Speaker
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Ashray SaxenaGraduate Research Assistant | University of Texas at Austin
Ashray Saxena is a dedicated Graduate Research Assistant in Civil Engineering at The University of Texas at Austin, with a specialization in geotechnical engineering. His research focuses on the innovative use of geosynthetics in infrastructure, particularly in enhancing the performance and longevity of asphalt pavements. He has published multiple journal papers and presented at international conferences, earning prestigious awards such as the 2023 New Face of Civil Engineering honor by ASCE.
In addition to his academic pursuits, Ashray is deeply committed to community service, which has earned him the esteemed UT Tower Award for his outstanding volunteer contributions. He has served as Vice-Chair of the Geo-Institute at UT Austin and has been actively involved in mentoring students and leading various outreach initiatives. Ashray’s passion for civil engineering and his dedication to both research and service make him a prominent figure in his field.
Local Time
- Timezone: America/New_York
- Date: Sep 18 2026
- Time: 11:30 AM - 12:30 PM
Recyclability Evaluation of Asphalt Millings with Geosynthetic Interlayer Remnants for Pavement Base Course Applications
The incorporation of geosynthetic interlayers, such as geotextiles and geogrids, in asphalt layers has been shown to delay crack propagation and increase the fatigue life of asphalt overlays. Consequently, the growing use of geosynthetic interlayers in asphalt layers is expected to generate increasing quantities of reclaimed asphalt pavement (RAP) containing geosynthetic interlayer remnants (referred to as GRAP) when these pavements are milled, raising concerns about the millability of asphalt layers containing geosynthetic interlayers and the recyclability of the resulting GRAP. In this study, three distinct project sites were chosen, where milling operations were conducted on asphalt layers incorporating a nonwoven geotextile (GT), a polyester (PET) geogrid and a fiberglass (FG) geogrid, as well as on asphalt layers without geosynthetic interlayers, to investigate whether asphalt layers incorporating geosynthetic interlayers affected milling efficiency or equipment operation. After milling, the resulting asphalt millings with and without geosynthetic interlayer remnants were collected from all three sites and transported to the laboratory for characterization. Subsequently, the recyclability of GRAP and RAP samples for use in pavement base course applications was evaluated by performing the compaction, abrasion, fragmentation, hydraulic conductivity, resilient modulus and permanent deformation tests. Accordingly, RAP and GRAP samples were blended with virgin aggregate (VA) at two different percentages (25% and 50%) based on the total weight of base course blends. Observations of milling operations conducted at all three project sites showed that asphalt layers containing geosynthetic interlayers were milled without operational interruptions or visually observed equipment damage. Additionally, the base course blends containing GRAP exhibited similar or improved physical and mechanical properties compared to those containing RAP. These findings suggest that base course layers can incorporate up to 50% GRAP, potentially reducing VA demand and ultimately leading to sustainable construction practices.
