LABORATORY EVALUATION OF BASALT FIBER-REINFORCED DENSE-GRADED ASPHALT
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.11113/mjce.v38.26487Keywords:
Basalt Fiber, Asphalt Mixture, Dense Graded, Moisture Damage, Fiber-reinforcedAbstract
The use of additives in asphalt has become an important approach to improve pavement performance and extend its lifespan. Among the additives, fiber reinforcements in asphalt are getting considerable attention as they have the potential to enhance stability and resistance to rutting and moisture damage. In this study, basalt fiber, a natural material known for its strength and durability, was used to modify dense-graded asphalt of AC14 prepared using 60/70 penetration grade bitumen, which is widely used for flexible pavement construction due to its balance of stiffness and workability under typical conditions. Basalt fiber was added at 0%, 0.25%, 0.5%, and 0.75% by total weight of aggregate, using the dry mixing method. The mixtures were tested for Marshall stability, moisture-induced damage, rutting performance using a wheel-tracking test, and abrasion resistance using the Cantabro loss test. The results generally demonstrated improved asphalt performance with the incorporation of basalt fiber, although the level of improvement varied with fiber content. Basalt fiber-modified mixtures exhibited improved moisture resistance compared with the conventional asphalt. The maximum stability was recorded at 17.0 kN for mixture containing 0.5% basalt fiber, which is higher than that of the conventional asphalt. Additionally, the rut depth decreased from 5.1 mm to 4.0 mm, while the abrasion loss reduced from 4.4% to 2.5%. Therefore, the findings justified that 0.5% basalt fiber is the optimum dosage among the fiber content investigated in improving the asphalt mixture performance.
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