Effect of aggregate properties on asphalt concrete mixes

Abstract EN

The City of Riyadh has witnessed a huge expansion during the last decade.

So, roads and streets had to be built to serve the newly-built communities.

Demand for high quality aggregate for asphalt pavement construction became an ever increasing problem.

Consequently, contractors were directed to obtain aggregate from every possible source.

Therefore, a large number of quarries, scattered all around the City of Riyadh, has become the main sources of aggregates.

Samples of these quarries were thoroughly studied and compared and their suitability as source for aggregates for asphalt paving mixes production was thoroughly investigated.

The results show that there is a significant difference among various sources and not all aggregate sources satisfy Saudi Standards.

Furthermore, compaction by Marshall hammer causes some aggregates to disintegrate more than others; indicating somewhat lower quality of these aggregates on one hand, and the disintegration effect of Marshall compaction on the other.

Aggregates that disintegrated more have produced higher maximum Marshall stability.

Finally, correlation of aggregates’ and mixes properties showed that wet Indirect Tensile Strength ( ITS ) and wet resilient Modulus ( MR ) were highly correlated both with each other and with a number of aggregate properties.