Investigating the Suitability of Agricultural and Industrial Wastes for Production of RAP Inclusive Pervious Concrete Pavement Mixes: A Sustainable Approach

International Journal of Pavement Research and Technology,

Sumit Nandi, G. D. Ransinchung R. N., & Surya Kant Sahdeo.

2023-01-01

The current study examines the strength and transport properties of reclaimed asphalt pavement (RAP) inclusive pervious concrete (PC) pavement mixes containing various industrial and agricultural wastes such as silica fume (SF), fly ash (FA), and bagasse ash (BGA). Apart from a conventional PC mix (containing natural aggregates) and a 100% RAP inclusive PC mix, seven different mixes were developed by mixing 100% RAP aggregates with SF (5 and 10%), FA (10 and 15%), and BGA (5, 10, and 15%) as partial replacements for ordinary Portland cement. The above-mentioned PC pavement mixes were investigated for density, porosity, permeability, compressive strength, modulus of rupture, and abrasion resistance. The interconnected pore structure of conventional PC and RAP-PC pavement mixes was investigated using 2D image analysis and X-Ray microcomputed tomography. Based on the laboratory results, it can be stated that the inclusion of RAP significantly improves the transport properties of PC pavement mixes with increased porosity and permeability values. This was primarily due to a more interconnected pore matrix and lesser isolated voids in the RAP-PC pavement mix. The addition of SF could only improve the strength parameters (compressive strength and modulus of rupture) of the RAP-PC pavement mix. In contrast, BGA inclusion was observed to improve its transport properties (porosity and permeability). Furthermore, the inclusion of SF, FA, and BGA in a 100% RAP-PC mix improved abrasion resistance. When compared to the conventional PC pavement mix, incorporating RAP aggregates blended with SF, FA, and BGA can reduce the production cost of 1 m3 PC by 30–61% and lower CO2 emissions by 13–21%. However, considering the strength and transport property requirements of PC mixes, as well as the economic and environmental viability, the present investigation recommends using 5% SF, 10% FA, and 10% BGA in a 100% RAP-PC pavement mix.