Influence of Glass Powder as a Filler on the Mechanical Characteristics of Bituminous Concrete Semi-grenu 0/14 Based on Alluvial Sands

Abstract

Alluvial sands found in abundance in the regions of southern Algeria are not sufficiently exploited because of their siliceous mineralogical nature and their relatively tight granular fraction devoid of fines. Glass powder, derived from waste glass bottles and other elements, is an ecological alternative material that can remedy the lack of fines in addition to its physico-chemical aspects. This article deals with the study of a road bituminous concrete consisting of local alluvial sand in substitution for gravel 0/3 and in which the lack of fines is filled by glass powder of granularity less than 80μ at variable grades. The aim is to evaluate the influence of the added powder on the mechanical characteristics of the asphalt.   To achieve this, five bituminous mixtures according to different percentages of glass powder: 1, 3, 5, 7 and 9% were made and studied mechanically by means of Marshall and Duriez tests in addition to the module test at the NAT, their results are discussed and compared to conventional concrete. The results obtained showed that the optimal 3% glass powder content improves the stabilities by about 15% and the flow by 10%, while the modulus remains substantially unchanged.