Chemical characterization of asphalt binder containing palm oil mill sludge

Abstract

Modification of asphalt binder is continuously explored due to its escalating cost and increasing demand for this non-renewable material. As an alternative, the potential of waste materials was assessed for use as a modifier in asphalt binder. This study focuses on investigating the physical properties of unmodified and modified asphalt binders, with a specific emphasis on the chemical properties of palm oil mill sludge (POMS) modified asphalt binder. In this investigation, the control sample employed was PEN 60/70, while the POMS content ranged from 0% to 5% with an increment of 1%. Penetration and softening point tests were conducted on the POMS-modified binder, and Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) tests were conducted to assess the chemical properties of both un-aged and short-term aged asphalt binders. The results revealed that the addition of POMS modified the asphalt binder by inducing a softening effect proportional to the percentage of POMS. The aging process was found to be significantly delayed in the POMS-modified binder with increasing POMS content.