Location: Sugarcane Research
Project Number: 6052-13210-003-008-S
Project Type: Non-Assistance Cooperative Agreement
Start Date: Jun 1, 2023
End Date: May 31, 2028
Objective:
Objective of the proposed research is to test the feasibility of using sugarcane bagasse and boiler ash, waste products of sugar milling, as an additive for hot mixed asphalt mixtures. The bagasse will serve as a binder to improve the tensile strength of asphalt and prevent cracking that is usually a problem with road failure, and the ash replaces a small amount of the hot asphalt in the mixture reducing costs of road surfaces.
Approach:
Cooperator will engage in an extensive set of analyses designed to test the feasibility of bagasse in hot mixed asphalt. The analyses will test mixtures using standard protocols including dynamic modulus, four-point bending beam fatigue, and double wheel tracker tests. The hot mix asphalt (HMA) mixtures will also be tested for penetration pressure. Data are used to develop a mechanistic model to simulate the performance of the sugarcane bagasse mixture over time, and conduct simulations to analyze the long-term rutting and fatigue resistance of the mixtures.
