Experimental Study Concerning Iron Wire Fiber Reinforced Asphalt Concret

Abstract

The usability of low-cost iron wire fiber for reinforcement of hot asphalt mixtures wasinvestigated with experiments in this study. Five mixtures having different fiber content of1%, 3%, 5%, 7%, 9% and control mixtures were prepared. Characteristic properties ofbitumen, aggregate and iron wire used in the mixtures were determined by thermogravimetricanalysis (TGA), conventional bitumen tests, conventional aggregate tests, and metal tensiletests. After optimum bitumen rate was determined Marshall Stability Test, Cantabro Testswere performed in order to measure the performance of the mixtures. Additionally, moisturesusceptibility of samples was determined with indirect tensile strength test. As a result ofindirect tensile strength tests, indirect tensile strength (St) and indirect tensile strength ratio(ITSR) values were calculated. The results of the investigations indicate that the addition oflow-cost iron fiber in the amount of 1%-3% improved performance of asphalt mixtures.When the used fiber rate was increased over 3%, clustering created by fibers was observedthrough stereo-microscope observations. Consequently, air voids were increased andbitumen-aggregate interaction decreased. Increasing fiber ratio especially, at 7-9 percentcaused compressing, durability and stability problems in the mixture.