Investigating the Physical and Rheological Properties of Date Seed Ash-Modified Asphalt Binders in the UAE

With climate change and the energy crisis gripping the world, countries are looking for sustainable solutions in every aspect of life. Using by-products and recycled materials in highway construction reduces the costs and the carbon footprint of asphalt production. This study investigates the addition of date seed ash, a common waste in the middle east, on asphalt binder performance over three aging levels. Date seed ash (DSA) was found to improve the binder resistance to aging. While DSA did not alter the high-temperature performance, it can still be used as a low-cost replacement to a percentage of the original asphalt binder with the advantage of aging resistance. 5% DSA was found to be the optimum content based on the aging influence on rheological properties (AIRP) and resistance to rutting.