Use of Blast Furnace Dust in the Production of Asphalt Concrete for Pavements, Performance and Environmental Contribution

Abstract

This study analyzed the possible use of a residue from the steel industry, blast furnace dust, as aggregate in asphalt mixtures for pavements, as a possible solution to the problems of generation and accumulation of industrial waste in the production of steel, as well as the exploitation of non-renewable materials for infrastructure construction. In the production of steel, solid residues such as slag and blast furnace dust are generated, which become industrial waste. Another found issue in pavement construction is the exploitation and use of stone materials are necessary. Two test states were selected to achieve the established objective where blast furnace dust totally (100%) or partially (50%) replaced the conventional fine aggregate in an asphalt mixture at the laboratory. The applied methodology consisted of four stages: establishing the properties of the materials, determining the composition of the blast furnace dust, designing each of the mixtures using the Ramcodes methodology, and finally performing performance tests such as dynamic modulus and fatigue laws. The results show an acceptable behavior of the blast furnace dust and allow to define that the use of this residue is technically feasible in manufacturing asphalt mixtures for pavements.