Experimental Investigation on Use of Marble Dust as Partial Replacement of Stone Dust and filler in Bituminous Concrete Grade-2 using VG-40 binder

Abstract

The increasing demand for sustainable pavement materials has encouraged the utilization of industrial waste in asphalt mixtures to improve pavement performance while reducing environmental impacts. This study investigates the combined use of Medium Marble Dust (MMD) and Very Fine Marble Dust (VFMD) in Bituminous Concrete (BC) Grade-2 prepared with VG-40 bitumen. The influence of marble dust on the mechanical and volumetric properties of bituminous mixes was ascertained by Marshall method and optimum replacement percentages were determined. Initially, the physical properties of aggregates, VG-40 bitumen, MMD, and VFMD were evaluated in accordance with relevant BIS codes and IRC/MORTH specifications. The Optimum Bitumen Content (OBC) for control mix by Marshall Mix Design method was determined as 5.51%. Medium Marble Dust was then used as a partial replacement for stone dust at replacement levels of 3%, 6%, 9%, and 12%, while 1% Very Fine Marble Dust with 1% cement was incorporated as a modified mineral filler. The prepared specimens were evaluated through Marshall Stability, Flow Value, Bulk Density, Air Voids (Va), Voids in Mineral Aggregate (VMA), Voids Filled with Bitumen (VFB), Marshall Quotient (MQ), and Indirect Tensile Strength (ITS) tests. The results indicated that the incorporation of marble dust improved Marshall Stability, Indirect Tensile Strength, Particle Packing, and Volumetric Characteristics while reducing Air Voids and the consumption of conventional Stone Dust. The Modified mixtures also exhibited improved crack resistance and overall pavement performance. The study concludes that the combined use of MMD and VFMD is a Technically Feasible, Economical, and Environmentally Sustainable Alternative for producing urable BC Grade-2 mixtures, promoting the beneficial utilization of marble industry waste in flexible pavement construction.

Introduction

This study investigates the use of marble dust as a sustainable replacement for conventional mineral fillers and fine aggregates in Bituminous Concrete (BC) Grade-2 mixes using VG-40 bitumen. Marble dust, mainly composed of calcium carbonate (CaCO?), has excellent filler properties that improve mix density, adhesion between bitumen and aggregates, moisture resistance, Marshall Stability, Indirect Tensile Strength (ITS), and pavement durability.

The literature review indicates that marble dust enhances the mechanical and volumetric properties of asphalt mixtures while reducing environmental pollution by utilizing industrial waste. Previous studies reported improvements in Marshall Stability, stiffness, rutting resistance, tensile strength, and moisture resistance. However, limited research has examined the combined use of Medium Marble Dust (MMD) and Very Fine Marble Dust (VFMD) in BC Grade-2 mixes with VG-40 bitumen or evaluated both Marshall properties and ITS comprehensively.

The main objectives of the study are to determine the Optimum Bitumen Content (OBC), evaluate Marshall properties and ITS for BC Grade-2 mixes with varying marble dust replacement levels (3%, 6%, 9%, and 12%), and identify the optimum marble dust content that provides improved pavement performance and sustainability.

The experimental program was conducted according to MORTH (5th Revision), IS 73:2013, and ASTM standards. Material characterization included testing VG-40 bitumen, aggregates, and marble dust for their physical properties. Control mixes were prepared using cement as filler, followed by modified mixes where stone dust was partially replaced with MMD and VFMD. Marshall Stability and Indirect Tensile Strength tests were performed at the optimum binder content to evaluate the effects of marble dust.

Material testing confirmed that the properties of VG-40 bitumen, aggregates, and marble dust met the relevant specifications. The experimental results were analyzed by comparing the Marshall characteristics and tensile strength of modified mixes with the conventional control mix to determine the most effective marble dust replacement level for durable and sustainable bituminous pavements.

Conclusion

Based on the experimental work and the study, the following conclusions can be drawn: 1) For the mixture with 2% cement filler, five bitumen contents (5.44%, 5.51%, 5.58%, 5.59% and 5.73%) were evaluated. The tests indicate an optimum bitumen content of 5.51%, which provides the most suitable balance of strength, stability, and workability for the specified mix. 2) The stone dust was replaced with medium marble dust at 3%, 6%, 9%, and 12% using 2% cement filler and 5.51% bitumen content. The results show that stone dust can be replaced by medium marble dust up to 12%, as the mix still satisfies the required IRC code parameters. 3) For the mix containing 1% cement and 1% very fine marble dust, bitumen contents of 5.28%, 5.44%, 5.51%, 5.59%, and 5.73% were tested, the optimum bitumen content was found to be 5.51%, indicating that there is no change in the Optimum Binder Content. 4) Using 1% cement and 1% very fine marble dust as filler, and an optimum bitumen content of 5.51%, stone dust was partially replaced with medium marble dust at 3%, 6%, 9%, and 12%. The results showed that the mix remained stable up to 6% replacement, while still satisfying the required IRC code parameters. However, the mix showed reduced stability beyond 6 % replacement even though upto 12% replacement, it still meet the applicable IRC code requirements. This implies that 1 % of Cement and 12 % of Stone Dust can be replaced. 5) Air voids, Voids in mineral aggregate, Voids filled with bitumen, Density and Flow value remain within IRC code parameters. 6) Indirect Tensile Strength decreased slightly from 2.55 N/mm2 at 3% MMD to 2.25 N/mm2 at 12% MMD in mix with 2% cement filler. This however can be ignored as Indirect Tensile Strength is within the requirements. 7) Indirect tensile strength decreased from 2.85 N/mm2 at 3% MMD to 2.25 N/mm2 at 12% MMD in 1% cement and 1% very fine marble dust filler. However Tensile strength remain within requirements. It reduces beyond 6 % replacement. 8) Overall, utilizing industrial marble waste as an alternative asphalt filler proves to be highly viable. 9) It provides road sector with a budget-friendly way to scale back on natural stone quarrying without sacrificing the essential durability of Bituminous Concrete Grade-2.

References

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Copyright

Copyright © 2026 Er. Vicky Singh, Er. Ajay Kumar Duggal. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.