Influence of Plastic Waste on Chemical and Mechanical Properties of Modified Bitumen Used in the Bituminous Mix for Flexible Pavement

Abstract

The moisture damage on a bituminous road in tropical regions are proliferated only at the weakest aggregate-bitumen interfaces by adverse weathering conditions and propagates for the vehicular overloading condition. Therefore, an evaluation of the moisture damage resistance potency of hot mix asphalt (HMA) modified with different waste plastic fractions was considered as the state-of-art in this investigation. Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, force spectroscopy using an atomic force microscope (AFM), modified Marshall immersion, and indirect tensile strength test methods were adopted to conduct this study. Study outcomes explored that 1% of different plastic waste fractions comprised of 2(PB): 0.25(PMP): 1(PC) to the HMA in a wet process indicated the highest moisture damage resistive potential due to the existence of strong nitrogenous chemical fraction. Hence, such a combination of plastic waste fraction may be used as an effective moisture resistive bitumen modifier to make a durable bituminous mix used in the wearing course of flexible pavements.