Laboratory investigation on the properties of asphalt concrete mixture with Rice Husk Ash as filler

•New hot asphalt concrete mixtures is generated using Rice Husk Ash instead of conventional mineral filler.•A substantial improvement in mechanical properties has been revealed for the new asphalt mixtures.•In terms of water sensitivity results, the new asphalt mixtures are less sensitive to the moisture damage. Incorporating of waste and/or by-product materials in construction industry such as production of hot asphalt concrete mixtures provide valuable advantages in terms of environmental and economic points of view. Accordingly, in this laboratory study, it was investigated to use Rice Husk Ash (RHA) instead of conventional mineral filler in hot asphalt mixtures. The mechanical properties were assessed by conducting Marshall Stability and Indirect Tensile Strength tests. While moisture damage and long term aging were inspected by determining Index of Retained Strength (IRS) and Mean Marshall Stability Ratio (MMSR), respectively. The experimental results have shown a significant improvement in the mechanical properties and a substantial upgrading in durability of the produced mixtures i.e. asphalt concrete mixtures with RHA as a mineral filler (RHAAC) in comparison with the control mixtures which were prepared with OPC as a mineral filler (OPCAC). As a result of this study, RHA can be incorporated instead of conventional mineral filler in asphalt concrete mixtures particularly in areas where there is extensive RHA waste.