Incorporation of Polymer Material to Enhance Properties of Traditional Asphalt: A Review
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Date
2020
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Uva Wellassa University of Sri Lanka
Abstract
Sustainability and green concepts are currently acknowledged throughout the global
construction industry. The present study is focussed to review the effects of polymer
incorporated traditional asphalt. Besides, wearing of roads due to the melting of nearsurface tar has become a critical issue in road construction. The traditional material used
in road construction is a mixture of rock aggregates with bitumen. However, the
introduction of waste plastics such as polythene bags, cups, bottles, and polyethylene
terephthalate (PET) is highly appreciated. Since the plastics and polythene are nonbiodegradable, these have become the major environmental pollutants around the World.
However, these have been effectively incorporated in the asphalt mixture to be used in the
construction of roads. According to literature, various polymer materials have been preheated at 150°C-200°C until the melt is well liquefied. The well-heated aggregates have
then been added to the polymer melt. Thereafter, the plastic-coated aggregates have been
mixed with bitumen to produce the polymer mixed asphalt composite (Plastiphalt). The
mechanical properties of the composite have shown excellent strength values. Further,
this composite has shown higher wear resistance and the melting of bitumen during
exposure to sunlight has also reduced. Thereby, the durability of plastiphalt has been
concluded to be much higher than the traditional asphalt material. Moreover, the dark
black colour has also been reduced, thus minimizing heat absorbance to the inner
material. The surficial oil formation of newly paved roads has also reduced.
Consequently, road safety has been increased with a reduced number of accidents during
rainy seasons. Therefore, the utilization of abundantly available waste plastics in road
construction is highly recommended to developing countries such as Sri Lanka.
Keywords: Plastic waste, Eco-friendly, Roads, Asphalt, Durability
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Engineering, Environmental Engineering, Civil Engineering