ENHANCING ASPHALT PAVEMENT PERFORMANCE THROUGH PALM KERNEL SHELLS (PKS) INTEGRATION

Relying on natural aggregates for asphalt pavements causes harm to the environment by consuming a lot of energy and resources, while the lack of enough research on the use of palm kernel shells (PKS) slows down improvements in their performance. It seeks to assess the impact of adding PKS on asphalt roads in tropical regions experiencing high traffic. Various tests, like particle size distribution (ASTM C136/C136M-19), evaluating properties of bitumen (ASTM D5/D5M-20) and tests on strength (tensile, creep, deformation), as well as on flexibility (resilient modulus, Marshall stability and flow), along with SEM-EDX and XRD procedures, were carried out to check PKS’s worth. Both PKS and conventional aggregates passed the gradation requirements. Analysis revealed that the bitumen has properties according to the set standards and its penetration is 66.5, softening point is 52.5 °C and flash or fire points are 330 °C and 360 °C respectively. The PKS sample had a specific gravity of 1.47 and contained 12 % water. These tests showed that PKS is a practical option as an aggregate. It had a tensile strength of 3.5 MPa (control: 3.1 MPa; 10 % PKS: 1.65 MPa) and a Marshall stability of 13 kN (control: 8 kN; 10 % PKS: 7 kN). At 4 % PKS, rutting resistance reached its highest point of 6.3 %. By using SEM-EDX and XRD, we found that 4 % PKS enhances the structure, with a higher amount of iron and aluminium present. When 4 % PKS is used, pavements are built to last and sustainably meet global goals for sustainability.