Utilization of bamboo fiber in improving the properties of stone matrix asphalt mixes. Stone matrix asphalt provides long-term deformation resistance and durability. Bamboo fiber was used as a stabilizer due to its low cost and natural availability. Stone matrix asphalt samples were prepared with and without bamboo fiber at varying bitumen contents. The optimum bitumen content was found to be 5% for mixes using stone aggregate and bamboo fiber, which showed better stability compared to mixes without fiber. The use of bamboo fiber as a stabilizer improved the properties of the stone matrix asphalt mixes.

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INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENGINEERING SCIENCES & RESEARCH
TECHNOLOGY
UTILIZATION OF BAMBOO FIBER IN IMPROVING THE PROPERTIES OF STONE
MATRIX ASPHALT MIXES
Piyush Prakash1
, Rajat Palya2
M.Tech Research Scholar, Ass. Professor. & Head of Civil Engineering Department.
R.K.D.F. University Bhopal (M.P.)
DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.1049416
ABSTRACT
Stone matrix asphalt has been very first used in 1960 in Germany which now principally helps in providing a long term
deformation resistance and durability to surfacing materials, comprehensive service life, enhanced ageing, and high
resistance in cracking, fatigue, wear, better skid resistance and like in dipping noise. Stone matrix asphalt is a gap
graded combination of aggregates which helps by maximising the asphalt-cement content and fractions of coarse
aggregate. It is a steady, rut-resistant mix and tough which relies on aggregate-aggregate contact for providing strength.
Beside with rich mortar binder it offers improved durability. The SMA (Stone matrix asphalt) sample is prepared by
mixing coarse aggregate, fine aggregate , filler as per the gradation chart given by the standard code when using with or
without stabilizer.
A fiber which is available freely in nature, and is less cost effective comparing to other non- conventional fibers is
small cane fiber, it has been used as stabilizer in the present work. Small cane fiber is a cellulose fiber extracted from
naturally obtainable Bamboo stem. It has high strength in fibre direction, greater tensile, flexural and impact strength.
An effort has been made to determine the appropriateness of small cane fiber in improving the consistancy and flow
value in the mixture of Stone Matrix Asphalt Mixes.
In the present work SMA mixes using stone as coarse aggregate, slag in limited replacement of coarse
aggregate and used different stabilizers to compare the results at a varying bitumen content of 3,4,5,6 and 7% bitumen.
The stabilizers were used at an optimum of 0.3% of the weight of sample.
KEYWORDS: fiber, asphalt, filler, bitumen.
INTRODUCTION:
Flexible Pavement Designing is always preferred over all other rigid pavements. It is due to
durability, the better load carrying capacity, greater strength to perform well during heavy loads,
resistance to tear and wear. These properties are achieved due to its surface bituminous pavement.
It is the surface coating over the Stone Matrix Asphalt which provides strength by stone to stone
contact. And these properties of the SMA is determined initially in the laboratory tests so as to
deliver maximum stability, well flow value using optimum binder content. Here we use two
different types of coarse aggregate which are stone aggregate and slag aggregate. Keeping the stone
aggregate as fine aggregate bitumen grade of 60-70 has used throughout the study as binder. Two
types of stabilizer is used, one is naturally available bamboo fiber whose results has been compared
with SMA results without fiber for both the coarse aggregate and with the Topical Cellulose as
stabilizer in stone as coarse aggregate.

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OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY ARE:
I. To obtain the Optimum Binder Content (OBC) for every SMA mix taking several readings
with different percentage of Bitumen content.
II. To find out the stability, flow value, VA and VMA of SMA mix using cane fiber using
stone aggregate and slag aggregate as coarse aggregate.
Research done in past:
Stone Matrix Asphalt was first developed by ZICHNER, 1960 STRAUBAG-BAU, AG central
laboratory, Germany. It is extended to Europe, US in very less time period due to its properties
likedurability, rutting resistance,skid resistance,elongated service life, more resistance to fatigue,
cracking and wear.
ZAFAR, 2005 a material specialist from NESPAK saw into possible application of penetration
grade asphalt binder in SMA for large traffic roads and highways, studying many pavement
failures.
DAS, 2002has found that Bamboo fiber has good durability,stability and he also found this fiber
has thinness degree of fiber which can be used as stabilizer in SMA Mix. Based on the test result
providing on the data sheet after testing Topcel Cellulose,this has been inferred in binding of SMA
as high resistance base course.
Materials used:
Materials taken for the SMA mix for the sample and for experiments and to compare the project
work are filler stabilizer, coarse aggregate and fine aggregate, Coarse aggregate are taken are Stone
aggregate and Slag aggregate obtained from steel slag. Stone dust is taken as fine aggregate.
Stabilizers taken are Bamboo fiber. The Bitumen of grade 60-70 is taken as binder as it is most
favorable in Indian environment. Properties of the ingredients used are given below:
Test description Coarse aggregates Fine aggregates Standard values
Combined flakines 29 - < 31
&
elongation index (in
percentage)
Specific gravity 2.75 2.65 2.60-2.95
Los Angeles abrasion 28 - < 31
Value (in percentage)

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Impact value (in
percentage) 21.5 - < 20
Aggregate Crushing 28 - <31
value
(in percentage)
Angularity number 09 - 0-10
Material Selection
In SMA mix, Bitumen is highly desired by the engineers compare to other binders, because of its
properties like Water proof, Durability, Resistant to strong acid and Good cementing properties.
For the stabilizing material Cane fibre whose suitability is to be determined in the terms of stability
and flow value. Cane fiber is used because of properties like strong durability, good stability,
degree of fineness, Tenacity and easy availability and economical compare to other natural fibers.
Fig:1 cane fiber selected in study
PREPARATION OF SAMPLE
The Methods followed during the preparation of SMA sample and all the other
practice followed before taking it to the Marshall testing Machine to test for
Stability and flow values are-

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1. Sampling of coarse aggregates and fine aggregates is done for 13mm
STONE MATRIX ASPHALT composition as specified by IRC:SP-79.
2. The aggregates are graded according to IRC:SP-79 then dried and about
1200 gm is weighed to obtain height of 63.5 + 1.3 mm when compacted in
the mould.
3. The aggregate is heated in the oven to a temperature of 150-160 °C
temperature for 1 hour.
4. Thenecessaryquantity of bitumen is weighted and heated separately
to temperature of 170-190 °C.
5. Then aggregate contained is taken out and heated in a mixing bowl. The
binder is then poured in it and manual mixing is done to obtain properly
coated aggregate. The mixing temperature should be within the limit for
the binder temperature.
6. A washed mould of 101.6 mm diameter and 76.2 mm height is taken with
base plate and an extension collar.
7. A piece of filter paper is fixed in the bottom of the mould then the whole
mix is poured into mould.
8. The whole assembly of mould is then placed on the compaction pedestal
and hammered 75 blows for no fibre and 50 blows for fiber with the help of
2500 g compacting hammer having falling height of 80 mm. The same
treatment is given on the reversed side of the specimen by reversing the
mould
9. The specimen is then transferred from the mould to a smooth flat surface
and allowed to cool to room temperature for 24 hours.
10. Then the specimen is measured and weighed in air and then after paraffin
wax coating weighed in water. After marking the specimen is stored for
stability and flow measurements.
11. Before performing the test on Marshall testing machine, each sample is
kept in hot water bath for 30 min at temperature of 600C.
Results:
Using stone aggregate with Bamboo fiber

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Table-2 experimental investigation
Sample
No.
Bitume
n
Conten
t
Bulk
volum
e
Sampl
e Gmb
Volum
e
(mm3) ps Gmm VA (%) GSB
VMA
(%)
Stabilit
y (KN0
B -1-1 3% 483.00 2.47 483.00 2.41 2.99 17.58 3.17 20.20 5.84
B -1-2 3% 481.78 2.46 481.78 2.41 2.99 17.79 3.17 22.08 6.055
B -1-3 3% 485.89 2.45 485.89 2.39 2.99 18.28 3.17 22.51 6.01
B -2-1 4% 488.78 2.47 488.78 2.33 2.95 16.16 3.20 19.62 8.409
B -2-2 4% 483.89 2.47 483.89 2.36 2.95 16.29 3.20 17.94 8.437
B -2-3 4% 488.89 2.46 488.89 2.33 2.95 15.60 3.20 18.51 8.11
B-3-1 5% 441.22 2.69 441.22 2.58 2.95 8.17 3.20 19.36 8.26
B-3-2 5% 444.11 2.68 444.11 2.57 2.95 12.63 3.20 19.75 7.99
B-3-3 5% 450.89 2.66 450.89 2.53 2.95 10.83 3.20 20.09 9.01
B-4-1 6% 447.11 2.69 447.11 2.52 2.93 8.81 3.24 25.17 8.58
B-4-2 6% 474.22 2.56 474.22 2.38 2.93 9.25 3.24 23.36 7.22
B-4-3 6% 463.11 2.61 463.11 2.44 2.93 9.64 3.24 25.80 7.85
B-5-1 7% 443.00 2.69 443.00 2.52 2.87 6.17 3.21 25.86 7.378
B-5-2 7% 431.78 2.75 431.78 2.58 2.87 4.21 3.21 25.97 6.52
B-5-3 7% 435.89 2.73 435.89 2.56 2.87 4.88 3.21 26.30 6.94
CONCLUSION:
The SMA Mix using Cane fiber has given reasonably predictable results, which can be use in the
practical field. SMA mixes formed without adding stabilizers have shown results which are far

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poorer to the results obtained after mixing those similar ingredients with any stabilizer.
1. The Optimum Binder content for the SMA samples for all the cases except where the stone
is used as coarse aggregate with the cane fiber is found to be 5%.
2. The use of cane fibre is appropriate in attaining better stability, SMA mix without using
Fibre.
REFERENCES:
1. Brown E.R. (1992), “Experience with Stone Matrix Asphalt in the United States”, NCAT
Publication, Auburn University, Alabama.
2. Jones David R. ,Kennedy Thomas W (1994) , THE ASPHALT MODEL: TheResults of
SHRP Asphalt Research Program, A-001 Contract SHRP, Transportation Research Center,
University of Texas, Austin, USA.
3. National Asphalt Pavement Association(1994), Guidelines for materials,productions, and
placement of SMA, Technical Working Group, Publication No. IS118.
4. Brown E.R., Haddock J.E. and Crawford C. (1996), “Investigation of Stone Matrix
Asphalt Mortars”, TRR 1530, National Research Council, TRB, USA, pp 95 –
102.
5. Pawan Kumar, P. K. Sikdar, Sunil Bose & Satish Chandra (2004), Use of JuteFibre in
SMA for Road Materials and for Pavement Design, vol.5(2), pp. 239-249.