Effect of the Densification of the Reinforced Asphalt Mixtures on the Permanent Deformation

This study aims to provide a better understanding for evaluating the resistance of the reinforced asphalt mixtures to permanent deformation. The resistance of asphalt mixtures to permanent deformation was assessed using dynamic creep test at a temperature of 40 °C. Four mixtures namely Mix1, Mix2, Mix3, and Mix 4 were evaluated, Mix1 corresponds to the control mixture that containing coarse steel slag aggregate while Mix2, Mix3, and Mix4 represent the reinforced mixtures with polyester fiber at the proportions of 0.05, 0.15, and 0.3%, respectively. The findings of this study showed that the elastic deformation occurred at the primary stage has a negative influence regarding the permanent deformation assessment. In addition, increasing the content of the polyester fiber has a positive relationship with the elastic stage; the higher the proportion of the fiber, the higher the deformation at the elastic stage, which have a negative effect on the evaluation of the mixtures resistance to permanent deformation, if the deformation occurred at the elastic stage is not excluded. On the other hand, the mixtures containing a high content of polyester fiber exhibited better resistance to the permanent deformation at the viscoelastic stage.