Discussion

Abstract

Roads are the main means of transporting cargo and passengers in the world surpassing railroads, airports and ships. The growth of the road network brings urbanization and socioeconomic development to inhospitable regions. As a result, they demand large quantities of natural resources such as mineral aggregates. Thus, there is a need for the use of cheaper and more sustainable alternative construction materials. Waste Foundry Sand (WFS) is an industrial by-product produced in large quantities worldwide. In this sense, in the last decades several researches have been carried out with the objective of studying the partial replacement of fine aggregate by WFS in hot mix asphalt (HMA). Showing that the physical, chemical and environmental characteristics of WFS and its mechanical behaviour in the asphalt matrix are similar to conventional aggregates. However, there are few studies that address the benefits generated by the reuse; which, generate significant environmental and economic benefits worldwide. In this way, this review gathered the main studies of the last four decades on the reuse of WFS in HMA, discussing a panorama of properties and summarizing the several advantages of the reuse. With this, it was aimed to point out the research opportunities in this theme, in order to encourage new studies that stimulate the reuse in real road projects around the world.