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The use of geopolymer in pavement constructions is strongly encouraged. Many studies have demonstrated the vast potential of using industrial-by-products-based geopolymers. This paper discusses the modification of asphalt binders with geopolymers, namely geopolymer-modified asphalt (GMA) and geopolymer-modified asphalt mixture (GMAM). In addition, curing geopolymer materials, engineering properties, production techniques, and prospective utilisation in the pavement construction, such as durability and sustainability, are also discussed. The literature review showed that many industrial by-products, including red mud, blast furnace slag, fly ash, and mine waste, are used to produce geopolymers because of the metal components such as silicon and aluminium in these materials. The geopolymers from these materials influence the rheological and physical properties of asphalt binders. Geopolymers can enhance asphalt mixture performance, such as stability, fatigue, rutting, and low-temperature cracking. The use of geopolymers in asphalt pavement has beneficial impacts on sustainability and economic and environmental benefits.
The possibility of using waste materials in road construction is of great interest as their utilisation may contribute to reducing the problems of hazard and pollution and conserve natural resources. Thus, there is an urgent need to find a sustainable method for using waste materials as a substitute in the standard asphalt binders. There are several concerns about the physical and chemical properties and mechanical performance of asphalt pavements incorporated with waste material in the effort to reduce permanent deformation of the road surface. This review article presents a brief discussion of the asphalt mixtures modified with waste material, and the recycled materials used as a modifier in the asphalt mixture. The present paper summarises the use of crumb rubber, crushed concrete, steel slag, glass fibre and plastic waste in asphalt mixtures. The use of waste materials as a modifier in asphalt mixture resulted in improved asphalt pavement performance. Results advocate that rubberised asphalt mixture with desired properties can be designed as an additive with a friendly environmental approach in construction materials. The researches that adopted the influence of usage, recycle waste material to improve the performance of the asphalt of the road are still limited compared to other construction fields. Doi: 10.28991/cej-2020-SP(EMCE)-05 Full Text: PDF
This study investigated the chemical properties of peat microparticles modified asphalt (Pt.M.A.). The originality of the study resides in the examination of the chemical characteristics of peat microparticles (Pt.) modified asphalt (Pt. M.A.) utilising FTIR, SEM, SFE, and XRD methodologies. This encompasses Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), surface free energy (SFE), and X-ray diffraction (XRD). Initially, FTIR examined the functional groups of both unaltered and altered asphalt binders. The SEM images reveal improved compatibility, showcasing superior diffusion of the modifier across the asphalt. A further critical factor is that improved adhesion properties, according to the SFE study, indicate that modified binders generally offer more SFE compared to unmodified binders. The XRD measurements revealed a semi-crystalline structure in the Pt. modifier and an amorphous structure in the basal asphalt binder. The integration of Pt. into the asphalt cement resulted in modifications to the phases of both constituents, culminating in the emergence of a new semi-crystalline phase inside the modified asphalt binder. These data suggest that peat microparticles (Pt.) can improve the efficacy of asphalt binders by enhancing compatibility, adhesion, and resistance to ageing.
Machine learning (ML) is one of the intelligent methodologies that has shown promising results in the domains of classification and prediction. In this paper, Azure Machine Learning (AML) systems were applied for flexible pavement maintenance classification problems and solutions. For prediction, four parameters were used as the inputs namely severity, density, road functional, and average daily traffic (ADT) while the output parameters were treatment techniques. This paper provides a critical analysis of classification algorithms: two-class support vector machine, multi-class decision forest, and multi-class neural network. Characteristic significance analysis was carried out to investigate how each classifier utilized the information available in the dataset, focusing on the application of azure machine learning classification (AMLC) to the pavement maintenances results prediction. Overall, the findings showed that predictions using Multi-Class Neural Network (MCNN) were obtaining an accuracy of 0.99. The results indicated that prediction obtained from AML training seemed to be more powerful, with a smaller standard error. Azure ML technique showed high accuracy with satisfactory results and capability of predicting pavement maintenance rigorously.
Aging in the field is significantly influenced by the initial voids in the asphalt mixture, the intensification of the asphalt mixture under traffic, and the amount of heat applied to the mixture during production. Hence, this research is used to evaluate the effect of long-term aging on the behavior of soft clay-modified asphalt mixture. This study aims to evaluate the usage of soft clay powder, as a newly introduced material in asphalt mixture. Indirect tensile strength, indirect resilient modulus, and dynamic creep tests were conducted to determine and evaluate the performance of samples mixed using the Superpave system. The results obtained were perceived to be successful. As for the indirect tensile strength, the addition of batu pahat soft clay contributes to increasing the indirect tensile strength, especially when it was observed by using 4%, which gave better results than other soft clay percentages. In the resilient modulus test, Batu Pahat soft clay particles improved the fatigue and rutting resistance by 10.04%. While; in the dynamic creep test, the 4% soft clay value gave the best performance of evaluation works when it was conducted in a long-term aging process with the value of 0.14mm. More importantly, the evaluation of aging conditions noted that soft clay could resist and delay aging, promoting pavement durability. Also, this study was conducted to determine the most suitable and optimum patu pahat soft clay particles in the asphalt mixture and expectant to produce a new road material and to contribute toward producing cheap and effective asphalt mixtures for road construction
The influence of Acrylate Styrene Acrylonitrile (ASA) and ASA/nanosilica (ASA/Si) additives was investigated by using a dynamic shear rheometer (DSR). Firstly, an ASA polymer was blended with the virgin asphalt binder at two different concentrations (3% ASA and 5% ASA). After observing that 5% ASA was the optimum concentration for modification, nanosilica particles were further incorporated into the 5% ASA-modified asphalt binder with two different percentages (5% ASA 3%Si; 5% ASA 5%Si). Frequency sweep tests were conducted across various frequencies at elevated temperatures. The experimental outcomes were analyzed using master curves, rutting, and fatigue resistance parameter plots. Additionally, to provide a more holistic analysis, two different multicriteria decision analysis (MCDA) techniques, namely the Preference Ranking Organization Method for Enrichment Evaluations (PROMETHEE) and the Technique for the Order of Preference by a Similarity to Ideal Solution (TOPSIS), were conducted to identify the best-performing asphalt binder by considering three different parameters: workability, performance under different conditions, and cost. The frequency sweep tests showed that the 5% ASA 5%Si asphalt worked best in terms of resistance to rutting. On the other hand, the virgin binder performed better than all modified binders when it failed to resist fatigue. On the other hand, the PROMETHEE analysis identified the 5% ASA-modified asphalt binder as the optimal choice, while the TOPSIS analysis determined that the 5% ASA 3%Si-modified binder provided the best performance. The differences between the experimental results and the MCDA were due to using more than one evaluation parameter and looking at how well the asphalt binder worked at different temperature ranges at the same time.
Innovations were conducted continuously to create sustainable asphalt modifier. In this research it is focused on the investigation work of the asphalt binder modified properties with different percentages of one different micro material. This material is Parit Nipah Peat. The investigation is about the physical properties of asphalt binders modified with Parit Nipah Peat PNpt.M.A. PNpt leads to make a lot of changes in internal and external of the samples that checked via penetration test, ductility test, and Scanning Electron Microscopic. The Parit Nipah Peat was added to the original binder with a high shear blender then used at 1500 rpm to mix the PNpt with the binder. Three (3) different percentages were mixed by weight of binder to modify the asphalt binder with the binder at 0, 3%, 5% and 7%. This material has a high ability to distribution with asphalt, appears to be plain and homogeneous and different structure after blended with bitumen. The physical property of modified binders enhanced the binder properties, as the results of penetration test, ductility test and distribution inside the binder showed that. Adding a different concentration of PNpt to base binder had significant effects of high resistant changing volume and increased hardness.
This study investigates the effect of oxidation aging on the physical properties of asphalt binder modified by various ratios of soft clay contents. The rheological properties of soft clay modified asphalt binders were performance under unaged and short-term aged, and being applied by using rotational viscometer and dynamic shear rheometer. Therefore, the results indicated that the physical properties of penetration and softening point were consistently reduced and increased, respectively for unaged and short-term aged specimens. The penetration index and viscosity aging index were increased as the soft clay modified binders aged and showed a high significance correlation. It also has the lowest susceptibility for the temperature susceptibility.
This paper presents the testing results and numerical results of nine reinforced concrete thick slabs with and without openings. All slab specimens have the same planar dimensions (1000mm×1000mm) with three different thicknesses of (120mm,100mm,and 80mm).The slabs resting on 4 corner steel columns and tested under concentrated static loading up to failure. These slabs were also analyzed using nonlinear finite element method assuming nonlinear material properties. From the experiments, it was found that, The presence of openings in slabs supported on their four corners decreases the strength and rigidity of slabs to about (12-23) % depending on the slab thicknesses and the shape of these openings. The slabs with (circular opening) recorded a reduction in ultimate strength to about(20) % from those with square openings having an equivalent opening areas. The yielding of main steel reinforcement occurred at load about 85% of the slab ultimate load. The ultimate loads predicted by ANSYS model have showed a good agreement with the experimental results.
Abstract. To define the behaviour of asphalt mixture including various penetration grade bitumen has been a major subject of paving engineering. This search investigated the volumetric and mechanical properties of a hot-mix asphalt (HMA) mixture with the Superpave mix design. The mixture was added with powdered soft clay at five different percentages based on the bitumen weight (0%, 2%, 4%, 6%, and 8%). Performance tests were then conducted to determine the resilient modulus and volumetric properties of the mixture. Results show that bulk specific gravity increased after adding soft clay to the asphalt mixture. The amount of air and mineral aggregate voids also decreased with increasing SC contents. Furthermore, the addition of 4% SC improved mixture stiffness, as determined through indirect resilient modulus test under aging conditions. Therefore, soft clay can be added to asphalt mixtures to improve their volumetric and mechanical properties, such as strength and durability.
Project completion on schedule and within budget is always an accomplishment. Several building projects overspent their budgets. Cost overruns in road-building projects are common despite their detrimental impact on the construction sector. This report examines global cost overruns, finds local reasons, assesses and analyses them by relevance, and recommends practical mitigation strategies for top construction parties in Oman, including "clients," "consultants," and "contractors." A comprehensive literature review and local road practitioners helped identify 52 reasons. These theories were explored using a cross-sectional questionnaire given to 85 road specialists, who prioritized the factors by local cost overrun significance. The study found that the top five issues in Oman include contractors not being paid on time, incomplete design at bidding, design defects, cost miscalculation, and financial problems. This survey also found substantial agreement among project partners on the most important causes. SPSS 24.0 and MS Excel were used to examine quantitative data in four phases utilizing the relative significance index, mean value, chi-square test, and bivariate analysis. The pioneering character of this research will benefit road construction management. society because it provides a good starting point for local academics, identifies local road construction management deficiencies, and offers practical mitigation methods to avoid cost overruns. The results imply that project parties must enhance planning, budgeting, engineering design, terrain analysis, and compliance with new rules by using technology effectively.
Asphalt pavement performance is based on several parameters and properties of the materials’ element. surface free energy that the modifier and the asphalt binder both displays. The resistance of the modified asphalt binder to stresses and moisture damage is largely determined by the bond energies. Asphalt binder qualities may be altered by either technical or natural processes, which subsequently impact on the chemical and mechanical characteristics. In addition, a correlated investigation revealed that surface free energy values may be used to assess the compatibility of a binder in relation to moisture-induced damage. Data demonstrates that the incorporation of soft clay into the asphalt binder resulted in a favorable coating and bonding capacity, as compared to the control asphalt binder. moisture-induced damage in HMA is a combined effect of loss of cohesion of asphalt binder and loss of adhesion between asphalt binder and aggregate. It was indicated that the modified binders of BPSC ratios would delay and weaken the oxidation reaction asphalt binder which can enhance the aging process. Based on absorbance peaks of carbonyl and sulfoxide bonds, the addition of BPSC would delay the aging process of asphalt binder.
This study introduces a novel approach to enhance the sustainability of road pavement construction by utilizing palm oil clinker (POC), an industrial waste product, as a replacement for fine aggregates (passing 4.75 mm) in stone mastic asphalt (SMA) mixtures. Departing from conventional practices, this research comprehensively evaluates the feasibility of using POC at varying replacement levels (0% to 100%) across a range of binder contents (5.0% to 7.0%). A significant contribution of this work is the application of Response Surface Methodology (RSM) to optimize the proportions of POC and binder content (BC), achieving target Marshall and volumetric properties for superior pavement performance. The results demonstrate that POC can effectively substitute fine aggregates in SMA mixtures, meeting all requirements for Marshall stability, flow, stiffness, and volumetric properties, even at a 100% replacement rate. Statistical analysis using RSM confirmed the model’s validity, exhibiting a high R-squared value (>0.80), significant p-values, and an adequate precision exceeding 4. Optimization analysis revealed that a 60% POC content with a 6% BC yields the most desirable combination for achieving optimal SMA mixture characteristics. Further validation through experimental testing showed a strong correlation with the theoretical RSM predictions, with an error margin below 5%. This research underscores the potential of POC as a sustainable alternative to traditional aggregates, paving the way for more environmentally friendly and cost-effective road construction practices while simultaneously addressing waste management challenges in the palm oil industry.
Concrete is considered the most important and widely used building material in the world of construction and building due to its durability, high efficiency in shaping, and relatively reasonable cost. The main component of concrete is cement, and one of the most important problems related to cement is the environmental problems associated with cement manufacturing, as the cement manufacturing process releases a large amount of carbon dioxide. Despite the essential role of concrete in construction, we cannot ignore its environmental impact. Some claim that exploring alternative materials or innovative building techniques would reduce the carbon footprint and enhance sustainability in the industry. Partial cement replacement with pozzolanic materials like zeolite is a key technique to reduce carbon dioxide emissions. Zeolite, which reduces permeability, is a typical concrete ingredient that strengthens and lasts. Recently, natural zeolite has become a prominent concrete pozzolanic component. For environmental preservation and sustainable development, various experiments were done on concrete with pozzolanic components partially substituting cement and compared to ordinary concrete. A partial replacement of cement with zeolite improves the properties of concrete up to a certain age and mixing ratio. More than 44 relevant articles from 2004–2024 were selected from 762 papers evaluated for this paper. This paper reviews natural zeolite research in real applications. Additionally, it provided a cutting-edge review of natural zeolite literature through a critical analysis of various previous investigations. It also helped to understand how zeolite influences concrete mixture workability, strength, and durability. Since zeolite is a major concrete ingredient, it should be promoted as a sustainable resource.
This study aims to evaluate the impact of incorporating Batu Pahat Soft Clay (BPSC) into conventional asphalt binder at varying proportions: 2-, 4-, 6- and 8%-BPSC by weight of asphalt binder. A comprehensive laboratory investigation was carried out, including consistency test, Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR), Dynamic Shear Rheometer (DSR), Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) tests. In terms of rutting, the parameter G*/sin δ increased significantly by nearly 839.25% at 45 °C and 196.67% at 75 °C for the 4%-BPSC binder compared to the base binder. The Multiple Stress Creep and Recovery (MSCR) test further confirmed the BPSC effectively reduce the residual strain by over 55%. FTIR analysis indicates a physical interaction between the BPSC and the binder, with no evidence of new chemical bond formation. Based on overall findings, the 4%-BPSC modification is identified as the optimal percentage for achieving balanced improvement in binder performance, contributing to more sustainable asphalt solutions.
This study presents a comprehensive investigation into the optimization of crumb rubber modified bitumen (CRMB) performance by systematically analysing the effects of blending parameters and material characteristics. The effects of blending temperature, mixing speed, blending time, and mixer type on the viscosity and stability of CRMB were systematically evaluated using a fixed 40/60 penetration grade binder and 15% CR-A (ambient ground, #40 mesh) in the first phase of this study. However, the influence of three bitumen grade (40/60, 70/100, 100/150), two crumb rubber types (CR-A and CR-B), three mesh sizes (#30, #40, #50), and four CR contents (10%, 15%, 17.5%, and 20%) was evaluated with blending protocol devised initially. Viscosity, penetration, and softening point were measured, yielding significant improvements; 15% CR addition in the 40/60 binder reduced penetration from 48 to 38 dmm and increased the softening point from 52.5 °C to 58.4 °C. Chemical interactions were assessed through SARA fraction analysis, revealing a strong inverse correlation between aromatic content and final viscosity with r = -0.78. The blending process was further optimized using factorial design and statistical analysis, identifying high shear mixing at 180 °C for 90 min (2000-3000 rpm) as the ideal condition. This setting produced homogenous, stable blends, with equilibrium viscosity values for the tested combinations ranging from 2.7 to 3.6 Pa·s. Multi-factor ANOVA confirmed significant effects (p < 0.001) of blending temperature, CR type, and bitumen grade. Regression models developed for the materials tested achieved strong predictive power (R<sup>2</sup> = 0.85), highlighting that higher aromatic content reduced viscosity, while resins and asphaltenes contributed to increased stiffness. The study demonstrates that performance optimization requires not only controlled blending conditions but also informed material selection. This dual approach provides a reliable foundation for scalable, efficient, and sustainable CRMB production.
