Reinforcement of asphalt concrete mixture using recycle polyethylene terephthalate fibre

Background and Aim: Asphalt concrete pavement otherwise known as flexible pavement is the dominant roadway formation around the globe. Due to high traffic loadings as a result of increase in economic and social activities, asphalt concrete pavement is experiencing distresses such as rutting deformation and fatigue cracking which in turn undermines the strength of the pavement. Several researches have been conducted using synthetic, natural and recycle fibres as reinforcements in asphalt concrete for performance improvement against these distresses. Most of these fibres are either too expensive or not available in developing countries, therefore there is a need for low cost fibres. The aim of this study is to determine the reinforcing effect of a cheap recycle polyethylene terephthalate (PET) fibre on asphalt concrete strength. Methods: The aim of this study was achieved by performing resilient modulus (MR) test in the laboratory on both unreinforced (i.e. neat asphalt mixture) and recycle PET fibre reinforced asphalt concrete mixtures. The percentage additions of recycle PET fibres are 0.3%, 0.5%, 0.7% and 1% of the total weight of the mixture. The result was analyzed by means of response surface methodology (RSM) using Design Expert 7.0 software and validated using analysis of variance (ANOVA). Findings: The results indicated that recycle PET fibres have significantly increased the mixtures’ resilient modulus in lower temperature hence improved fatigue resistance, and moderately increased mixtures’ resilient modulus at higher temperature hence improved rutting resistance. Novelty/Improvement: This research has introduced a sustainable means of producing Recycle fibres for the reinforcement of asphalt concrete mixtures. Recycle PET fibre have proved to be effective in strength improvement at 0.7% of total weight of asphalt concrete mixture