ABSTRACT
This research presents the implementation of a finite element model analysis for assessing the potential of utilizing alternative fibers for the development of inductive bituminous mixes with lower total weight, higher resistance against corrosion, and sufficient induction heating efficiency. Aluminum fibers are selected as the metallic modifier in bituminous mixes against the commonly applied steel fibers in order to develop inductive materials. The main reasons for applying aluminum fibers in bituminous mixes are presented in (Pavlatos et al., Framework for replacing steel with aluminum fibers in bituminous mixes, Advances in Materials and Pavement Performance Prediction, Submitted, 2018). A real fiber modified bituminous specimen is reconstructed by means of CT scans and its effective electrical conductivity is calculated assuming steel and aluminum fibers. Since steel fiber modified bituminous mixes have already been used successfully for induction heating, the aim of this work is to demonstrate that aluminum fiber modified bituminous mixes exhibit equally good properties as the steel fiber modified bituminous mixes for induction heating.
