Optimal percentage of asphalt cement in MDC-19 for flexible pavements in the city of San José de Cúcuta, Colombia

Abstract

Samples were taken of the stone material used for the design of asphalt mixtures, extracted from the 3 water sources present in the city of San José de Cúcuta, Colombia, the Táchira, Zulia and Pamplonita rivers. The aggregates samples were analyzed under the regulations of the Instituto Nacional de Vías in its update of 2013 that applies to Colombia. Asphalt cement was used from the manufacturing plant and industrial processes located in the city of Barrancabermeja, Colombia. Five dense hot mixes-19 were designed for flexible pavement with different % of asphalt cement, 4.5%, 5.0%, 5.5%, 6.0%, and 6.5% percentages suggested by article 450-13 of the "Instituto Nacional de Vías". With each one of the percentages 3 briquettes were elaborated, taking as guide the established in the norm of tests of the "Instituto Nacional de Vías". The resistance to plastic deformation of asphalt mixtures designed in the laboratories of the Universidad Francisco de Paula Santander in the city of San José de Cucuta, Colombia and the company Maqinteligente S.A.S. was determined. The results obtained in each of the tests were tabulated and compared, determining the behavior of the stone aggregates together with the optimum percentage of asphalt cement and its working temperature in each of the mixtures designed. It was concluded that the 3 water sources provide quality material for the design of asphalt mixtures. These results were used to provide information of interest to road construction contractors, whose budgets will be favored by identifying the quality material to be incorporated into their projects, a situation that favors the final result and the delivery of the work to the satisfaction of the beneficiary community, who will see a substantial reduction in the cost of fossil fuels by reducing travel times to their destinations, this being the most notorious environmental characteristic of the research.