Effect of Used Engine Oil Addition on the Rheological Properties of a Plastic Bag Waste–Modified 40/50 Grade Bitumen

Abstract

The oily fraction allows expansion and dissolution of the polymer particles within the bituminous matrix. This contribution studies the effects of adding a small quantity of a used engine oil (UEO) to bag waste plastic-modified 40/50 grade bitumen. The objective is to investigate the possibility of using the used oil as a plastic-bitumen compatibilizing agent. Penetration, softening point, Rolling Thin Film Oven Test (RTFOT), and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) tests were used in this paper to characterize the waste plastic-modified bitumen (WPmB) and the used engine oil plastic-modified bitumen (UEOPmB). The Van Der Poal nomograph is used to complete the characterization of the studied binders. It was observed that adding used engine oil allowed incorporating greater plastic quantities into the pure bitumen. Moreover, both the WPmB and the UEOPmB have shown improved mechanical properties compared with pure bitumen. Obtained results demonstrated that oil addition enhances the aging resistance and reduces the low temperature cracking resistance of the UEOPmB.