Fiber-Reinforced Cement-Stabilized Macadam with Various Polyvinyl Alcohol Fiber Contents and Lengths

Abstract

Cement-stabilized macadam is an important highway construction material. To fully understand the reinforcing and toughening functions of fibers in cement-stabilized macadam, the influence of the concentration and length of polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) fibers on the performance of cement-stabilized macadam was investigated. Through indoor compressive tests and splitting tests, the changes in the splitting and compressive strengths of cement-stabilized macadam with different fiber lengths and contents were compared, and the influence of fiber length and content on the compressive and splitting strengths was determined. The results showed that the compressive and splitting strengths of cement-stabilized macadam were considerably improved by PVA fiber addition; fibers of varied lengths and contents had different effects on the compressive and splitting strengths. The increase in the compressive and splitting strengths of cement-stabilized macadam was the greatest with a fiber length of 12–24 mm and concentration of 0.6–0.9 kg/m3. The experimental results can provide a theoretical basis for the application of PVA fibers in cement-stabilized macadam.