Experimental evaluation of dense asphalt concrete properties for induction heating purposes

Induction heating of asphalt concrete is a technique that has been recently developed to increase the self-healing rates of asphalt concrete. It consists in adding electrically conductive fibers to the asphalt mixture and heating them with an induction heating device. In this way, the temperature of asphalt concrete can be indirectly increased. But still, the factors that affect the increase of temperature are not well-known. With the purpose of finding them, 25 different mixtures, with the same aggregates distribution and amount of bitumen, but with two different lengths, four different quantities, and four different diameters of steel wool fibers have been considered. The influence of fibers on the air void content, electrical and thermal conductivity of dense asphalt concrete has been studied. Furthermore, the effect of these properties on the maximum temperature reached after a fixed time induction heating is analysed. It was found that steel wool fibers increase slightly the electrical and thermal conductivities of dense asphalt concrete. Additionally, in the case of the thermal conductivity, an increase on the volume of steel wool fibers serves to compensate the loss in the thermal conductivity that happens when the air void content is increased. Finally, it has been observed that the temperature reached due to the induction heating increases with the number of fibers in the mixture and with their diameter. As a recommendation, it is indicated that, for induction heating purposes, short fibers, with big diameters should be used.