Effect of Agro Waste and Industrial-based Geopolymer on the Physical and Rheological Properties of Asphalt Binders

Abstract

Geopolymers are emerging as promising sustainable additives in asphalt technology due to their excellent durability, mechanical strength, and resistance to high temperatures, and chemical degradation. This study investigates the effects of utilizing dual precursors and dual alkali solution on the physical and rheological properties of asphalt binder. The dual precursors, which included rice husk ash (RHA) and quarry dust (QD), were mixed with the dual alkali solution namely sodium hydroxide (NaOH) and sodium silicate, to produce the geopolymer used in modifying the asphalt binder. A series of laboratory tests were conducted to investigate the properties of 80/100 asphalt binder modified with varying proportions (3%, 5%, 7%, and 9%) of the RHA and QD based geopolymer. The physical properties including ductility, softening point, penetration, viscosity, and elastic recovery were systematically evaluated. Furthermore, rheological tests were performed to assess the rutting resistance of the geopolymer-modified binders. The results demonstrated that the incorporation of RHA and QD based geopolymer significantly enhanced both the physical and rheological performance of the asphalt binder compared to the unmodified binder. In conclusion, the use of RHA and QD based geopolymer as a binder modifier shows promising potential for improving asphalt binder properties and enhancing its suitability for pavement applications