Evaluating The Performance Of Different Types Of Waste Plastic-Bitumen Mixtures For Road Construction - A Review

Abstract

Plastic finds various applications in daily life, construction and engineering domains. But waste plastics are often disposed due to the inability to find use in modern society. This review paper concentrates on various ways in which waste plastic and bitumen can be utilized for road and pavement construction. Various types of plastic such as Low-Density Polythene (LDPE), High- Density Polythene (HDPE), Polyvinyl chloride (PVC), Ethylene-Vinyl Acetate (EVA), etc, can be used for road construction purposes due to ability to bind with bitumen (Asphalt). The waste plastics are used in shredded form and mixed with bitumen and heated to form a mix which increases the mechanical properties compared to original bitumen. When plastic is added to bitumen it acts as a binder as well as a modifier to the bitumen. Roads constructed using plastic- bitumen mix has shown an increase in lifespan, load carrying capacity and reduced wear compared to conventional bitumen roads. The tests performed on waste plastic-bitumen mix shows improved performance characteristics. By varying the amount of plastic in bitumen, the mix can also be used for waterproofing and anti-icing purposes. This method of using waste plastic for road purposes is an effective method of reducing the waste plastic disposed into the ecosystem.