Biochar Waste as a Sustainable Modifier for Bitumen Binder Reinforcement: A Review

There is even more pressure on the global construction industry to improve its sustainability whilst striving to meet the performance standards of the infrastructure. The pyrolysis of biomass has produced one of the carbon-rich products, biochar, which has been identified as a potential source of modifier to bitumen asphalt binder. This is a review that is an integration of the current research on the use of biochar waste in bitumen reinforcement and the impacts it has on the physical properties, rheological behaviour, resistance to aging, and advantages it has on the environment. Discussion 43 literature shows that adding the optimal quantity of biochar raises the rigidity, thermal stability, and rutting resistance of the binder up to the industry standards. Biochar could also be considered a product satisfying the principles of the circular economy in infrastructure construction and a means of waste management alongside a performance-enhancing substance. Experiments in the laboratory indicate that biochemical char-modified binders possess better sustainability qualifications and also have an equivalent or better rate of working compared to their traditional counterparts in synthetic modifiers. Nonetheless, to achieve effective industrialisation, consideration must be given to the economic constraints; it is essential to establish protocols about standardization, and extensive validation in field studies ought to be done.