Rutting Performance of Asphalt Mixtures with Nanotube-fibres at Varied Addition Rates

摘要

The limiting factor for the service life of asphalt pavements in many cases is the damage associated with cracking and rutting. Moreover, severe rutting can not only affect the service life, but also affect the safety of the road. The introduction of fibres has been shown to enhance the crack resistance of asphalt pavements. This study will investigate a new type of nanotube-fibres that would allow for better performance of the asphalt mixture at higher temperatures. The main innovation with the nanotube-fibres is their expansion and contraction properties at low and high temperatures, respectively. The performance of Hot Mix Asphalt (HMA) with fibres of 25-mm length at three different addition rates was examined and compared with control samples without fibres. The performance testing was conducted using the Hamburg Wheel Tracking Test at 50°C, which is a measure of the rutting susceptibility of asphalt at higher temperatures. The performance of the asphalt with nanotube-fibres under these conditions was evaluated and recommendations made on its use in the field, along with further research needs.