Improvement of Tsimiroro heavy oil utilization in the road sector

The Tsimiroro heavy oil has strong economic potential for Madagascar.Road construction is among the key sectors.The objective of this study is to enhance the performance of roads made with this product.The methodology involved understanding the physicochemical properties of the heavy oil through hydrocarbon characterization and analysis of bitumen attributes.Subsequently, the removal of light cuts through thermal treatment is applied to the heavy oil before developing multiple formulas that will undergo Marshall and Duriez tests.The results obtained show some similarities with previous research, except for the following key points: -the water content is below 0.05%, compared to 10% to 16% in 2011; -heat loss ranges from 5.6% to 10.4%, significantly lower than the 34.6% recorded in 2016.These improvements contribute significantly to reducing the time and energy required during processing.The stability during Marshall tests is 1,620 daN, which is 1.88 times more stable compared to previous results.The Duriez tests demonstrate a stability ratio of 1.43 at 18C and 0.60 at 0-5C, indicating that the product can withstand heavy traffic.There is a significant improvement in the geotechnical properties of the heavy oil in cold mix asphalt.The absence of dope and additives makes the use of heavy oil even more cost-effective, resulting in a 35% savings per kilometer compared to bitumen.This study proposes the implementation of a test section under high traffic conditions.