Microwave de-icing of asphalt pavement with steel fibers and magnetite as an additive aggregates : And its implications for the Finnish road infrastructure
Bhandari, Suraj; Othman, Ahmed (2021)
Bhandari, Suraj
Othman, Ahmed
2021
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Julkaisun pysyvä osoite on
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-2021061816308
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-2021061816308
Tiivistelmä
Over half a century, salt and gravel beside mechanical practice are used for de-icing the roads in winter. Consequently, using this traditional method for an extended period weakens the asphalt pavement, causing environmental and health effects with high costs. In order to tackle the de-icing problems with the traditional approach, a novel method is highlighted in this thesis with Microwave Heating (MH) of asphalt pavement. The new approach shows several feasible benefits, mainly environmental, and more so, economical. The findings of this thesis are based on a critical review of recent experimental studies on magnetite and steel fibers as additive aggregates in asphalt pavements. Compared with the other additive aggregates, steel fibers and magnetite showed a high microwave heating efficiency (MHE) due to high MH sensitivity. Furthermore, several aspects of these aggregates and their behavior were investigated with different compositions and under different environmental/laboratory conditions based on the thesis’s methodology. Finally, the key findings were grouped under several themes to unpack the research question and address the impact of the new approach. Hence, the principal practical implication from the findings of this thesis has been proposed as a framework and action plan for maintenance of the Finnish road infrastructure.