Development of innovative pothole repair materials using induction heating technology

Obaidi, Hadel Ibraheem Ahmad (2018) Development of innovative pothole repair materials using induction heating technology. PhD thesis, University of Nottingham.

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Abstract

Millions are spent by authorities to maintain and repair the world’s potholes. In addition to the direct costs, they can also lead to damaged vehicles and an accelerated deterioration of the road system. The potholes create traffic risks that lead to the daily loss of hundreds of work hours for drivers and passengers. Many road crews are not familiar with the proper materials and methods for pothole repair. Correct selection of pothole patching materials and proper application of repair procedures can greatly increase the longevity of pothole repairs, lead to fewer driver frustrations, and lower road maintenance budgets. The present study aims to develop innovative materials to repair of potholes by using induction heating technology.

Three innovative patching materials to repair potholes are proposed, assessed and compared with conventional pothole patching materials. The first material is a combination of a prefabricated asphalt tile and a bonding layer that can be placed into a sanitised pothole and bonded by applying electromagnetic induction heating. The second material involves using prefabricated asphalt pellets to directly fill a pothole and then heated by induction. The third material comprises (1) prefabrication of binder pellets containing bitumen and steel wool that has been coated with a shell to avoid them sticking to each other; (2) the development of a mobile induction heating mixer that can mix the binder pellets with cold aggregate on-site before directly filling a pothole and compacting the mixture.

In this research, their tensile and shear strength properties were assessed and demonstrated by repairing simulated potholes on testing slabs and subjected them to wheel tracking tests. The innovative patching materials showed excellent durability higher than a road repaired with cold mix asphalt.

Furthermore, the innovative patching materials have been evaluated from economic and environmental standpoints and compared results with conventional hot mix and cold mix. These proposed patching materials have been applied by different raw materials and procedures, and have importance of properties that performed by laboratory tests. Based on the results of loaded wheel test, the service life of each patching materials has been calculated. An inventory was prepared to help quantify the energy requirements, material inputs, and emissions produced during production of raw materials, prefabrication of each product and their final installation. The requisite data was obtained from various sources in the literature. Two maintenance hypothesis were considered. The results showed that three innovative patching materials may be more sustainable and could reduce cost, energy usage and CO2 emissions over time in agreement with hypothesis 1. However, they may cause to increase the economic and environmental impacts over time in agreement with hypothesis 2.

Item Type: Thesis (University of Nottingham only) (PhD)
Supervisors: Garcia, Alvaro
Gomez-Meijide, Breixo
Thom, Nick H.
Keywords: Potholes; pothole repair materials; induction heating technology
Subjects: T Technology > TE Highway engineering. Roads and pavements
Faculties/Schools: UK Campuses > Faculty of Engineering
Item ID: 55281
Depositing User: OBAIDI, HADEL
Date Deposited: 14 Jan 2019 13:18
Last Modified: 07 Feb 2019 18:47
URI: https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/id/eprint/55281

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