Design of Hot Marshall Asphalt Concrete Mixes by Using Cinder Aggregates for Construction of Sealed Layer of Low Volume Roads in Mbeya Tanzania
Keywords:
Low volume roads, cinder aggregates, blended process, characterization, asphalt concrete, stability, flow, density, mix design, HMA, volumetric analysisAbstract
The availability of high quality aggregates for production of hot Marshall Asphalt (HMA) mixes for construction of sealed surfacing layer that meet specified standards are becoming scarce. The use of locally available marginal materials shows challenges of not meeting engineering properties for construction of surfacing layers of Low Volume Roads (LVRs). This study investigated stability, flow and volumetric properties of the blended marginal natural cinder aggregates and sand to produce HMA mixes for construction of sealed surfacing layers of low volume roads and 60/70 asphalt was used as binder to aggregates. The 60/70 asphalt binder was sourced from local supplier in Dar es Salaam, natural cinder was sourced from Ituha area and sand materials were sourced from Mbalizi area in Mbeya Region. Physical properties of 60/70 asphalt materials, physical and mechanical properties of natural cinder aggregates and sand were determined under laboratory condition.
The tests performed for 60/70 asphalt binder includes; ductility, penetration, flash point, viscosity and softening point. The test results from characterization of 60/70 asphalt binder indicated that all properties met the requirement to be used for HMA mixes for construction of sealed surfacing layer of low volume roads. The mechanical properties tests performed for natural cinder aggregates and sand includes TFV and ACV. The test results indicated that only sand satisfied requirement for TFV. Blending process of natural cinder aggregates and sand was conducted in order to meet gradation specification of AC20. The results of TFV and ACV for blended aggregates satisfied requirements for HMA mixes for construction of sealed surfacing layers of low volume roads in Mbeya Region Tanzania.
The results of volumetric properties, flow and stability test conducted for HMA mixes are 9.2% optimum asphalt content, 5.5% air voids, 21.6% VMA, 13kN stability and 3 mm flow. It is indicating that optimum asphalt content, void properties, stability and flow met the requirement as HMA materials for the construction of surfacing layers of LVRs in Mbeya Region Tanzania, although the optimum asphalt content is at higher side due to high porosity of cinder aggregate materials. From the results of this study, it is recommended that cinder aggregate materials should be blended with high quality aggregates in order to increase mechanical properties of cinder blended aggregates for hot mix asphalt concretes. It is also recommended that filler materials to be used in order to reduce porosity of cinder aggregate materials which will reduce amount of asphalt contents for HMA mixes.
References
D. Hamisi Chengula and J. Kilango Mnkeni, “Improving Properties of Cinder Blended Materials for Construction of Low Volume Roads in Mbeya Region Tanzania,” American Journal of Construction and Building Materials, vol. 5, no. 1, p. 22, 2021, doi: https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ajcbm.20210501.14.
D. A. Mfinanga and L. A. Mwakyami, “Improving the Design of Low Volume Sealed Roads in Tanzania,” Tanzania Journal of Engineering and Technology, vol. 31, no. 2, pp. 21–30, 2019, Accessed: Jan. 19, 2025. [Online]. Available: https://www.ajol.info/index.php/tjet/article/view/236727
The United Republic ofTanzania, Ministry of Works, Transport and Communication. MoWTC , Low Volume Roads Design Manual, 1st ed. Dar es Salaam. Tanzania: Goldprints, 2016.
M. Mkonda and X. He, “Yields of the Major Food Crops: Implications to Food Security and Policy in Tanzania’s Semi-Arid Agro-Ecological Zone,” Sustainability, vol. 9, no. 8, p. 1490, Aug. 2017, doi: https://doi.org/10.3390/su9081490.
K. Fontijn, D. Williamson, E. Mbede, and G. G. J. Ernst, “The Rungwe Volcanic Province, Tanzania – A volcanological review,” Journal of African Earth Sciences, vol. 63, no. 1, pp. 12–31, Feb. 2012, doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jafrearsci.2011.11.005.
F. Wagaw Maniyazawal, “Replacing Cinder Gravel as Alternative Base Course Material,” American Journal of Construction and Building Materials, vol. 4, no. 1, p. 14, 2020, doi: https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ajcbm.20200401.13.
G. C. Subash , M. Sora, R. Sushmitha , K. B. Suresh , and B. Gowtham , “Certified Organization) Website: www,” International Journal of Innovative Research in Science, Engineering and Technology (An ISO, vol. 3297, no. 6, 2017, doi: https://doi.org/10.15680/IJIRSET.2017.0606190.
A. L. Mrema and H. Mboya, “Feasibility of lightweight aggregate concrete for structural and non-structural works in Tanzania,” CRC Press eBooks, pp. 1769–1774, Aug. 2013, doi: https://doi.org/10.1201/b15963-318.
F. Albino and J. Biggs, “Magmatic Processes in the East African Rift System: Insights From a 2015–2020 Sentinel?1 InSAR Survey,” Geochemistry, Geophysics, Geosystems, vol. 22, no. 3, Mar. 2021, doi: https://doi.org/10.1029/2020gc009488.
The United Republic of Tanzania, Ministry of Works (MoW 2000b), Standard Specification for Road Works. Tanzania: SSRW TZ, 2000.
G. Berhanu, “Stabilizing cinder gravels for heavily trafficked base course,” Zede Journal, vol. 26, pp. 23–29, 2015, Accessed: Feb. 22, 2025. [Online]. Available: https://www.ajol.info/index.php/zj/article/view/120805
H. Zerai, “The Potential Use of Cinder Gravel as a Base Course Material When Stabilized by Volcanic Ash and Lime (The Case of Metehara Area),” Aau.edu.et, Oct. 2015. https://etd.aau.edu.et/items/5f0f15b7-f580-49c7-8be1-607172de50ce (accessed Jan. 03, 2025).
G. J. Hearn, A. Otto, and P. A. K. Greening, “Investigation of the Use of Cinder Gravels in Pavement Layers for Low-Volume Roads, Final Project Report,” Final Project Report, TRL Ltd, 2018.
R. Newill, K. Robinson, and K. Akfilu, “Experimental Use of Cinder Gravels on Roads in Ethiopia ,” 9th Regional Conference for Africa on Soil Mechanics & Foundation Engineering, Lagos, Nigeria, 1987. Accessed: Nov. 23, 2024. [Online]. Available: https://transport-links.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/experimental-use-of-cinder-gravels-on-roads-in-ethiopia-ninth-regional-conference-for-africa-lagos-akinmusuru-j-o-et-al-eds-soil-mechanics-and-foundation.pdf
T. Teshome, “The Use of Natural Pozzolana (Volcanic Ash) to Stabilize Cinder Gravel for a Road Base (Along Modjo - Ziway Route),” Aau.edu.et, Nov. 2015. https://etd.aau.edu.et/items/40e5a3fa-ad3b-4453-bf45-f00193826d45 (accessed Dec. 23, 2024).
Transportation Research Laboratory, TRL, “Overseas Road Note 31, A Guide to the Structural Design of bitumen-surfaced Roads in Tropical and Sub- Tropical Countries,” Transport Research Laboratory, Crowthorne Berkshire, United Kingdom, 1993. Accessed: Jan. 10, 2025. [Online]. Available: https://www.trl.co.uk/uploads/trl/documents/ORN31.pdf
Ethiopian Roads Authority, ERA, Manual for Low Volume Roads. Addis Ababa, Ethiopia: ERA, 2017.
Ethiopian Roads Authority, “Guideline for the Use of Cinder Gravels in Pavement Layers for Low Volume Roads,” Transport Research Laboratory , Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, 2018.
O. D. Afolayan and O. A. Abidoye, “Causes of Failure on Nigerian Roads: A Review,” Journal of Advancement in Engineering and Technology, vol. 5, no. 4, 2017.
The United Republic of Tanzania, Ministry of Works (MoW 2000a), Laboratory Testing Manual. Dar es Salaam, Tanzania: Central Material Laboratory, 2000.
Ministry of Transport and Public Works, “Republic of Malawi Ministry of Transport and Public Works Low Volume Roads Manual Volume 1 Pavement Design,” Tshwane University of Technology, Pretoria, South Africa, 2020. Accessed: Dec. 23, 2024. [Online]. Available: https://www.research4cap.org/wp-content/uploads/ral/RoadsAuthorityMalawi-2020-LowVolumeRoadsManual-Volume1-200820-compressed.pdf
J. G. Speight, Asphalt materials science and technology, 1st ed. Oxford: Butterworth-Heinemann, 2016.
Whitehelmet, “Aggregate Impact Test Procedure for Determining AIV as per IS 2386 Part-4,” www.constructioncivil.com, Jan. 15, 2021. https://www.constructioncivil.com/aggregate-impact-test-procedure/ (accessed Feb. 10, 2025).
The United Republic of Tanzania, Ministry of Works (MoW), Pavement and Materials Design Manual. Dar es Salaam, Tanzania: Ministry of Works, 1999.
D. H. Chengula, “The Use of Blended Cinder Aggregates for Concrete Mixes,” International Journal of Sciences: Basic and Applied Research (IJSBAR) , vol. 61, no. 1, pp. 44–61, Jan. 2022.
B. Baskette, T. Renfro, K. Isenberg, and L. Skaggs, Hot Mix Asphalt Mix Design Certification, 24th ed. Tennessee: TDOT, Department of Transportation, Division of Materials and Tests, 2024.
F. L. Roberts, P. S. Kandhal, E. R. Brown, D.-Y. . Lee, and T. W. Kennedy, “Hot Mix Asphalt Materials, Mixture Design and Construction. Second Edition,” trid.trb.org, 1996, Available: https://trid.trb.org/view/473852
American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials, AASHTO, Standard Specification for Transportation Materials and Method of Sampling and Testing, Part 1 Specifications, 20th ed. Washington D. C: American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials., 2000.
ASTM International, Test Method for Marshall Stability and Flow of Asphalt mixtures’, Annual Book of ASTM Standards, 4th ed., vol. 3. ASTM Standard, 2022.
D. H. Chengula, “Effective Utilization of Reclaimed Asphalt Concrete for Road Works (Dissertation),” Dissertation, LAP Lambert Academic Publishing, 2018.
Asphalt Institute, Superpave Mix Design (MS-2), Asphalt Mix Design Methods, 7th ed., vol. 2. USA: Library of Congress, 2014.
American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO), M323-20, Standard Specification for Super Pave Volumetric Mix Design. Washington DC: AASHTO, 2020.
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2025 International Journal of Sciences: Basic and Applied Research (IJSBAR)
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.
Authors who submit papers with this journal agree to the following terms.
