RECYCLED ASPHALT PAVEMENT ADDITION FOR EVALUATING CONCRETE STRENGTH IN RIGID PAVEMENTS

Abstract

The excessive use of nonrenewable natural resources in road construction motivates researchers to seek solutions to mitigate their depletion by using recycled materials to mitigate their exploitation. Reclaimed Asphalt Pavement (RAP) has emerged as a promising, sustainable, and economically viable material for use in flexible pavements, bases, and subbases; however, it has not been widely used in rigid pavements, which are widely used on highways and airports due to its durability. This study focuses on a concrete mix for rigid pavement using RAP to replace a percentage of natural sand. A hydraulic concrete design with a flexural strength of 4.0 MPa is evaluated, with the addition of RAP replacing a percentage of the fine aggregate (3%, 5%, 10%, 15%, and 20%). Compression tests are performed on cylinders and flexural tests are performed on beams to determine the optimal percentage that can be replaced without affecting the design strength. It is concluded that the percentage of best results for hydraulic concrete design to meet minimum requirements is 3% RAP. It is demonstrated that by reusing RAP, we reduce the amount of sand in the mix, improving the sustainability of concrete production for rigid pavements.