Rice Husk Ash Modified Asphalt: A Macro- and Micro-level Investigation on the Impact of Rice Husk Ash on Aging Characteristics
摘要
Asphalt binder modification is one of the best approaches employed to enhance pavement performance and durability under high-traffic and extreme weather conditions. It has been widely acknowledged that bio-modifiers, specifically obtained from agricultural by-products can enhance asphalt performance and durability while leaving zero environmental impact. Along this direction, Rice Husk Ash (RHA), a largely available by-product of rice production, is found to be a potential candidate for improving the properties of asphalt binder. However, the durability of RHA Modified Asphalt (RMA) during its service life is highly influenced by the aging behavior of the modified binder. It is noteworthy that aging causes not only physical changes to the asphalt binder but also chemical changes resulting in early deterioration and reduction of pavement service life. Therefore, the objective of this research work is to investigate the impact of RHA modification on the aging characteristics of modified asphalt. The scope of this study includes macro and micro-level investigation on the unaged, short-term-aged, or long-term-aged RMA samples focused on the variation in the conventional consistency. Further, a comprehensive comparative study and statistical evaluation were carried out based on the aging index derived from the conventional consistency characteristics of virgin asphalt and RMAs in unaged, short-term aged, and long-term aged conditions. This research work revealed that RHA highly influenced the aging characteristics of the asphalt and enhanced the resistance toward short-term or long-term aging. Thus, RHA is a promising candidate as bio-modifier that enhances the durability of asphalt pavements with zero carbon footprints.