Applications of Synthetic, Natural, and Waste Fibers in Asphalt Mixtures: A Citation-Based Review

Polymers (Basel). 2023 Feb 17;15(4):1004. doi: 10.3390/polym15041004.

Abstract

The utilization of synthetic, natural, and waste fibers in asphalt mixtures is constantly increasing due to the capability of fibers to improve the mechanical performance of asphalt mixes. The combination of fibers in asphalt mixes contributes to ecological sustainability and cost benefits. The objective of this paper is to introduce a citation-based review on the incorporation of synthetic, natural, and waste fibers in bitumen, dense-graded asphalt mix, stone mastic asphalt, and porous asphalt mix. Additionally, this article aims to identify research gaps and provide recommendations for further work. The outputs of this article demonstrated that there has recently been a growing interest in the use of natural and waste fibers in asphalt mixtures. However, more future studies are needed to investigate the performance of fiber-modified stone mastic asphalt and porous asphalt mix in terms of resistance to aging and low-temperature cracking. Furthermore, the period of natural fibers' biodegradability in asphalt mixtures should be investigated.

Keywords: asphalt; biodegradability; dense asphalt mix; natural fibers; porous asphalt mix; stone mastic asphalt; synthetic fibers; waste fibers.

Publication types

  • Review

Grants and funding

This research received no external funding.