PALM KERNEL SHELL AS PARTIAL REPLACEMENT FOR FINE AGGREGATE IN ASPHALT

The Nigerian government has been clamouring for the use of local agro-based wastes in the construction industry so as to reduce cost of construction. Asphalt concrete (commonly called asphalt, blacktop, or pavement in North America, and tarmac or bitumen macadam in Great Britain and Ireland) is a composite material commonly used to surface roads, parking lots, and airports. One of the materials (quarry dust) used in conventional asphalt was replaced with crushed palm kernel shell in varying percentages; 0, 50, & 100%. Laboratory tests were carried out on the materials and asphalt. The research was done in two phases; test experiment (50 and 100% shell replacement and the referenced (0% shell). The results obtained show that marshal stability decreased by 22.97% and 103.84% for 50 &100% shell replacement. The fineness modulus is 1.0 which could also result into strength reduction. The moisture content absorption increased as palm kernel shell increases. The specific gravity of granite was found to be 2.67 greater than 1.6. However, Crushed Palm Kernel Shell (CPKS) can be used as a suitable material as partial replacement for fine aggregate (Quarry dust) in asphaltic concrete up to 50% for rural roads of low traffic.