Polypropylene fiber-reinforced bitumen

Abstract

This chapter discusses the physical and mechanical behaviour of polypropylene fiber-reinforced modified asphalt mixtures. The chapter first reviews a general introduction to polypropylene modification of asphalt concrete. Then dry basis modification with polypropylene fibers and fatigue life improvement of asphalt concrete are discussed. Wet basis modification of asphalt with polypropylene fibers and repeated creep behaviour of bituminous concrete are introduced next. The utilisation of artificial neural networks for the prediction of Marshall test results of polypropylene modified dense bituminous mixtures is also investigated. Then a novel approach utilising closed-form solutions and parametric studies to predict the strain accumulation of polypropylene-modified Marshall specimens in repeated creep tests is proposed. Determination of optimal polypropylene fiber modification of asphalt concrete and the relevant mechanical and optical tests to fulfil this aim are also utilised. Finally, conclusions and a short commentary on likely future trends are introduced.