Impact of Compaction Mode on Strength Properties of Sustainable Asphalt Concrete

Abstract

Various modes of compacting the asphalt concrete mixture can createmechanically different behaviour of the prepared specimens and can alterits sustainability. An attempt has been made in the present assessment toprepare asphalt concrete specimens by implementation of three modesof compaction, the gyratory, the roller, and the Marshall hammer. Thespecimens were prepared at the target bulk density of Marshall methodat optimum asphalt content. Extra specimens were prepared at 0.5 %asphalt below and above the optimum. Core specimens have been obtainedfrom the roller compacted slab samples. The specimens were tested forthe Marshall stiffness, tensile, and shear strength. It was observed that atoptimum asphalt content, the indirect tensile strength declines by (18.8and 70.5) % for gyratory and roller compacted specimens respectively ascompared with hammer compacted specimens. At optimum asphalt content,the shear strength declines by (70.5 and 82.2) % while Marshall stiffnessdeclines by (10.2 and 44.8) % for hammer and roller compacted specimensas compared with that of gyratory compacted specimen. Specimensprepared by gyratory compaction are less susceptible to the change inthe testing temperature as compared with other modes of compaction. Itis recommended to consider the mode of compaction to suit the requireddesign property of sustainable asphalt concrete mixture.