In recent years, numerous researchers have explored the potential of enhancing asphalt concrete road performance by incorporating carbon fibers. They have conducted experiments using varying quantities of carbon fibers mixed into asphalt concrete and assessed different road performance aspects. Experimental results have demonstrated that asphalt mortar exhibits strong adhesion to short carbon fibers, thereby improving the overall performance of asphalt. When short carbon fibers measuring 12 mm in length are used to reinforce asphalt, they bring about varying degrees of enhancement to the softening point, penetration, and ductility of the asphalt. Notably, when the carbon fiber content is approximately 0.05%, the performance of asphalt and its mixture reaches an optimal level.
With the rapid advancement of modern society, higher demands are being placed on the performance of road materials. Concrete, as one of the most critical building materials of today, is extensively utilized in the transportation and construction sectors due to its high compressive strength, resistance to corrosion, fire, and water, as well as its excellent durability. However, concrete has notable drawbacks, such as relatively low tensile and flexural strengths, high self-weight, and poor formability. In response, an increasing number of researchers and engineers have sought to enhance concrete with fibers. Various fibers, including asbestos, steel, glass, polypropylene, and aramid fibers, have been employed in engineering applications.
Yet, these fiber materials each have inherent limitations that require solutions. For example, steel fibers are prone to rust, glass fibers face durability issues, and polypropylene and aramid fibers have challenges with heat resistance. In contrast, carbon fibers emerge as a more ideal reinforcing material. They possess numerous advantages, such as being lightweight, high-strength, high-modulus, heat-resistant, corrosion-resistant, and wear-resistant, which have earned them a significant position in the construction materials field and garnered widespread attention. By adding carbon fibers to the asphalt mixture matrix and preparing carbon fiber-reinforced asphalt-based composite materials through road construction processes—also known as carbon fiber-reinforced concrete—engineers can leverage the three-dimensional random dispersion system of short carbon fibers, which has gained widespread use. The composite concrete produced through this system demonstrates excellent performance. Its reinforcing mechanism primarily involves enhancing the adhesion, tensile strength, and compressive strength of concrete, thereby improving the stability and durability of concrete.
