Evaluation of the performance of asphalt mixtures by using nanosilica.

In recent years, there has been a growing interest in the use of nanomaterials, namely nanosilica, in the context of highway pavement materials. The objective of this research is to investigate the efficacy of nanosilica (NS) as a modifier for asphalt mixes. Using (2, 4, and 6%) percentages of NS by weight of bitumen, an asphalt binder with a penetration grade of 60/70 was used, and its penetration, softening point, rotational viscosity, and ductility values were all tested. The nanoparticles were incorporated into to the asphalt using a shear blender set at 2000 rpm and 160°C mixing temperature for 60 minutes. Also, additional laboratory studies were conducted before and after the modification to characterize the performance properties of the asphalt mixtures, such as the Marshall test, which was conducted on the modified mixture to assess the impact on the stability and flow, and indirect tensile strength tests (ITS) to compare and assess performance characteristics. The laboratory testing produced the results that insert 4% NS to the HMA improved the stability by 81.63%, reduced the flow by 8.3%, and increased the ITS by 88.9%. This means that the use of NS in mixtures enhances their characteristics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]