Evaluation of effect of volume and length of jute on mechanical properties of asphalt cement and asphalt concrete

Jute is grown extensively in south Asia. It serves as a critical source of income for poor farmers in the region. It is however still under utilized and a lot is wasted. Since jute fibers have a strong tensile strength, they may have a potential to arrest and reduce crack growth. Since asphalt binder in asphalt concrete is the weakest component, the properties of jute and its effect on cracking performance of asphalt binder needs to be evaluated. However, as the jute is increased to replace the binder, beyond a certain point insufficient binder may cause poor cohesion between the two materials. The purpose of this study is to evaluate its potential as a reinforcing material in asphalt concrete. In this study, fiber strength, fiber density, absorption rates, and jute-binder bond strength were determined. Subsequently, beams of asphalt binder were made from varying concentrations and lengths of jute, and its flexural strength and flexural stiffness were measured at -10°C, 0°C and 10°C. Asphalt concrete specimens were also tested in indirect tensile mode with a predetermined amount of jute at 10°C. The effect of jute on the mechanical properties of asphalt binder and asphalt concrete were evaluated. The results presented in the paper provide the properties of jute and its influence on cracking resistance of asphalt binder and asphalt concrete.