Performance evaluation and durability assessment of bamboo fiber-reinforced stone mastic asphalt mixtures

This study comprehensively evaluates the performance characteristics of bamboo fiber-reinforced asphalt mixtures for road applications, with particular emphasis on fatigue resistance, through comparative analysis with conventional lignin fiber mixtures. The experimental investigation employed a systematic approach, including rutting tests at elevated temperatures to assess high-temperature stability and low-temperature bending tests to evaluate crack resistance. Water stability performance was quantitatively analyzed through Marshall immersion tests and freeze-thaw splitting experiments. Furthermore, the study incorporated durability assessments focusing on thermo-oxidative aging characteristics, freeze-thaw cycle resistance, and fatigue performance using indirect tensile fatigue testing. The experimental results demonstrate significant performance advantages of bamboo fiber-modified stone matrix asphalt mixtures (SMA). Specifically, these mixtures exhibited a 10.4% improvement in high-temperature stability and a 16.9% increase in maximum tensile strain, indicating enhanced low-temperature crack resistance. Comparative analysis revealed superior performance characteristics of bamboo fiber mixtures over lignin fiber mixtures, particularly in water stability and fatigue resistance, with measurable improvements in residual stability (2.8% increase) and flexural tensile strength (6% enhancement). These findings substantiate that bamboo fiber-reinforced asphalt mixtures offer superior road performance characteristics and enhanced fatigue resistance, presenting a technically viable and potentially sustainable alternative to traditional lignin fiber mixtures in asphalt pavement applications. • Significant Performance Advantages of Bamboo Fiber Asphalt Mixtures • SMA shows great durability, with strong resistance to thermo-oxidative aging, freeze-thaw cycles, and extended fatigue life. • Bamboo fiber is a low-cost and eco-friendly material sourced from bamboo processing waste. • This study first systematically compares bamboo and lignin fibers' performance in asphalt mixtures.