The Effect of polypropylene fibres on the tensile performance of asphalt mixtures for road pavements
Hayder Kamil Shanbara, Sarah Safaaldeen Musa, Anmar Dulaimi
Abstract
Abstract The tensile strength of asphalt mixtures is one of the main parameters of deterioration and failure in flexible pavements. Hence, in this study, the effects of reinforcing asphalt mixtures, using polypropylene fibers, on their engineering performance were experimentally investigated. A set of cylindrical specimens of asphalt mixtures was prepared and subjected to a compressive load at different testing temperatures in terms of evaluation of the indirect tensile stiffness modulus. Similarly, fatigue (four-point bending) and crack propagate (three-point bending) tests were conducted for different asphalt mixtures made with and without polypropylene fibres. The impacts of such fibres on the engineering properties of asphalt mixtures were studied. The laboratory results revealed that the reinforced mixtures with polypropylene fibres had a noticeable influence on the tensile, fatigue and cracking initiation and propagation of these mixtures.