Journal of Transportation Research

Journal of Transportation Research

Modeling and Design Optmization of Recycled Asphalt Containing Fibers at Low Temperature Using Response Surface Method

Document Type : Original Article

Authors
Amir Amini 1
Reza Akbari 2
Ahmad Safari Mohammadi 3
1 Department of Civil Engineering, Na.C, Islamic Azad University, Najafabad, Iran.
2 Ph.D., Grad., Department of Civil Engineering, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran.
3 M.Sc., Grad., Department of Civil Engineering, Iran University of Science and Technology, Tehran, Iran.
10.22034/tri.2025.481825.3285
Abstract
Asphalt Mixtures containing high percentages of Reclaimed Asphalt Pavement (RAP) often face challenges in production and compaction, which can lead to micro-cracking and premature failures. Therefore, it is essential to improve the technical and performance characteristics of these mixtures. The use of fibers, especially glass fibers, can help enhance fatigue resistance and crack resistance. The aim of this research is to provide a predictive and optimization model for the failure characteristics of recycled asphalt with a high percentage of RAP and fibers at low temperatures using the Response Surface Methodology (RSM). For this purpose, 0.06%, 0.12%, and 0.18% glass fibers were added to asphalt mixtures with different percentages of RAP, and the fracture energy, total fracture energy, and J-integral were measured at -15 degrees Celsius. The results showed that glass fibers have a positive effect on the failure performance of recycled mixtures and can be used as an additive and modifier in RAP-containing mixtures. Additionally, the modeling results indicated that the developed models have a suitable capability in predicting the failure characteristics of fiber-containing recycled asphalt in terms of correlation coefficient and accuracy function. Finally, to maximize the fracture resistance of asphalt against cracking at low temperatures, optimal values of 0.14% for fibers and 67.3% for RAP were recommended. Based on the overall results of the research, if the optimal combination is used, fracture energy, total energy, and the J-integral can increase by 40%, 39%, and 59%, respectively, compared to average laboratory values, leading to improved pavement quality and economic savings.
Keywords
Recycled Asphalt Pavement
Glass Fibers
Cracking Resistance
Optimization
Response Surface Method
Subjects
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