Characterization of limestones of great Kabylia for use in road construction

The aim of this study is to characterise and develop the use of limestone from the Greate Kabylia region for road construction. The growing demand for aggregates and the overexploitation of traditional quarries are major challenges for the road construction industry in Algeria. This study focuses on the use of local limestone to reduce transport costs and conserve natural resources. Materials were taken from differents sites to the laboratory. Then, samples are reconstituted and subjected to various mechanical and road tests. The results show that the limestones have satisfactory mechanical properties, in particular good compactibility for the samples from site 3, with dry densities above 2.00. The CBR indices indicate a high bearing capacity for sites 3 and 4, adapted for road loads. Direct shear tests and Micro Deval tests confirm their potential as category C materials with low degradability. This use of limestone opens up interesting prospects for the circular economy in construction, while reducing the environmental impact associated with the extraction of natural aggregates. The results demonstrate the feasibility of using these materials in pavement layers, offering a sustainable and economical alternative to current practices.