Use of Bofeo Powder Waste for Road Conservation in Cuba
摘要
Reusing industrial waste, such as crumb rubber from end-of-life tires, in technically and economically viable solutions is essential as society moves towards a circular economy model. In this model, waste becomes raw material for a new process. This study allows for the re-evaluation, through experimentation, of bofeo powder, a by-product of tire recapping, for use in road maintenance in Cuba. The addition of bofeo powder used as a substitute for the fine fraction in the asphalt mix dosage. Three percentages of residual bofeo powder are added using the dry method (0.5, 1.0, and 1.5%), and three digestion times (0, 30, and 60 min) are evaluated for each addition. The mixes are designed based on the Marshall methodology and their performance is evaluated, by measuring water sensitivity and resistance to plastic deformation through rolling testing. The results show a significant improvement in the properties of mixes with rubber compared to the conventional mix (without addition), with a slight increase in the required optimal asphalt content. The optimal bofeo powder addition to be considered, is 0.5%, with a digestion time of 60 min. However, the results of this experimentation support the use of bofeo powder percentages up to 1.5%.