Development of electrically conductive asphalt mixtures through incorporation of industrial by-products

The study focuses on the development of electrically conductive asphalt mixtures (ECA) using industrial byproducts such as recycled carbon fibers (CF), graphite powder (GP), and steel slag (SS) - all of which possess electrical conductivity, rendering them conductive additives. Percolation theory was applied to determine precise quantities of these additives, along with the appropriate modification of the granular skeleton to incorporate them without altering the bitumen content. The goal was to develop conductive materials which achieve volumetric properties comparable to conventional asphalt mixes and ensure adequate mechanical properties. The research evaluates the impact of the conductive additives on electrical resistivity, mechanical, and heat generation properties of the asphalt mixtures. In this study, ECA was successfully developed, achieving electrical resistivity values of 0.016 S2m for electrically conductive asphalt mastics (ECAM) (4.4% CF by volume of bitumen) and 2.51 S2m (5.0% CF and 4.9% GP by volume of bitumen) for electrically conductive asphalt concretes (ECAC). Furthermore, a clear correlation was identified between the mixture components, the type of applied current, the heat generated in the ECA, and the electrical resistivity of the samples, as well as the impact of the conductive additives on the mechanical properties.