CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.0 Background of study
In the top of the pavements on roads and airports, asphalt mixtures are employed. Typically,
asphalt cements and aggregate make up the mix. Some asphalt mixture types are also utilized in
base course. Similar to the design of other engineering materials, the design of other engineering
materials, the design of an asphalt paving mix mostly involves choosing and balancing the
component ingredients to produce the desired qualities in the finished pavement structure.
Typically, the term “mineral filler” refers to a mineral fine particle whose physical size passes
through a filter with a mesh size of 200 (75 micron). By decreasing the natural temperature
sensitivity of the binder, mineral filler is used and applied in asphalt mixtures to improve the
qualities of the binder. By decreasing the natural temperature sensitivity of the binder, mineral
filler is used and applied in asphalt mixtures to improve the qualities of the binder.
Mineral fillers play two roles in asphalt mixtures. Firstly, they act as a part of the mineral
aggregate by filling the voids between the coarser particles in the mixtures and thereby
strengthening the asphalt mixture, and secondly, when mixed with asphalt, fillers form mastic, a
high-consistency binder or matrix that cements larger binder particles together; most likely, a
major portion of the filler remains suspended in the binder while a smaller portion becomes part
of the load bearing framework.
Being a thicker material than asphalt itself, mastic can bring more stiffness to the mixture.
Additionally, it improves the adhesive qualities and provides greater thickness of asphalt binder
which eventually helps to slow down the aging process. The filler material passing the number
200 standard mesh sieve, usually comprise a major amount of the total aggregate in SMA (Stone
mastic asphalt) pavement. This large portion of the mineral filler with asphalt binder contributes
to the interlocking of the coarse aggregate and mineral fillers which are of the same
mineralogical composition as coarse aggregates but have variations in surface roughness and
angularity; usually show different capacities to adsorb a given type of asphalt component; fillers
particles absorb a portion of the oils in asphalt binder and the particles swell during the
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interaction with asphalt binder; therefore increasing the viscosity and stiffness of the asphalt-
filler mastic.
Whether a mix design is developed through a Marshall, Hveem, or Superpave mix design
process there are basic volumetric requirements of all. Volumetric properties are properties of a
defined material contained in a known volume. Asphalt mixture volumetric properties can
include bulk specific gravity, theoretical maximum specific gravity, air void and voids in mineral
aggregate.
Many agencies specify values of the volumetric properties to ensure optimum performance of the
pavement. The asphalt mixture must be designed to meet these criteria. In production the asphalt
mixture is evaluated to determine if the mix still meets the specifications and is consistent with
the original mix design (JMF). The production asphalt mixture may vary from the mix design
and may need to be modified to meet the specific volumetric criteria. To compare the in-
production volumetric properties to agency specifications and the JMF a sample of loose asphalt
mixture mix is obtained in accordance with FOP for AASHTO R 97. The sample is then
compacted in a gyratory compactor to stimulate in-place asphalt mixture pavement after it has
been placed, compacted and the volumetric properties of the compacted sample are determined.
The volumetric proportions of the asphalt binder and aggregate components of an asphalt
mixture and their relationship to the other components are considered. The mass of the
components and their specific gravities are used to determine the volumes of each of the
components in the mix. The volumetric properties of a compacted asphalt mixture: air voids
(Va), voids in mineral aggregate (VMA), voids filled with asphalt binder (VFA), and effective
asphalt binder content (Pbe) provide some indication of the mixture’s probable performance.
1.1 Statement of Problems
One of the most complicated failures in asphalt pavement is the moisture damage, therefore
asphalt pavement shows loss in the mixture structure in term of aggregate particles bounding.
Since, filler contributes in asphalt durability, it was a major concern for highway engineers to
find the effect of filler on asphalt durability. Airey et al (2008), examined the effect of filler on
asphalt pavement moisture damage by AASHTO T283 test and Saturation Ageing Tensile
Stiffness (SATS) which was developed and later used to evaluate the moisture damage of asphalt
in the UK. Granite filler and hydrated lime was used with conventional limestone filler. The
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result shown that the granite filler appears to have lesser performance than the conventional
limestone filler. The result shown that the granite filler appears to have lesser performance than
the conventional limestone filler. On the other hand, hydrated lime improved the resistance to
moisture damages. Thus, filler type may have an impact on the asphalt durability. According to
Cong and Zheng (2005), the performance of hot-mix asphalt could be affected by filler/asphalt
ratio by using two filler types (Gabbro and limestone powder). Marshall method was used to find
the optimum binder and the filler content which showed decreasing in the optimum binder
content as the filler to the asphalt ratio was increased. Stability was increased and the strain
decreased when the filler to asphalt ratio increased too. This was probably due to the proper
asphalt binder film thickness around aggregate particles and stiffening the mix, however excess
of filler in the mixture can make it susceptible to cracks and raveling.
1.2 Aim and Objectives
The primary aim of this study is to find out the influence of different filler types on the stability
and the volumetric properties of Asphalt.
The specific objective of this study includes:
1. To conduct asphalt mix design for pavement wearing course using Marshall method of
mix design.
2. To evaluate the physical properties of selected aggregates and Bitumen in order to check
their suitability for construction of pavement wearing course.
3. To study the effect of replacement of Granite dust with cement and lime at the optimum
binder content of the conventional filler (GD)
4. To evaluate the effect of mineral fillers on the stability and volumetric properties of
asphalt
1.3 Significance of study
Quality and highly acceptable asphalt will be produced through this research. A poor or
inappropriate Asphalt mix design can contribute to poor pavement performance. So it is
important that a mix design be done properly. Good design procedures are based on sound
research and many years of observing the performance of asphalt pavements. A good mix design
procedure closely model the performance of the actual mix that will be produced, including
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binder absorption, compaction during construction and under future traffic, moisture damage
sensitivity, and rutting and fatigue properties.
The purpose of this research is to find the influence of fillers on the stability of asphalt while also
determining how fillers affect the volumetric properties. It should be recognized that a mix
design is just the starting point for achieving the desired asphalt pavement performance. Other
factors, such as structural design, construction practices, and maintenance operations
significantly influence pavement performance.
The benefits of this study helps the engineer in the construction of high way pavements since
mineral fillers affect the bonding between asphalt and aggregates and improve the performance
of the mix by increasing the cohesive performance of the mix under moisture exposure. Fillers
are also improving resistance to deformation at high temperatures by stiffening the binder.
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CHAPTER TWO
LITERATURE REVIEW
2.1 History Of Asphalt Pavement
Hot mix asphalt (HMA) pavements have existed in their present form, as a mixture of angular
aggregates and asphalt binder, since the beginning of the 20th century. However, HMA
pavement can trace its roots back to ancient Roman roads and beyond.
The first recorded use of asphalt by humans was by the Sumerians around 3,000 B.C. Statues
from that time period used asphalt as a binding substance for inlaying various shells, precious
stones and pearls. Other common ancient asphalt uses were preservation (for mummies),
waterproofing (pitch on ship hulls), and cementing (used to join together bricks in Babylonia).
Around 1500 A.D., the Incas of Peru were using a composition similar to modern bituminous
macadam to pave parts of their highway system. In fact, asphalt is mentioned several times in
the Book of Genesis (Baird, 2002).
In more modern times, asphalt paving uses first began with foot paths in the 1830s and then
progressed to actual asphalt roadways in the 1850s. The first asphalt roadways in the U.S.
appeared in the early 1870s (Abraham, 1929).
2.1.1 Roman Roads
The oldest Roman road still in use today, Via Appia (Figure 2.1), dates back to 312 B.C. At its
height, the Roman road network consisted of over 62,000 miles of roads. By law, all of the
public was entitled to use Roman roads, but the maintenance of the roadway was the
responsibility of the inhabitants of the district through which the road ran (the same basic system
used in the U.S. today). Although Roman roads did not use asphalt as a binder, they did often
use lime grout and other natural pozzolans as binders. Figure 2.2 shows a typical Roman road
structure.
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Figure 2.1: Roman Road Surface
Figure 2.2: Roman Road Structure
2.1.2 Telford Pavements
Skipping forward several thousand years, Telford pavements begin to show likeness to today's
modern HMA pavements. Thomas Telford (born 1757) served his apprenticeship as a building
mason (Smiles, 1904). Because of this, he extended his masonry knowledge to bridge building.
During lean times, he carved grave-stones and other ornamental work (about 1780). Eventually,
Telford became the “Surveyor of Public Works” for the county of Salop (Smiles, 1904), thus
turning his attention more to roads. Telford attempted, where possible, to build roads on
relatively flat grades (no more than a 1 in 30 slope) in order to reduce the number of horses
needed to haul cargo. Telford's pavement section was about 14 to 18 inches in depth as shown in
Figure 2.3. Telford pavements did not use any binding medium to hold the stones together.
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Figure 2.3: Typical Telford Road (Collins and Hart 1936)
2.1.3 Macadam Pavements
Macadam pavements introduced the use of angular aggregates (Figure 2.4). John McAdam
(born 1756 and sometimes spelled “Macadam”) observed that most of the “paved” U.K. roads in
early the 1800s were composed of rounded gravel (Smiles, 1904). He knew that
angular aggregate over a well-compacted subgrade would perform substantially better. He used
a sloped subgrade surface to improve drainage (unlike Telford who used a flat subgrade surface)
onto which he placed angular aggregate (hand-broken, maximum size 3 inches) in two layers for
a total depth of about 8 inches (Gillette, 1906). On top of this, the wearing course was placed
(about 2 inches thick with a maximum aggregate size of 1 inch) (Collins and Hart, 1936).
Macadam, who did not use any binding medium to hold the stones together, realized that the
layers of broken stone would eventually become bound together by fines generated by traffic.
The first macadam pavement in the U.S. was constructed in Maryland in 1823.
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Figure 2.4: Macadam Pavement Core
Figure 2.5: Typical Macadam Road (after Collins and Hart 1936)
2.1.4 Tar Macadam Pavements
A tar macadam road consists of a basic macadam road with a tar-bound surface. It appears that
the first tar macadam pavement was placed outside of Nottingham (Lincoln Road) in 1848
(Hubbard, 1910; Collins and Hart, 1936). At that time, such pavements were considered suitable
only for light traffic (i.e., not for urban streets). Coal tar, the binder, had been available in the
U.K. from about 1800 as a residue from coal-gas lighting. Possibly this was one of the earlier
efforts to recycle waste materials into a pavement!
As a side note, the term “Tarmac” was a proprietary product in the U.K. in the early 1900s
(Hubbard, 1910). Actually it was a plant mixed material, but was applied to the road surface
“cold.” Tarmac consisted of crushed blast furnace slag coated with tar, pitch, portland cement
and a resin. Today the term “tarmac” is generic and generally refers to airport pavements
(however, inappropriately).
2.1.5 Sheet Asphalt Pavements
Sheet asphalt placed on a concrete base (foundation) became popular during the mid-1800s with
the first one of this type being built in Paris in 1858. The first such pavement placed in the U.S.
was in Newark, New Jersey, in 1870. Generally, the concrete layer was 4 inches thick for “light”
traffic and 6 inches thick for “heavy” traffic (Baker, 1903). The final thickness was based on the
weight of the traffic, the strength of the concrete and the soil support.
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2.1.6 Bitulithic Pavements
HMA pavement began to take on its modern form around the beginning of the 20th century when
Frederick J. Warren was issued patents for a “hot mix” asphalt paving material and process,
which he called “bitulithic”. A typical bitulithic mix contained about 6 percent “bituminous
cement” and graded aggregate proportioned for low air voids. The concept was to produce a mix
which could use a more “fluid” binder than was used for sheet asphalt. Warren received eight
patents in 1903. A review of the associated claims reveals that Warren, in effect, patented HMA,
the asphalt binder, the construction of HMA surfaced streets and roads, and the overlay of “old”
streets.
In 1910 in Topeka, Kansas, a court ruling stated that HMA mixes containing 0.5 inch maximum
size aggregate did not infringe on Warren's patent (Steele and Himmelman, 1986). Thus, most
U.S. hot mix asphalt (HMA) thereafter became oriented to the smaller maximum aggregate
sizes. A typical “Topeka mix” consisted of 30 percent graded crushed rock or gravel (all passing
the 0.5 inch sieve), about 58 to 62 percent sand (material passing the No. 10 sieve and retained
on the No. 200 sieve), 8 to 12 percent filler (material passing the No. 200 sieve). This mixture
required 7.5 to 9.5 percent asphalt cement. By 1920, Warren's original patents had expired in the
U.S. (Oglesby and Hewes, 1962) but the legacy of the Topeka mix lived on as reflected by the
U.S. tendency towards finer mixes.
2.2 Fillers and other types of Fillers
2.2.1 Fillers
The general category of filler for asphalt paving mixtures includes finely divided mineral
particles which are either naturally present in the mineral aggregate or which are added to the
mineral aggregate (Izatt, 1982). Filler particles are considered those passing the No. 200 (75 um)
sieve. (One um is one-millionth of a meter.)
2.2.2 Mineral Filler (Added Filler)
This material is that part of the finely divided portion of a hot-mix aggregate gradation which is
not present naturally and has to be added to beef the gradation up (Rigden, 1947). Particles sizes
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of this material are smaller than the No. 200 (75 um) sieve. If this material contains particles
larger, these are considered as “Fine Aggregate" in the preparation and testing of asphalt paving
materials.
2.2.3 Special Fillers
These materials are finely divided mineral matter water passing the No. 200 (75 um) sieve
which are usually by-products from the processing and production of products other than mineral
aggregates and which normally require special handling methods and equipment (Izatt, 1982) .
Included in this category are bag house fines, fly ashes, flue dusts and others.
2.2.4 Filler Additives
These are finely divided materials whose particle sizes are normally smaller than the No. 200 (75
um) sieve and have unusual or unique properties such as being rod-like particles (fibers),
polymers (including rubber) or asphalt extenders such as carbon black and sulfur (Izatt, 1982).
Hydrated lime is included in the group of filler additives since it is highly surface active and its
use is normally restricted to two percent or less by weight of a hot-mix.
2.3 Importance Of Fillers
Mineral filler, fine-grained mineral particles naturally present in or manufactured and added to
aggregates play a significant role on the performance of asphalt mastic and asphalt mixtures
(Chen and Xu, 2020) . A clear understanding of effects of filler on the properties of asphalt
paving mixtures is critical to ensure a good asphalt mixture design and its field performance. In
this study, the basic properties of mineral filler, mainly including physical and chemical
properties, were first reviewed and followed by the effects on mastic and mixture performances.
This review finds that particle size distribution and specific surface area are the two most
important physical characteristics for fillers in terms of its impact on mastic performances.
Fillers, including diatomite, hydrated lime and cement, can improve the high temperature and
durability performances of mastic and mixture. However, fillers, like glass powder, steel slag and
bentonite, have a detrimental effect on the low-temperature performances. It can be concluded
that it is important to carefully select the mineral filler type and proportion in order to improve
the asphalt mixture performances.
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2.4 Introduction to Asphalt
Asphalt is a mixture of aggregate (gravel and sand) and bitumen binder, and when mixed
together at a high temperature it forms hot mix asphalt. This is the type of asphalt that we choose
to use on all our asphalt projects including car parks, hardstands and large driveways.
The asphalt mixture is a typically temperature-sensitive material; its mechanical characteristics
and operational performance will also dramatically change with temperature variations. The
asphalt mixture will perform differently under different temperature conditions. When the
temperature is high, the viscosity of the binder will dramatically decrease, as will the adhesion
among the aggregates. Meanwhile, the stiffness of the asphalt mixture also decreases, and there
will be a large accumulated and permanent deformation under each repeat loading. Therefore,
under high-temperature conditions, the asphalt pavement structure will have compression and
rutting because of the viscosity of the asphalt mixture. When the temperature decreases, although
the strength of the asphalt mixture will increase, the thermal stress in the asphalt mixture will
also increase; sometimes, it will surpass the material strength and cause thermal cracking. Other
distresses upon the asphalt pavement, such as fatigue cracking, reflective cracking, etc., are also
directly or indirectly related to the temperature condition of the asphalt mixture. A full
understanding of the characteristics and patterns of temperature fields in an asphalt pavement
structure not only helps with accurately predicting the temperature distribution, but it can also
can help with understanding the mechanism of pavement distress, and determine the strength of
the asphalt pavement materials.
2.5 Benefits of Asphalt
According to Augustyn (2020), The use of asphalt is very old, dating back to its use as a water
stop between brick walls of a reservoir at Mohenjo-Daro (about the 3rd millennium BC) in
Pakistan. In the Middle East it was extensively used for paving roads and sealing waterworks,
important applications even today. The Pitch Lake on the island of Trinidad was the first large
commercial source, but natural sources have since declined in importance as petroleum became
the major source. Gilsonite, wurzilite, and similar vein asphalts have special uses in heat-
resistant enamels; they are hard and are mined like coal. Petroleum asphalt is produced in all
consistencies from light road oils to heavy, high-viscosity industrial types.
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Asphalt softens when heated and is elastic under certain conditions. The mechanical properties of
asphalt are of little significance except when it is used as a binder or adhesive. The principal
application of asphalt is in road surfacing, which may be done in a variety of ways. Light oil
“dust layer” treatments may be built up by repetition to form a hard surface, or a
granular aggregate may be added to an asphalt coat, or earth materials from the road surface
itself may be mixed with the asphalt. Other important applications include canal and reservoir
linings, dam facings, and other harbour and sea works; asphalt so used may be a thin, sprayed
membrane, covered with earth for protection against weathering and mechanical damage, or
thicker surfaces, often including riprap (crushed rock). Asphalt is also used for roofs, coatings,
floor tilings, soundproofing, waterproofing, and other building-construction elements and in a
number of industrial products, such as batteries. For certain applications an asphaltic emulsion is
prepared, in which fine globules of asphalt are suspended in water.
Asphalt not only offers superior resilience to ants, weeds and water, compared to other paving
and construction materials, it’s also one of the most cost-effective solutions for both commercial
and residential projects. Compared to paving materials like bricks, slabs or pavers, asphalt has
more flexibility to shape to curves and corners, allowing for a tight seal with and kerbing and
reducing the gaps where water and debris can penetrate. Bricks, slabs and pavers are also
venerable to movement and shifting causing separation between each piece.
2.6 Different types of Asphalt Mix
According to (Bituminous Roadways .Inc) there are three (3) types of asphalt mixes.
2.6.1 Hot Mix Asphalt
Hot mix asphalt, commonly referred to as HMA, bitumen, or blacktop, is the most widely used
type of asphalt in major paving projects. There are a few different types of HMA, each of which
has unique performance properties and ideal usage applications. They include:
(A) Dense-Graded Mixes
Properly designed and constructed dense-graded mixes are, for the most part, impermeable,
which makes them suitable for all traffic conditions and pavement layers.
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There are two types of dense-graded mixes: fine-graded and coarse-graded, each of which is
characterized by the size of the majority of the aggregate particles in the mix. These mixes can
be used for surfaces, as well as asphalt repairs, and are the most commonly used and well-
understood type of HMA in the U.S.
(B) Stone Matrix Asphalt
Also known as SMA or stone mastic asphalt, this type of mix is a gap-graded HMA designed to
increase rutting resistance and durability. Because aggregates do not deform under load to the
degree that asphalt binder does, SMA consists of a higher ratio of course stone aggregates to
achieve stone-on-stone contact within the mix.
That contact, combined with a higher asphalt content than HMA, allows SMA to resist
deformation, making it suitable for high-volume roadways. This type of mix also helps reduce
tire noise and reflective cracking. Because SMA consists of highly durable aggregates, it’s
generally about 20%-25% more expensive than its other HMA counterparts.
(C) Porous Asphalt
This type of asphalt mix has a greater purpose, stormwater management. Porous asphalt is made
to allow water to drain through the asphalt into a layer of aggregate, designed to naturally filter
the water and reduce the amount of pollutants carried to a waterway. Filtration of runoff volume
can reach nearly 80% with proper installation and maintenance. Porous asphalt consists of
standard bituminous asphalt, but the void spaces are approximately 16% as opposed to two to
three percent for conventional asphalt mixes. Developers for residential, commercial, and
industrial sites might find this asphalt mix helpful to decrease the amount of stormwater runoff,
especially when there is increased velocity and volume.
2.6.2 Warm mix asphalt
Like HMA, warm mix asphalt (WMA) is heated during the production process. But, unlike HMA,
WMA contains either water or organic/chemical additives that reduce its required production
temperature. Notably, WMA production requires less oil/fuel consumption and produces fewer
emissions than HMA production, making it more cost effective and environmentally friendly.
WMA’s lower production temperature allows it to remain more workable as it cools as there’s
ultimately a smaller difference between the temperature of the mix and the surrounding air.
Asphalt transport trucks can also haul warm mix farther distances from the plant to the project
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site given its lower temperature. And, since WMA has a lower viscosity than HMA, it can be
compacted at a lower temperature than HMA.
Presently, WMA is relatively new in pavement application in the U.S., so long-term performance
data is currently limited. However, WMA has experienced rapid adoption and it’s growing in
popularity due to its versatility, durability, and usability outside normal asphalt paving weather
conditions. Warm mix asphalt is durable enough to withstand heavy traffic load and can be used
in virtually all pavement applications.
2.6.3 Cold mix asphalt
As its name indicates, cold mix asphalt (CMA) is not heated at all during production, which
allows it to be transported and laid while cold. But CMA isn’t nearly as durable as HMA or
WMA, so it’s really only suitable for patching and other asphalt repairs. Ideally, CMA should
serve as a temporary fix in low-traffic areas and should generally be replaced with a warm or
hot mix when weather conditions allow.
2.7 Stability of Asphalt
The two principal modes of failure in pavements are fatigue cracking and permanent
deformation. Engineers seek to hold these forms of failure to acceptable limits within a pavement
design life. Fatigue resistance of an asphalt mixture is the ability of the mixture to withstand
repeated bending without fracture. It is one of the common forms of distress in asphalt
pavements and manifests itself in the form of cracking under repeated traffic loading or a series
of temperature fluctuations/variation in the pavement. Fatigue cracking initiates at the bottom of
asphalt base and appears on the pavement surface as interconnected tracks of different forms and
it may also start at the surface and grow downwards as is the case for thermal (fatigue) cracking.
Some forms of fatigue cracking include longitudinal cracking, transverse cracking, and block
cracking. The published studies on fatigue resistance indicate that hydrated lime improves the
fatigue resistance of asphalt mixtures in 77% of the cases (EuLA, 2010). Permanent deformation
and rutting are used interchangeably. Permanent deformation is caused by gradual buildup of
irrecoverable strains under repeated loading which develop into a measurable rut (permanent
depression along the wheel path). These strains are due to the visco-elastic response of
bituminous materials to dynamic loading. Figure 2.6 shows the visco-elastic response to millions
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of wheel loadings. Rutting causes hydroplaning and safety concern for road users. It can develop
into potholes/structural failure of the pavement if not corrected. In the past, subgrade
deformation was considered to be the primary cause of rutting and many pavement design
methods applied limiting criteria on vertical strain at the subgrade level also. However recent
research indicates that most of the rutting occurs in the upper part of the asphalt surfacing layer.
According to Brown (1997), a common misconception is that the subgrade strain criterion only
refers to permanent deformation in the subgrade.
Fig. 2.6. Accumulated Plastic strains in Pavements (Asphalt Institute, 1996).
Eisemann and Hilmar (1987) studied asphalt pavement deformation phenomenon using wheel
tracking device. They measured the average rut depth as well as the volume of displaced
materials below the tyres and in the upheaval zones adjacent to them and found that, at the initial
stages of trafficking, the increase of irreversible deformation below the tyre is distinctly greater
than the increase in the upheaval zones and concluded that at the initial phase, traffic compaction
or densification is the primary mechanism of rut development (See Figure 2.7a), while after the
initial stage, the volume decrease below the tyre is approximately equal to the volume increase in
the adjacent upheaval zones, which implies that most of the compaction under traffic is
completed and further rutting is caused essentially by shear deformation, i.e., distortion without
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volume change (See Figure 2.7b). Thus, they concluded that, shear deformation is considered to
be the primary mechanism of rutting for the greater part of the lifetime of the pavement.
Fig. 2.7 (a) Rutting due to Densification (b) Rutting due to Shear Failure (Khan, 2008).
There are two major causes of permanent deformation, which are the use of weak asphalt and
weak subgrade. The focus of this paper is on failure resulting from weak asphalt. Rutting
resulting from accumulation of permanent deformation in the asphalt layer is now considered to
be the principal component of flexible pavement rutting (Garba, 2002). In Nigeria, the
trucks/tankers are relied on for the movement of freight (oil and gas products, finished products,
raw materials etc). The increase in truck tyre pressures and axle loads put the asphalt mixtures
under increasingly high stresses. Some of the factors that cause weak asphalt mixture include
aggregates gradation, aggregate surface texture, voids in the asphalt mixture, air voids and the
voids in the aggregate skeleton filled with bitumen, type of binder and temperature. The
problems of fatigue cracking and permanent deformation have been addressed using different
approaches. These include the use of harder bitumen, better design method like the superpave
mix design, the use polymer modified asphalt, the use of grouted asphalt, and the use of lime-
modified asphalt, which is the main thrust of this paper. Lime acts as active filler, anti-oxidant,
and as an additive that reacts with clay fines in asphalt. These mechanisms create multiple
benefits for pavements:
(1) Hydrated lime acts as mineral filler, stiffening the asphalt binder and asphalt.
(2) It improves resistance to fracture growth at low temperatures.
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(3) It favorably alters oxidation kinetics and interacts with products of oxidation to reduce their
deleterious effects.
(4) It alters the plastic properties of clay fines to improve moisture stability and durability.
The filler effect of the lime in the asphalt reduces the potential of the asphalt to deform at high
temperatures, especially during its early life when it is most susceptible to permanent
deformation. The hydrated lime filler actually stiffens the asphalt film and reinforces it. It makes
the asphalt less sensitive to moisture effects by improving the aggregate-asphalt bond, which
improves rut resistance (Little and Epps, 2001). The results of laboratory wheel tracking tests
conducted by Collins et al., (1997) indicate that hydrated lime increases resistance to rutting and
permanent deformation. LMA (2004) carried out a test to determine the dynamic modulus of
lime-modified and unmodified asphalt. The comparison of lime-modified and unmodified HMA
mixtures indicates that the addition of lime increases the overall dynamic modulus by about 25%
Higher modulus asphalt layers reduces the irrecoverable deformation in the foundation layers
because of reduced vertical stresses, resulting in less rutting in the lower layers. Kok and Yilmaz
(2009) studied the effects of SBS (Styrene-Butadiene-Styrene) and lime as mineral filler in hot
mix asphalt. They found that the stability of unconditioned lime treated mixtures was
approximately 8% higher than those of the unconditioned control mixture. However, this value
increased up to 21% for the conditioned mixtures. According to retained Marshall stability, they
concluded that the addition of only 2% lime had approximately same effect with addition of 6%
SBS with regard to moisture damage. Mohan and Obaid (2014) investigated the effect of adding
hydrated lime on the moisture damage resistance of asphalt concrete mixtures. In their study,
they observed that the Marshall stability increased with increasing lime content, with rate equal
to (40%) for (2.5%) hydrated lime content. Also, they reported that the air voids decreased with
increasing hydrated lime content, especially at the optimum content (2%) hydrated lime.
G.G. Al-khateeb et al, (2011) reported on the use of Ordinary Portland
Cement (OPC) as a filler substitute to improve the rigidity of asphalt concrete mixes made
with B60/70 bitumen and low-quality aggregates. This new mixture increases the pavement's
stability and resistance to high temperatures. To establish the effects of OPC on the performance
of asphalt mixtures in hot climates, four different percentages of OPC (0%, 2%, 4% and 6%) are
used as filler substitutes in three different mixes. The performance of the three mixes are
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assessed using the Superpave Gyratory Compactor and the Asphalt Pavement Rutting Analyzer.
Findings indicate that mixtures containing higher percentages of OPC as a filler are significantly
more resistant to rutting. These experimental results show that Portland Cement Filler Asphalts
(PCFA) represents a more stable alternative to conventional asphalt that also reduces thickness
requirements, because of the higher resulting modulus of rigidity. This is equally important in
hot rural areas like those found in Libya, where they have very few quarries and aggregates are
very costly to transport.
Rashwan (2016) conducted an experiment on the effect of Limestone powder as a mineral filler
on asphalt. The research showed a laboratory study of the effect of using different contents of
limestone powder as mineral filler in hot mix asphalt HMA properties and performance. In this
investigation limestone powder was used as mineral filler because it is the most common filler
used in Egypt and its good evaluation in improving the HMA performance and properties, three
percentages of limestone powder were used in this study (4, 6 and 8% of the total mix). Marshall
Tests and indirect tensile test were performed to investigate the difference in behaviors of
different samples with different parameters. The control mix used in this study contains crushed
gravel, rough aggregate particles with medium gradation of aggregate. The results revealed that
Marshall Stability (MS), Marshall Quotient (MQ) and air void (VTM) were decreased with
increasing limestone powder content; however flow values and bulk density were increased with
increasing limestone powder content. Also, the results indicated that the indirect tensile test
(ITS) and stiffness modulus (SM) were decreased with increasing limestone powder content,
while strain failure was increased with increasing the content of limestone powder. It can be
concluded that using of limestone as mineral filler in the HMA is proposed because it is common
in Egypt and reduce the cost but shouldn’t exceed 4% of the total hot asphalt mix.
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