Abstract

Bitumen penetration grade 80/100 was modified with Oil Palm Fruit Ash (OPFASH) to improve its resistance to the change of pavement temperature and its physical properties. OPFASH is a waste by product of palm oil mill, the ash of burning mesocarp of palm oil fruitlets. OPFASH with uniform grain size less than 0.075 mm was added to the bitumen 2.5, 5, 7.5, and 10% by weight of bitumen. The mixtures of OPFASH and bitumen or OPFASH-modified bitumen (OMB) as well as original bitumen then were aged using rolling thin film oven (RTFO) and pressure aging vessel (PAV) prior to rheological testing using dynamic shear rheometer (DSR), bending beam rheometer (BBR), and direct tension tester (DTT). The results show that OMB content 5% OPFASH can resist permanent deformation or rutting at high temperature 70°C, fatigue cracking at intermediate temperature 20°C, and thermal cracking at low temperature -15°C.

Keywords: OPFASH, waste material, bitumen, modifier