containing 1%, 3%, and 5% ceramic fibers was used for this purpose. Furthermore, Marshall, indirect tensile stiffness modulus, indirect tensile fatigue, and repeated load axial tests were performed on the specimens. The results showed that the use of 3% ceramic fibers by weight of asphalt binder improves the mechanical performance of asphalt mixtures and significantly increases their resistance to rutting and fatigue damage.