USE OF WASTE PLASTICS IN BITUMENOUS SURFACING

SUBMITTED BY: ABINASH DAS

REGD NO.: 224CE3011

SUBMITTED TO: PROF. MAHABIR PANDA

Department of Civil Engineering

NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY, ROURKELA
769008
Contents
• Introduction
• Objective
• Procedure
• Dry process
• Wet process
• Advantages
• Disadvantages
• Future prospects and innovations
• Case studies
• Conclusion
• Reference
Introduction

Plastic waste has become one of the most significant

environmental challenges globally, with millions of tons
of plastic polluting landfills, oceans, and ecosystems .
Simultaneously, road infrastructure faces challenges of
durability and high maintenance costs due to
environmental stresses and heavy traffic.This study helps
in increasing the strength of bitumen by addition of non-
degradable plastic waste which provides reduction in the
percentage of bitumen. Bitumen is a useful binder for
road construction. Different grades of bitumen like 30/40,
60/70 and 80/100 are available on the basis of their
penetration values.
Objective
• 1) Disposal of waste plastic is a major problem
• 2) It is non-biodegradable
• 3) Burning of these waste plastic bags causes environmental pollution.
• 4) It mainly consists of low-density polyethylene
• 5) To find its utility in bituminous mixes for road construction laboratory
performance studies were conducted on bituminous mixes. Laboratory studies
proved that waste plastic enhances the property of the mix
• 6) Improvement in properties of bituminous mix provides the solution for
disposal in an useful way.
Procedure
There are two main methods to incorporate waste
plastics into bituminous road construction.
(A) Dry Process
(2) Wet Process
Here’s a step-by-step outline of each approach

1. Collection and Sorting: Cleaning & sorting of Plastic

Waste Collect suitable types of plastic waste, such as
High-Density Polyethylene (HDPE), Low-Density
Polyethylene (LDPE), Polypropylene (PP), and
Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET).Sorting is essential to
remove any non-recyclable plastics (e.g., PVC, as it
releases toxic fumes when heated) and contaminants.

2. Cleaning and Shredding :Clean the plastic waste to

remove any dirt, labels, or impurities.Shred the plastics
into small pieces, typically between 2 to 4 mm, to
facilitate easy mixing with bitumen and aggregate.
Dry Process

1. Heating Aggregates: Heat the aggregate (crushed stone, gravel, or

sand) to about 170°C.

2. Adding Shredded Plastics to the Aggregate:Spread the shredded
plastic waste over the hot aggregate .Mix thoroughly; the plastic melts
due to the high temperature and coats the aggregate particles.
3. Adding Bitumen:After the plastic-coated aggregate is ready, add
heated bitumen (around 160°C) to the mixture.Mix thoroughly to
ensure even coating of bitumen and plastic on the aggregate particles.
4. Laying the Road :Use the plastic-bitumen aggregate mixture to
pave the road as per standard procedure. Compact the mix to form a
durable road surface
Wet Process

1.Plastic-Bitumen Blending :Heat the bitumen to

approximately 160-170°C.Gradually add shredded plastic
directly into the hot bitumen, stirring continuously to
ensure thorough mixing .The plastic melts and combines
with the bitumen, forming a homogeneous blend
2. Mixing with Aggegrate :After the plastic-bitumen
blend is prepared, mix it with hot aggregate .The mix is
then ready for road laying.
3. Laying and Compacting the Road :Similar to the dry
process, the plastic-bitumen aggregate mixture is spread
and compacted to create a durable, stable road surface
 Advantages
1-Durability: Plastic-bitumen composite roads are more durable than standard asphalt concrete roads. They
can withstand heavy traffic and have a higher Marshall stability, which increases the strength of the road.
2-Water resistance: Plastic-bitumen composite roads do not absorb water and are more resistant to water
seepage than ordinary roads.
3- Flexibility: Plastic-bitumen composite roads are more flexible than ordinary roads, which results in less
rutting and less need for repair.
4-Sound absorption: Plastic-bitumen composite roads absorb sound better than ordinary roads.
5-Cost: Plastic-bitumen composite roads are less expensive than bitumen roads.
6- Waste disposal: Using plastic in bituminous surfacing improves the disposal of waste plastics.
7-The addition of plastic in asphalt can reduce the viscosity of the mix. This allows a lower working
temperature, which lowers VOC and CO emissions.
Disadvantages
1-Air pollution: Burning plastic waste creates air pollution and health hazards.
2- Phase separation: Plastics with high melting points, such as PP and PET, can cause severe phase
separation between the asphalt and plastics.
3-Ductility: Plastics with higher melting points have compromised ductility and low-temperature
cracking resistance.
4-High maitainance:Every time maintenance is performed on these modular roads the flow of
power, water, and internet that has been installed within will be interrupted.
5-Difficult to recycle: Recycling plastic is not so simple as most plastic cannot be recycled those
bottles that are recycled are not used to make new bottles.
6-Non-renewable: Plastic is manufactured using oil by products and natural gas material that could
be used in numerous other applications or conserved was plastic usage lower.
Future Prospects and Innovations

• Innovative techniques: Research into better, safer

mixing processes.
• Government Policies and Support: Funding, subsidies
for sustainable road construction.Collaboration
• Opportunities: Between government, industry, and
environmental groups.
Case Studies

•India:
•The use of plastic in road construction started as a major initiative in cities like Bangalore and Delhi.
•Roads with waste plastic have been shown to last longer than conventional roads.
•Other Countries:
•Australia, UK, and the US have also experimented with using plastic in bituminous mixes.
Conclusion

 Use of waste plastic in bituminous mixes improves properties and performance of roads.

 Use of waste plastic in roads is ideal disposal solution.

 Plastic road will a boon for India’s hot and extremely humid climate where durable and eco
friendly road will relive the earth from all type of plastic waste.

 The use of the innovative technology strengthened the road construction and increases the
road life as well as will help to improve the environment and also creating a source of
income.
Reference

• Khanna S.K. and C.E.G Justo,(2007) “Highway Materials Testing” Nem chand and bros.,
Roorkee, India, pp 63-87. [6]
• 2278-8719, Volume 5, Issue 2, IOSR Journal of Engineering
• Researchgate.com
• Sciencedirect.com
• https://swachhbharatmission.ddws.gov.in
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