Performance and Thermal Evaluation of Incorporating Waste Ceramic Aggregates in Wearing Layer of Asphalt Pavement

Abstract

Industry waste materials are commonly used in road engineering. In this study, crushed ceramic waste aggregates (CWAs) were utilized and added into asphalt mixtures to investigate their potential usage. A finite-element method (FEM) was employed first to examine the effect of material thermal conductivity on the temperature gradient of pavement structure. A significant effect of the surface layer’s conductivity in asphalt pavement on the temperatures (at the top and bottom positions of the middle layer) was found in model simulation. Next, the mix design for asphalt mixtures with different percentages of CWAs was developed, and their thermal properties were tested. It is concluded that asphalt mixtures with a reasonable substitution percentage of CWA can satisfy pavement performance requirements. The addition of CWAs can reduce the thermal conductivity of asphalt mixtures, which is proven helpful in reducing the temperature gradient of pavement. Finally, it is recommended that less than 40% CWA be added into asphalt mixtures to replace natural coarse aggregates considering its effect on the performance of mixtures.