ABSTRACT
Open-graded friction course (OGFC) is an asphalt mixture that is being increasingly used in pavement surface around the world. OGFC (porous asphalt) is composed, predominantly, of narrowly graded crushed coarse aggregate without significant fines, which results in increased surface friction and permeability and noise reduction. This study investigated the mix design and characteristics of OGFC mixtures using local materials in the Sultanate of Oman. Cellulose fibers were introduced in the mixture to reduce draindown. Mix design resulted in 6% optimum asphalt content. The selected mixture resulted in 22.1% AV, 0.34% draindown, and 22.7% and 31.5% abrasion for aged and unaged specimens, respectively. A permeability of 0.05 cm/s was obtained. The obtained results are considered satisfactory but the draindown and abrasion results are in borderline. The tensile strength ratio (TSR) was found to be 0.74, which is slightly less than acceptable (0.8). The use of polymers is expected to further improve the characteristics of the OGFC mix.
