Investigations on Stone Matrix Asphalt Mixes by Utilizing Slag and Cellulose Fiber

Abstract

Stone Matrix Asphalt (SMA) has become one of the most admired Asphalt Pavement layers due to its superior deformation-resistant capacity through a coarse stone skeleton providing more stone-on-stone contact than the other Dense Graded Asphalt (DGA) mixes. SMA has proved superior on heavily trafficked roads and in industrial applications. SMA has distinct advantages as a Surfacing, due to its potential for high resistance to fatigue and rutting. In the present study, the SMA specimens were prepared by incorporating Ground Granulated Blast Furnace Slag (GGBS) as filler and the Marshall properties were studied. Further, for the optimum Marshall mix (containing 2.5% of GGBS), the cellulose fiber was added. The results have shown that the maximum strength was obtained for the SMA mix containing 7% of bitumen content with 2.5% of GGBFS and 0.3% of cellulose fiber. © 2023, The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd.