Performance evaluation of the use of tire-derived fuel fly ash as mineral filler in hot mix asphalt concrete

According to deplete natural resources and need to protect the environment, the demand of a usage of waste material has significantly increased. Many studies are currently being carried out on the development of innovative and environmentally friendly materials for securing the safety of road users and improving the performance and durability of roads. For example, studies are currently being conducted on the use of waste tires as a substitute for currently used fuels. Since the development of the automobile industry, the amount of waste tire has continuously increased in accordance with the increased vehicle numbers. Tire-derived fuel (TDF) has been used as a fuel source with generated TDF fly ash. Mineral filler, made of fine mineral particles of a physical size passing the number 200 standard mesh sieve (75 micron), plays an important role in asphalt mixtures properties. This paper presents an application of TDF fly ash as filler in hot mix asphalt (HMA). In this study, the performance of TDF fly ash was confirmed through a comparison with three other mineral fillers: stone dust, cement, and hydrated lime. Various tests including Marshall stability test, moisture sensitivity test, dynamic immersion test, and a wheel tracking test were performed to investigate the difference in the behaviors of the samples with different parameters considered in this study. The results show that the mechanical performance of hot mix asphalt using TDF fly ash satisfied the quality standard specification of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport (MOLIT), Korea. It can be concluded that the use of TDF fly ash as a mineral filler in HMA not only satisfied the mechanical properties, but also reduced the volume of the pollutants waste in the environment.