Improving the performance of filling mortar used in semi-rigid pavement with blast furnace slag and metakaolin

Jun 2023; 69 pages The pavement on roads deteriorates as traffic volumes rise. Semi-Rigid Pavements (SRP) are a type of superstructure that are particularly resistant to ruts due to the cement mortar they contain. SRP is highly suggested to be used in the construction and renovation of high traffic areas such as industrial lands, bus terminals, loading platforms, and other areas because of its jointless structure, high strength, tightness, high durability, and fuel resistance advantages. In this study with the addition of blast furnace slag (BFS) and metakaolin (MK) to the fluid cement mortar, the resistance of SRP to inclement weather and water was examined. Thus with the intention of lowering the road's operating costs and enhancing driving comfort. Using waste products like blast furnace slag, which is produced as a byproduct of the steel industry, is one way to achieve a sustainable road pavement. This laboratory based thesis includes testing with and without addetive mortars those are fluidity, sweating, compressive strength, bending strength, and shrinkage. The best-performing mortars were then poured into porous asphalt in sizable molds that simulated field conditions, and core samples were obtained. The core samples were subjected to performance tests that represented the performance of the composite mixture. The experimental thesis led to the conclusion that SRP(MK) boosted the coating's long-term endurance against Marshall stability, pressure, and moisture damage. On the other hand, it was found that SRP(BFS) had a high Marshall stability value, which made the SRP rigid according to yield value data and boosted the coating's resistance to moisture damage. Both additions improved SRP in terms of impact, freeze-thaw, and slide resistance as well.