Article
USE OF NON-CONVENTIONAL FILLERS ON ASPHALT CONCRETE MIXTURE
The incorporation of non-conventional fillers in asphalt concrete mixtures has become an emerging research trend aimed at improving pavement performance and promoting sustainable construction practices. Traditionally, fillers such as limestone dust, fly ash, and Portland cement have been widely used to fill voids, increase the density, and improve the binding of bitumen with aggregates in asphalt mixtures. However, the continuous extraction of conventional fillers, coupled with the rising demand for highway infrastructure, has created significant environmental and economic concerns. Consequently, attention has shifted toward utilizing alternative wastederived materials such as marble dust, granite slurry, ceramic waste powder, steel slag, brick dust, glass powder, quarry fines, and rice husk ash as non-conventional fillers in asphalt concrete. These materials, when finely ground and incorporated into mixtures, have demonstrated the potential to improve Marshall stability, moisture susceptibility, rutting resistance, fatigue life, and overall structural durability of pavements. Additionally, their use contributes to waste minimization and the circular economy by recycling large volumes of industrial and agricultural by-products that would otherwise pose disposal challenges. Studies highlight that non-conventional fillers can also improve cost-effectiveness in road projects by reducing reliance on natural resources while achieving comparable or superior performance to traditional fillers. This paper reviews the potential of using non-conventional fillers in asphalt concrete mixtures, focusing on their mechanical, environmental, and economic benefits, with the aim of establishing their viability in modern pavement engineering.
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