of Types and Sizes of Waste Plastic

Utilisation
in Bituminous Mix

A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree

of

Master of Technology
In
Transportation System Engineering
By

Pankaj Kumar Singh

(194104521)

Under the Supervision of

Prof. Rajan Choudhary

DEPARTMENT OF CIVIL ENGINEERING

INDIAN INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY
GUWAHATI
GUWAHATI – 781039, ASSAM

JUNE 2021
 Certificate

This is to certify that the M.Tech Thesis entitled “Utilisation of Types and Sizes of Waste
Plastic in Bituminous Mix”, submitted by Mr. Pankaj Kumar Singh (194104521) of
Department of Civil Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati is carried out
under my supervision. This thesis is submitted for consideration in the award of the degree of
Master of Technology in Transportation Systems Engineering.

(Dr. Rajan
Choudhary) Professor,
Department of Civil Engineering,
Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati
Assam – 781039, India

1
 Acknowledgement

I take this moment to express my appreciation towards my supervisor Prof. Rajan Choudhary
for his valuable guidance, constant supervision, and continuous support throughout the course
of this study. His wide knowledge and logical way of thinking have been of great benefit for
me. It was my pleasure working under his guidance. My indebtedness is for the time he has
spared and the knowledge he endowed while leading me to the right source, theory, and
perspective towards pavement engineering.

I would also like to thank all my teachers and staff at the Indian Institute of Technology
Guwahati for educating me in different subjects. My sincere thanks to Prof. Sharad Gokhale,
Head of the Department of Civil Engineering, IIT Guwahati, for help, guidance, and for
allowing me to use the various facilities of the Civil Engineering Department.

I would like to thank my seniors Mr. Abhinay Kumar, Mr. Shantanu Pathak, and Mr. Ankush
Kumar for their assistance and support during this course. I would also like to thank all my
classmates and acquaintances at the Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati for their
support.

Lastly, I would like to express my deepest sense of gratitude and indebtedness to my parents
for their constant love and support and for empowering me in all facets of my life.

Pankaj Kumar Singh

(194104521)
 Abstract

Every year several million tons of municipal solid waste is being generated worldwide with
plastic waste comprising a major part of it. Plastic wastes are either dumped in landfills or is
burnt leading to severe environmental concerns/challenges. The main aim of this research is
to determine the effect of incorporating waste plastic type and size on the engineering
properties of a widely used SMA mixture. The variables included in this study include plastic
type, size, and its dosages. Three type of plastic waste: polyethylene terephthalate (PET),
high density polyethylene (HDPE), and polypropylene (PP); two sizes: 2.36-1.18 mm and
1.18-0.600 mm; and five contents: 0%, 4%, 6% 8% and 10% by weight of asphalt binder,
were selected for fabrication and evaluation of SMA mixes fabricated using a VG 40 asphalt
grade binder. Shredded PET, HDPE and PP were incorporated in SMA mixes through dry
process which involves addition of shredded plastics to heated aggregates and then these
aggregates were mixed with hot bitumen. The optimum binder content was found to be 6.4%
by weight of the SMA mix prepared with a single aggregate gradation, confirming to Indian
codal specifications. SMA mixes fabricated incorporating plastic were evaluated for
mechanical strength and resistance against ravelling through Marshall stability and Cantabro
abrasion loss.

With the addition of waste plastic, SMA mixes yielded better performance compared to SMA
mix without plastics. Among plastic types, HDPE performed better than PP and PET in terms
of Marshall stability for both coarser and finer sizes. Size of plastics also showed a prominent
effect on the performance of SMA mix characteristics. The coarser size (2.36 mm-1.18 mm)
of PET, HDPE, and PP showed increased Marshall stability value for plastic content up to 6%
and thereafter witnessed a reduction in the stability. On the other hand, for finer size (1.18
mm-
0.6 mm) of PET, HDPE, and PP, the stability value increased up to 10% dosage of plastic in
SMA mixes. SMA mixes prepared with the finer size of PP showed lower abrasion loss than
coarser size up to plastic content of 10% while the abrasion loss had lower value for coarser
size than finer in SMA mixes fabricated with HDPE and PET for dosages up to 6%.

Keywords: stone matrix asphalt, plastic waste, polypropylene, high density polyethylene,
polyethylene terephthalate, Marshall stability, abrasion loss
 Table of Contents

Chapter 1 Introduction
1.1 Road Infrastructure of India 1
1.2 Stone Matrix Asphalt 2
1.3 Plastic Waste 3
1.4 Application of Plastic in Roads 3
1.5 Methodology Usually Adopted for Utilisation of Waste Plastic 4
in Asphalt Mixes
1.6 Need for the Study 4
1.7 Objectives of the Study 5

Chapter 2 Review of Literature

2.1 Types of Waste Plastic 6
2.2 Use of Waste Plastics in Bituminous Wearing Courses 7
2.3 Use of Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET) in Bituminous Mixes 14
2.4 Summary 16

Chapter 3 Materials and Methodology

3.1 Materials 18
3.1.1 Aggregate 18
3.1.2 Bituminous binder 19
3.1.3 Fibre Additive 19
3.1.4 Waste Plastics 20
3.2 Experimental Program 21
3.3 Methodology 21
3.3.1 SMA Mix Design 21
3.3.2 Marshall Stability 24
3.3.3 Cantabro Abrasion Loss 25

Chapter 4 Results and Discussion

4.1 Marshall Stability 26
4.1.1 Effect of Plastic Type 26
4.1.2 Effect of Plastic Size 27
4.2 Cantabro Abrasion Loss 28
 4.2.1 Effect of Plastic Type 28
4.2.2 Effect of Plastic Size 29

Chapter 5 Conclusions
5.1 General 31
5.2 Conclusions 31
5.3 Scope for Future Works 32

References 33
 List of Figures

Caption Pages

Figure 1.1 Graphical representation of the difference between SMA and dense-
2
graded conventional mixtures (Kandhal, 2002)
Figure 3.1 SMA gradation selected for the study 18
Figure 3.2 Cellulose fibres 19
Figure 3.3 Collection of waste plastic: (a) waste plastic; (b) shredding of waste
plastic; (c) shredded waste plastic; (d) storage of shredded plastic in bags; (e)
20
PET of size 2.36-1.18 mm and 1.18-0.600 mm; (f) HDPE of size 2.36-1.18 mm
and 1.18-0.600 mm; (g) PP of size 2.36-1.18 mm and 1.18-0.600 mm
Figure 3.4 Experimental flow chart 21
Figure 3.5 Volumetric parameter of SMA mix (with neat VG 40 binder) versus
24
binder contents: (a) air voids; (b) VMA; (c) VCAmix; (d) binder draindown
Figure 3.6 Marshall stability test setup 24
Figure 4.1 Variation of Marshall stability of SMA mixes for plastic types at
26
different sizes: (a) 2.36-1.18 mm; (b) 1.18-0.600 mm
Figure 4.2 Variation of Marshall stability of SMA mixes with different plastic
27
types: (a) PP; (b) HDPE; (c) PET
Figure 4.3 Variation of Cantabro abrasion loss of SMA mixes for plastic types
28
at different sizes: (a) 2.36-1.18 mm; (b) 1.18-0.600 mm
Figure 4.4 Variation of Cantabro abrasion loss of SMA mixes with different
30
plastic types: (a) PP; (b) HDPE; (c) PET
 List of Tables

Caption Pages

Table 1.1 Characteristics and features of the different road types used in India 1
Table 2.1 Tensile strength and TSR of laboratory prepared sample (Punith and
7
Veeraragavan, 2011)
Table 2.2 At optimum binder content, properties of modified and traditional
9
bituminous concrete mixes (Sabina et al., 2009)
Table 2.3 Conventional Properties of LDPE modified asphalt binders (Hadidy
10
and Tan, 2009)
Table 3.1 Physio-mechanical properties of aggregates used in the study 18
Table 3.2 Physical properties of the VG 40 binder used in the study 19
Table 3.3 SMA mix design requirements 22
 Chapter 1
Introduction

1.1 Road Infrastructure of India

India has the second largest road network in the world. The aggregate length of India’s road
network is approximately 5.89 million kilometers, with a density of 1.8 km road per square
kilometer of land which is equivalent to the density of Germany and substantially higher than
the US, China, Brazil, and Russia (MoRTH, 2017). Roads in India are broadly divided into
many categories namely Expressway, National Highway (NH), State Highway (SH), Major
District Road (MDR), and Other District Road (ODR), and Village Road (VR). Table 1.1 lists
the specific characteristics and features of the different road categories. NH/Expressway
comprises 1,32,500 km of road length which is approximately 2.24% of total road length but
it carries 40% of total traffic, while SH consists of about 1,56,694 km and ODR & VR
approximately 56,08,477 km (MoRTH, 2019).

Table Error! No text of specified style in document..1 Characteristics and features of the
different road types used in India

Expressway These are superior type facilities, generally with a divided

carriageway grade separation at cross-section and fencing. They
permit only high speed vehicles.
National Highway These are the main highways running through the country
connecting major ports, foreign highways, and the capital of the
state. Provides state to state/union territories connectivity.

State Highway State highway provides connectivity to the district headquarters and
important cities within the state. It also provides connectivity with
other SH or NH.
Major District Road These are important roads within a district, serving areas of
production and markets. They also provide connectivity with SH or
NH.
Other District Road These roads provide connectivity between rural areas, production,
market center, block development, and other main roads.

1
 Village Road These are roads connecting a village or group of villages with each
other or to the nearest main road of high category.

Roads solely carry about 85% of passenger transport and 60% of freight transport (World
Bank estimates, 2011). Road transportation has progressively increased over time with
development in connectivity among cities, towns, and villages within the country. Therefore,
a sound road network is basic for the complete development of the country. Broadly, the road
pavements are classified into two types – flexible pavement and rigid pavement, primarily
based on their load transferring mechanism.

Flexible Pavement: Flexible pavement mainly refers to a paved road surfaced with asphalt
mix as wearing and/or binder course. The majority roads in India are constructed with
flexible pavements, which are constructed using hot mix asphalt (HMA) in the binder and
wearing course.

Rigid pavement: Rigid pavements are made up of plain or reinforced concrete slabs, resting
on a prepared granular base or sub-base. Rigid pavements have high rigidity and high
modulus of elasticity which helps in distributing the load over a wide area of subgrade.

1.2 Stone Matrix Asphalt

Stone matrix asphalt (SMA) is a gap-graded bituminous mix used in wearing course, which is
designed with higher asphalt for an aggregate gradation with high coarse aggregates content.
A greater presence of coarse aggregate in aggregate skeleton leads to maximized stone-on-
stone contact and interlocking between aggregates providing enhanced strength and the
higher presence of bitumen improves durability (shown in Figure 1.1).

(a) (b)
 Figure 1.1 Graphical representation of the difference between SMA and dense-graded
conventional mixtures (Kandhal, 2002)

Due to these features, these mixes have high resistance to rutting and at the same time
provides sufficient friction on surface course even in case of repeated loads. Typically, SMA
mixes contain 70-80% coarse aggregate of total aggregate mass in the mix, 6-7% of binder, 8-
12% of filler of total mass of mix. SMA can provide long time performance and can resist
permanent deformation (Watson, 2003). As SMA has higher binder dosages, it can cause
draindown of binder or mastic from mix under the action of gravity. Utilizing fiber additives
is one of the solutions to tackle the draindown problem/challenge.

1.3 Plastic Waste

Plastics play an important role in our daily life. Plastic wastes are generated from various
sources which include medical devices, containers and packaging (i.e. bottles and cups), and
durables (e.g. tyres, building materials), etc. Most of the plastic is non-biodegradable. Plastic
is mostly preferred because of its properties, easy processing, low cost, and good insulating
and thermal properties. It is a common sight in both urban and rural areas to find empty
plastic bags and other types of plastic packaging material littering on the roads as well as in
drains. Due to its non-biodegradability, it creates stagnation of water and associated hygiene
problems. In order to manage the waste plastic, continuous efforts are made to evaluate
whether this waste plastic can be reused productively in the construction of roads. The earlier
studies done at several institutes have indicated that the waste plastic, when added to hot
aggregate forms a fine coat of plastic over the aggregate, and such aggregate when mixed
with a binder is found to give mixes with higher strength, higher resistance to water and
better performance over a period of time.

1.4 Application of Plastic in Roads

In recent studies, utilisation of waste plastic has shown good potential for their use in
bituminous road construction. Recent trials of waste plastics in road construction have
yielded promising results in terms of utilising waste plastics in highway construction. Plastic
carry bags, disposable cups, and polyethylene terephthalate (PET) bottles collected from
municipal waste can be used as a component of bituminous road construction. Roads can be
constructed with use of discarded plastic, which is often disposed of in landfills, burnt, or
polluted into the environment. Landfilling and burning plastic waste are both inefficient ways
for its disposal as
the plastics in landfills can leach contaminants into the soil while burning produces gaseous
pollutants.

Asphalt binder or bitumen is the costliest component of the bituminous mixes and the
application of plastic in bituminous mixes can also help in reducing the cost of bituminous
mixes. Further, adding plastic to asphalt can help in the reduction of the bituminous binder
requirement in mixes. In few recent studies, the wear resistance of plastic-bitumen composite
roads is found higher than that of regular asphalt concrete roads. They do not absorb water
and are more flexible, resulting in less rutting and less maintenance work. Road surfaces thus
stay smoother for longer, require less maintenance, and absorb sound more effectively.

1.5 Methodology Usually Adopted for Utilisation of Waste Plastic in Asphalt Mixes

Dry process: In this process waste plastics are mixed with hot aggregate earlier to the
addition of binder. This method is applied to rigid and hard plastic that has a high melting
point such as high density polyethylene (HDPE) and PET. The dry technique is a good
approach to incorporate a higher amount of plastic waste into the flexible pavement. The
aggregate coated with plastic is used as the raw material in this procedure. Discarded carry
bags, films, cups, and other plastics may be utilised. The steps involved in the dry process are
listed below:

 Aggregates in the hot mix facility are heated to 170°C.

 To make plastic-coated aggregate, shredded plastic waste is added to the heated
aggregate in the desired proportion.
 Hot bitumen of the requisite grade is then added to the mix, and the mixture is
employed for road construction.

Wet process: In this process waste plastics are added into the asphalt binder directly earlier
to mixing with aggregate. In this process, plastic waste acts as a modifier. This method is
suitable for waste plastic that has a low melting point such as polypropylene (PP) and low
density polyethylene (LDPE).

Modified dry process: In this process waste plastic is added to the asphalt mixture and it acts
as a modifier. Waste plastic polymer is added into the mixture in the last stage of the mixing
process i.e., after mixing a binder with the aggregate, plastic waste is added and further mixed
for a given time at the mixing temperature.

1.6 Need for the Study

Even though the use of plastics in asphalt mixes has been the focus of research for the last
few years, there are certain factors that still need to be thoroughly evaluated and examined.
This research identifies the following aspects on which further study in this direction is
required:

 Stone matrix asphalt (SMA) mixes is getting wide use in construction of wearing
courses of higher category of roads like national highways and expressway.
Utilization of waste plastic in SMA mix can be a promising approach towards better
management of waste plastic and sustainable construction of roads.

 Effect of plastic type and size on the properties of resulting SMA mixes need to be
studied in detail.

 Properties of SMA mixes need to be evaluated, when fabricated with variable

contents of different waste plastic type and size.

1.7 Objectives of the Study

This study aims to assess the characteristics of stone matrix asphalt produced with different
types and sizes of waste plastic. The following objectives will be achieved to attain the main
aim:

1. Collection and characterization of natural aggregate, bituminous binder, and waste

plastic.

2. Design and evaluation of SMA mix with natural aggregate and neat binder without
incorporation of waste plastic.

3. Determination of properties of SMA mixes with the incorporation of variable dosages

of different types and sizes of waste plastic.
 Chapter 2

Review of Literature

This section of the report illustrates the review of the literature that has been gone through
to find the research gap and to understand the need for this study. The literature that has
been summarized here helped in understanding the different types of waste plastics used
in bituminous road construction and their effect on the properties of different types of
bituminous mixes.

2.1 Types of Waste Plastic

Low density polyethylene (LDPE): LDPE has a lower specific gravity, strength, and
temperature resistance than HDPE, with a density of 0.92-0.93 g/cm 3. Because of its long,
flexible, and linear polyethylene chain, which has a greater ability to adjust to an external
force. The plastic bag, which must be shred into 5 mm by 5 mm or smaller, is the most
common source of LDPE waste.

High density polyethylene (HDPE): HDPE has a density of 0.940-0.965 g/cm3. The
linear polymer chains in high density polyethylene (HDPE) have minimal branches,
allowing the molecules to fit closer together, resulting in a strong intermolecular
interaction. As a result, high-density polyethylene is denser and more rigid than LDPE.
Waste HDPE has been frequently used to modify asphalt, primarily using the wet
process.

Polypropylene (PP): PP is a thermoplastic polymer that has a wide range of applications.

Such polymer is light weighted with a specific gravity of 0.91. It is made from the
monomer propylene through chain-growth polymerization. After polyethylene,
polypropylene is the second most extensively used commodity plastic.

Polyethylene terephthalate (PET): Over the last few decades, the consumption of PET
products has soared. PET (C10H8O4)n is a thermoplastic polymer resin of the polyester
family that has been widely utilised for drinking bottles. Shredded PET bottles, which
range in size from 1.18 to 2.36 mm, are used to replace aggregate in asphalt mixtures.

Polystyrene (PS): Polystyrene, which comprises general-purpose PS, expanded PS, high
impact PS, and syndiotactic PS, is a polymer frequently used for packaging applications.
Expanded PS and high impact PS have excellent mechanical and insulating capabilities
and
are commonly used in resin-molded products such as TV cabinets and PS form for
packing electric appliances.

Polyvinyl chloride (PVC): Waste PVC is derived from pipes, window frames, or cables.
The backbone chains of PVC are entirely made up of aliphatic (linear) carbon atoms.
PVC has a higher hardness and stiffness because of the chloride and carbon link dipole.

2.2 Use of Waste Plastics in Bituminous Wearing Courses

Punith and Veeraragavan (2011) used as an ingredient in asphalt concrete mixtures,

reclaimed polyethylene (PE) generated from low density polyethylene carry-bags
collected from household garbage was employed. They tested the performance of the
control hot mix asphalt (HMA) and the polyethylene modified hot mix asphalt (PEHMA)
combination on conventional HMA and PE-modified HMA test sections during five years.
The test sections were built between National Highway-4 and Bangalore City on the
Outer Ring Road. For binder modification, shredded PE with a size of 2mm x 2mm was
added to the asphalt tank, along with 5% by weight of asphalt, and the mixture was stirred
for 30 minutes with a high- speed motor. In the asphalt tank, the blending was done at
170°C. When comparing PE- modified asphalt mixtures to conventional combinations, it
was discovered that PE- modified asphalt mixes performed better. The addition of PE to
the asphalt mixture improved moisture susceptibility, as demonstrated in table 2.1.

Table 2.1 Tensile strength and TSR of laboratory prepared sample (Punith and
Veeraragavan, 2011)

Sample ITS, MPa TSR for TSR for

Number Control PEHMA Control PEHMA
1 0.61 0.89 82.5 86.8
2 0.65 0.83 73.9 94.9
3 0.57 0.76 68.3 91.2
4 0.61 0.81 83.8 89.5
5 0.63 0.85 74.2 88.4
SUM 3.07 4.14 382.7 450.8
AVG 0.6 0.8 76.5 90.2
Attaelmanan et al. (2011) investigated the feasibility of employing high-density
polyethylene (HDPE) as an asphalt paving material modification. Bitumen of 80/100
penetration grade, HDPE in pellet form to alter asphalt cement, aggregates, and filler
(Calcium carbonate (CaCO3)) were utilised in this investigation. To obtain a homogenous
binder, different percentages of HDPE, namely 1,3,5, and 7% by weight of the binder,
were mixed at 170° C using a high speed stirrer revolving at a speed of 3000 rpm for 2
hours. The improvement in the performance of HDPE modified asphalt binders may be
seen in the results of conventional properties of HDPE-asphalt binders. The penetration
index values of the binder increased as HDPE concentration increased, showing reduced
temperature susceptibility of asphalt. Further, the Marshall Test revealed that HDPE
modified asphalt binders provided higher resistance to deformation. In addition, tensile
strength ratios of HDPE-containing mixes were greater than 85%, indicating that this
modifier did not weaken the combination when exposed to moisture. The stiffness and
modulus of rupture values of modified asphalt mixtures were found to be higher,
indicating that asphalt mixes had a lower cracking potential at low temperatures. Finally,
it was determined that 5 percent HDPE may be used to create a flexible pavement with
good performance, durability, and cost savings.

Jain et al. (2011) reported on the use of waste polymeric packaging materials (WPPM) to
reduce rutting in bituminous roadways. The materials employed in this investigation were
60/70 penetration grade bitumen, quartzite-type rock aggregates, and waste polymeric
packaging material (WPPM) from recycled milk bags and other carry bags. The aggregate
gradation for 50 mm thick bituminous concrete was based on the Ministry of Road
Transport and Highways Standard (MORTH). The amount of WPPM in the total
bituminous mix was changed from 0.1 percent to 0.6 percent by weight. The aggregates
were coated with waste polymeric packaging material (WPPM) initially, and then a
binder was added to the mix. Rutting tests were performed for 20,000 cycles at 46°C,
52°C, and 58°C. For rut depth research, the BS 598-1998 test protocol was used. The
usage of 0.3 to
0.4 percent WPPM by weight of mix was shown to be optimal and safe. In addition, the
performance attributes of bituminous mixtures improved significantly. Because the
stiffness modulus of the mixes rose with the addition of WPPM, a lower thickness of
bituminous concrete using modified mixes may be equivalent to a higher thickness using
standard bitumen.

Asange et al. (2012) conducted an evaluation of several studies on the impact of low
density polyethylene (LDPE) as an asphalt mix component. The authors concluded that
using PE/LDPE in asphalt pavements improves certain characteristics of the pavement,
such as kinematic viscosity of the binder, higher indirect tensile strength, and unconfined
compressive strength, improved resistance to moisture susceptibility, reduced pavement
deformation, increased fatigue resistance, and better adsorption. The use of waste
polymers in pavement enhances pavement performance and decreases pollution, as well
as reducing the requirement for virgin polymers in the pavement, resulting in cost
savings.

Sabina et al. (2009) reported that coating stone aggregates with waste plastic increased
aggregate impact value, Los Angeles abrasion value, and water absorption capacity.
Furthermore, intermolecular interaction between bitumen and waste PP coated aggregate
improved bituminous concrete mix strength and therefore quality. The attributes of
bituminous concrete mixes incorporating plastic (8 percent and 15 percent by weight of
bitumen) were compared to those of standard bituminous concrete mixes (made with
60/70 grade bitumen) using a dry method. The Marshall technique of mix design was
used to determine the optimal binder content (OBC) of bituminous concrete mixes. To test
the bulk density and strength qualities of waste plastic modified bituminous concrete
mixes, OBC was used to cast samples utilising plastic waste as a modifier (0%, 8%, and
15% by weight of bitumen). In Marshall Stability, significant improvements in
performance characteristics were observed. Table 2.2 shows the indirect tensile strength
(ITS) and maintained stability of bituminous concrete mixes. As a result, waste PP
modified bituminous concrete mixes are projected to be more durable, less vulnerable to
moisture, and perform better in real- world settings.

Table 2.2 At optimum binder content, properties of modified and traditional bituminous
concrete mixes (Sabina et al., 2009)

Modified Mix
Conventional
Properties 8% Waste 15% Waste
Mix
Plastic Plastic
Marshall stability,
1300 1567 1539
kg
Flow, mm 3.8 5.6 5.7
Retained stability, % 76 90 87
Air voids, % 4.5 5.6 5.7
Bluk density, g/cc 2.391 2.351 2.349
ITS kg/cm2 6.4 10.7 8.2
Hadidy and Tan (2009) investigated the possibility of using LDPE as an asphalt paving
modification. Table 2.3 illustrates the conventional properties of LDPE modified asphalt
binders, respectively. It was discovered that LDPE maintained ductility values of 100+ up
to 6%, indicating that LDPE dissolved entirely in asphalt cement. At 6% LDPE content,
the softening point of virgin asphalt was increased by 26%. They also discovered that
adding LDPE to the asphalt mixtures increased the modulus of rupture and stiffness
modulus values at -10° C, potentially reducing the cracking potential of pavements at low
temperatures. Tensile strength ratios were also found to be greater than 85%,
demonstrating that adding LDPE does not make the combination weaker when exposed to
moisture.

Table 2.3 Conventional Properties of LDPE modified asphalt binders (Hadidy and
Tan, 2009)

LDPE Penetration Ductility Softening Point

Content (%) (25°C, 1/10 mm) (25°C, 5 cm/min) (°C)
0 51 150+ 52.5
2 40.8 148.5 57
4 35.5 141.8 61.5
6 28 137 66
8 23.5 91 68.5

Huang et al. (2007) reviewed studies on the use of various solid waste materials in
pavement construction, such as waste glass, steel slag, tyres, and plastic, and discussed
their uses in the creation of flexible pavements. In this review, various studies involving
the use of LDPE in various courses of bituminous pavements were examined, and it was
discovered that including LDPE in bituminous mixes improved various mix properties
such as indirect tensile strength (ITS), Marshall Stability, retained Marshall stability, and
so on. It was also discovered that employing waste plastics in the building of flexible
pavement can result in aggregate fraction replacement of up to 15-30% and binder content
replacement of up to 8%. It was also stressed that diverting additional solid waste
materials to pavement use is worthwhile, as ongoing efforts have resulted in the
acceptance of an ever-growing list of recycled solid waste materials for road building.

Punith and Veeraragavan (2010) studied the behavior of asphalt amended with recycled
LDPE from household garbage carry bags was investigated. The investigation used
bitumen of the 80/100 grade. The modified binder was made by manually mixing
different
amounts of shredded LDPE (0 to 10% by weight of bitumen) in neat asphalt at 165 °C for
5 minutes and then aggressively agitating for about 20 m with a mechanical starter
revolving at 3500 rpm for about 20 minutes. Passing the binder through an ASTM 100
filter at 165° C proved the homogeneity of PE dispersion. The impact of various
characteristics on asphalt behaviour was studied. The effect of altering blending
temperature was studied, and it was discovered that as blending temperature increased,
stirring speed and stirring period decreased. Changing the stirring period while keeping
the blending temperature constant at 170° C, on the other hand, did not affect the binder
qualities.

Increased PE concentration resulted in lower penetration, ductility, and specific gravity

values, as well as a higher softening point. If mixing time was kept constant, however,
increasing PE content required a higher blending temperature for the creation of modified
asphalt. Penetration values at the softening point were found to be decreasing as the PE
content of the binders increased. With increasing PE content, the elastic recovery of the
binder also decreased. The index of temperature susceptibility of the binder is sometimes
measured by the slope of the penetration temperature relationship. It was discovered that
the logarithm of penetration and temperature appeared to have a linear connection. With
the addition of PE content to the binder, the temperature susceptibility was shown to
decrease. The viscosity-temperature relationships for pure asphalt and modified binders
with varying percentages of PE component also clearly demonstrated that the PE-
modified binders are less temperature susceptible. Thin film oven test equipment was used
to conduct the loss on the hearing test. The test results revealed that when PE-modified
binders were compared to clean asphalt, the loss of volatiles on heating was lower. This
could be because some PE pellets float to the surface, trapping lighter molecules in the
liquid and reducing asphalt volatility. According to a thermogravimetric study, there was
no significant influence of altering PE content on the binders' flash point or degradation
owing to temperature. Finally, it was discovered that adding PE polymer to the binder
increases its loading response at service temperatures.

Zoorob and Suparma (2000) discussed the laboratory design of continuously graded
asphaltic concrete (AC) mixtures containing recycled plastic aggregate. In dense graded
bituminous mixes, recycled waste plastics, primarily LDPE in pellet form, were utilised to
replace (by volume) a portion of the mineral aggregates of identical size, i.e. 5.00 - 2.36
mm. The compacted Plastiphalt mix has a lower bulk density than the traditional control
mix at the same air void content. A 30 percent volume replacement of aggregate with
LDPE resulted in a 16 percent reduction in bulk compacted mix density. In addition,
partial aggregate substitution with LDPE resulted in a 250-fold improvement in Marshall
Stability (strength) and an increased MQ value. The Plastiphalt mix's creep stiffness was
somewhat lower than the control mix after 1 hour of loading at 60°C; however, the
Plastiphalt showed a 14 percent recovery after 1 hour of unloading time, compared to 0.6
percent for the control mix. The Plastiphalt compacted mix's indirect tensile stiffness
modulus values were found to be lower than the control mix's, while the static indirect
tensile strength values were substantially higher. The mechanical qualities of the recycled
mix were found to be comparable to or better than those of the original Plastiphalt and the
control mix.

Vasudevan et al. (2010) Plastic waste coated aggregates (PCA) were developed as a raw
material for flexible pavement using an innovative approach (dry process) of coating
heated stone aggregates with plastics created from wastes such as carry bags, films,
foams, and so on. The PCA was then combined with bitumen and used in the building of
flexible pavements. The amount of plastic garbage used was approximately 10-15% of
the bitumen's weight. Various studies were conducted to characterise various waste
polymers used for coating aggregates, PCA, and PCA-bitumen mix. The thermal
parameters of the polymers revealed that all of the polymers employed in this study had
softening points between 100 and 140° C, which is close to the mixing temperature for
bituminous mixtures, which is 150°C-160°C. At this temperature, softened plastic formed
a thin film-like structure over the aggregates. The molten polymer, which creates a thin
layer over the aggregates, covers the pores on the aggregate surface, reducing moisture
absorption and binding the aggregates together, according to the findings. The stripping
test results of the PCA-bitumen mix reveal that the PCA bitumen mix has negligible
stripping, which is attributable to the creation of an organic link between the polymer film
and the bitumen. The results of the binder extraction test for modified and unmodified
mixes showed that as the plastic content increased, the amount of binder extracted
decreased due to increased polymer film thickness on the aggregates, which helped
bitumen bond with aggregates through polymerization. The Marshall stability values of
the PCA bitumen mix were 50- 60% higher than those of the PMB bitumen mix,
indicating that the binding strength of the PCA bitumen mix is stronger. Finally, it was
determined that the PCA-bitumen mix has improved bitumen binding with plastic coated
aggregates because the polymer coating decreases gaps and minimises moisture
absorption and bitumen oxidation by trapped air.
This leads to less rutting, ravelling, and pothole formation, as well as a longer pavement
life, allowing roads to resist heavy traffic and extreme weather conditions.

Sultana et al. (2012) studied the use of waste plastic as a strength modifier in the surface
course of flexible pavements. Low Density Polyethylene (LDPE), High Density
Polyethylene (HDPE), and Polypropylene (PP) were employed in this investigation, and
they were shredded into bits that passed through a 4.75 mm filter and were kept on a 2.36
mm screen. Table 2.15 lists the specifications for the polymers utilised. Two alternative
processes were used to prepare the samples for the Marshall Mix design. One technique
involved utilising 'plastic coated aggregates + filler + binder,' while another involved
using polymer (waste plastic) modified bitumen in conjunction with unmodified
aggregates and filler. To make a homogeneous mixture, the polymer modified binder was
made by progressively adding shredded waste polymer to bitumen in a fluid state while
keeping the mixer speed at 120rpm and the temperature between 160°C-170 °C for 30
minutes. The percentages of PP, LDPE, and HDPE employed in the mixture were 0.5,
1.0, 1.5, 2.0, 2.5,
3, and 5% by weight.

Desai et al. (2013) According to the paper, the dry approach of coating waste plastic over
stone aggregates is preferable to the wet process of blending shredded waste plastic with
bitumen and using this modified bitumen for pavement building. The advantages and
disadvantages of the wet and dry processes for preparing plastic aggregates-bitumen mix
were investigated, and it was discovered that in the case of the dry process, coating of
plastic over stone aggregates is a simple process that helps in improving aggregate quality
and allows the use of up to 15% waste plastic by weight of bitumen without any need for
improvement in available bitumen. While in the wet process, where plastic waste was first
mixed with bitumen and subsequently this modified bitumen was used to mix with
aggregates, waste plastic up to 8% by weight of bitumen was allowed, and blending the
plastic and bitumen required more powerful equipment and energy. They also discovered
that using modified bitumen with a 5-10% by weight addition of processed waste plastic
improves the Marshall stability, fatigue life, and other desirable properties of bituminous
concrete mixes, resulting in improved longevity and pavement performance with a
marginal reduction in bitumen usage.

Moussa et al. (2020) investigated the moisture susceptibility of asphalt mixtures modified
with high density polyethylene. Asphalt 60/70 was mixed with several concentrations of
high-density polyethylene (HDPE) ranging from 2% to 8% by bitumen weight.
Penetration depth, rotational value (RV), softening point and scanning electron
microscopy (SEM) tests were performed on both the regular and HDPE-modified binders.
Asphalt mixtures were designed by the Egyptian specification utilizing the Marshall
method. Regular and HDPE- modified asphalt mixtures, moisture susceptibilities were
evaluated through IDT and loss of stability tests. The result of scanning electron
microscopy (SEM) indicated that HDPE was homogeneously scattered through the binder
with no polymer cluster formation. Testing results revealed that adding high-density
polyethylene at centralisation of 4% gives good performance in many tests. Adding
HDPE significantly improved the properties of the asphalt binder, expanded the hardness
of the asphalt mixture, and decreased the impact of moisture damage. Results revealed an
improvement in the physical properties of the HDPE-modified binder with a decrease in
its sensitivity to temperature compared with the conventional binder. SEM
microstructural study showed a decent dispersion of HDPE inside the modified binder.
The best performance of the modified asphalt mixture was attained at 4% of high-density
polyethylene (HDPE), by bitumen weight. Implementing HDPE as a binder added content
upgraded mixture stiffness and thus its tendency to permanent deformation. Additionally,
it improved the binder aggregates bonding and consequently higher moisture resistance
was gained. In this manner, incorporating HDPE improved mechanical properties and
moisture damage resistance of the asphalt mixtures.

2.3 Use of Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET) in Bituminous Mixes

Ahmadinia et al. (2011) studied the use of waste plastic bottles made out of polyethylene
terephthalate (PET) as an additive for stone mastic asphalt (SMA). Waste PET, Portland
cement as a filler, bitumen, and crushed granite aggregate with an SMA20 gradation were
the materials employed in this investigation. (PET) was added to the mix after the
bitumen was fully mixed with the aggregates in percentages ranging from 2% to 10% by
weight of bitumen in the sample batch. The Marshall Mix design results showed that the
mix performance has improved. Better adhesion developing between the ingredients in
the mix was attributable to the addition of polymers to the hot mix asphalt, which
increased the Marshall stability of the mix. Flow values were observed to decrease
significantly as PET content increased up to 4%, then begin to climb again. However, a
high percentage of PET causes the flow to increase while the stability diminishes, as
shown in the figures below. The Marshall is a military leader. The quotient values of PET
modified mixes were substantially higher than the control mix, showing that the
bituminous mixtures were more
resistant to deformation, which was attributable to the improved stiffness of the
bituminous mixes due to the inclusion of PET. As the amount of PET in the mix
increases, the density of the mix falls and the number of air holes increases as a result of
chopped PET remaining in the form of crystal, increasing the surface area.

Ahmadinia et al. (2012) presented experimental research on the application of waste

plastic bottles made of Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET) as an additive in stone mastic
asphalt (SMA). Crushed granite aggregates, 80/100 penetration grade bitumen, and
Portland cement as a filler were employed in the experiment. PET is an additive made
from waste plastic bottles that have been washed, dried, and broken into tiny pieces
(passing through a 1.18 mm screen and remaining on a 425 mm sieve). The sample
preparation in this study was different from the traditional dry procedure, in which
aggregates are heated first and then bitumen is added to the heated aggregates. PET was
added to the mixture at the conclusion of the mixing process after the binder and
aggregate had been added and mixed for around 2 minutes at 160 ± 5 degrees C. At 145
°C, the Marshall sample was crushed with 50 blows on both faces. Wheel tracking,
moisture susceptibility, resilience modulus, and drain down tests were performed on
mixes containing varying amounts of waste PET as 0%, 2.5%, 5%, 3%, and 10% by
weight of bitumen content.

The draindown value of the PET mixes was lower than the drain down value of the
control mixture, regardless of the content of the PET used, and an increase in PET content
in the combination reduces the drain down value. The decrease in the draindown value
could be due to the chopped PET in the mixture remaining in crystal form, which
increases surface area. However, the increased surface area must be wetted with the
binder, which will result in the binder being stabilised and held on its surface, and the
binder draining down will be reduced. With the addition of PET, the tensile strength and
TSR values of the mixes fall. TSR values of 70% to 80% have been established as the
minimum required by the AASHTOT 283 and ASTM D 4867 standards. All TSR values
were greater than 70%, indicating that all mixes may be resistant to moisture-induced
damage. The addition of waste PET, on the other hand, has no effect on the mixture's
moisture susceptibility. This outcome could be attributable to the crystal form of PET that
forms after mixing, which keeps the sticky binder on its surface and reduces the asphalt
layer thickness around the aggregate, lowering the resistance to moisture damage.
Mohammed et al. (2014) studied the use of PET (in the form of powder from 1-5% by
weight of asphalt binder) as an asphalt modifier in asphalt concrete mixes using wet
process. According to the findings, adding polymer increased the ITS value by 43.28
percent for dry samples at 4 percent PET and 69.58 percent for wet samples at 4 percent
PET. Additionally, adding polymer boosts the tensile strength of wet samples dipped in
water for 24 hours at 60°C, but it is less than the tensile strength of dry samples for the
same percentage. The tensile strength ratio (TSR) value improves with the addition of
polymer, reaching 93.61 percent at 5% PET, according to the findings. The higher the
tensile strength ratio, the better the humidity resistance. As a result of the findings, it was
found that the polymer combination is less impacted by humidity than the original
combination.

Gibreil and Feng (2017) utilised high-density polyethylene (HDPE) and crumb rubber
powder (CRP) as bitumen modifiers to enhance the properties of hot mix asphalt. 60/70
penetration grade bitumen and crushed aggregates obtained from Harbin city (China)
were used for the preparation of HMA mixes corresponding to a nominal maximum
aggregate size of 19.0 mm. In the study, HDPE was introduced at a dosage of 4%, 5%,
and 6% by weight of bitumen while CRP was used at dosages of 5%, 10%, and 15% also
by the weight of bitumen for the preparation of modified bitumen. In this study, six
different concentrations (4.0-6.5%) of asphalt samples were prepared. It found that at 4%
air void volume optimum bitumen content is 6.4%. This test shows that increasing HDPE
concentration, reduces penetration and ductility value but increases softening point. This
study shows that an increase in CRP concentration reduces penetration value but increases
ductility and softening point. Marshall stability (32.92%) and Marshall quotient (57.84%)
value was increase as compared to the control mixture by the addition of 5% HDPE and
10% CRP. Resistance to moisture damage and resistance to permanent deformation
increase with an increase in the HDPE and CRP.

2.4 Summary

A comprehensive literature review has been carried out over the application of different
types of waste plastics in bituminous mixes. Major outcomes of this literature review are
summarized as follows:
 The performance of modified asphalt binder with waste plastics (PE, PP, PS)
showed improvement in conventional properties such as softening point, ductility,
penetration, etc.
 Bituminous mixes produced with plastics yielded better performance in terms of
rutting, moisture susceptibility, adhesion with aggregate, etc.
 Bituminous mixes are prepared either with a wet mixing process or through a dry
mixing process.
 Many pieces of literature contradict each other in the performance enhancement of
bituminous mixes with the addition of PET.
 The performance of SMA mixes incorporating plastic waste needs to be
investigated in terms of plastic type, size, and dosages.
 Chapter 3
Materials and Methodology
3.1 Materials

3.1.1 Aggregate

Aggregate selection and its gradation play a pivotal role in the case of SMA mixtures.
Crushed natural stone aggregates obtained from a nearby local stone crusher were collected
for this study. The aggregates were evaluated for its physio-mechanical properties and the test
results are listed in Table 3.1. SMA aggregate gradation corresponding to the upper and lower
limits specified by Indian Roads Congress specification (IRC: SP: 79 - 2008) was adopted, so
as to attain a good stone-on-stone contact and a minimum void in mineral aggregates (VMA)
of 17%. The selected gradation is shown in Figure 3.1.

Table 3.1 Physio-mechanical properties of aggregates used in the study

Test
Property Methodology Test method Specification
results
Particle shape Combined FI & EI IS: 2386 Part I Max. 30% 16.80%
Strength Los Angeles Abrasion IS: 2386 Part IV Max. 25% 22.60%
Water absorption Water absorption IS: 2386 Part III Max. 2% 0.65%

Figure 1.1 SMA gradation selected for the study

3.1.2 Bituminous Binder

Bituminous binder (Viscosity grade 40 – VG40) compatible with medium-high pavement

service temperature range observed in India was selected and evaluated for its physical
properties specified in the Indian standard IS 73 (2013). The results are presented in Table 3.2
and were observed to meet the specified requirements.

Table 3.2 Physical properties of the VG 40 binder used in the study

Property Standards Requirement Results
Penetration at 25°C, 100 g, 5 s, 0.1 mm IS 1203 Min. 35 35
Absolute viscosity at 60°C, Poises IS 1206 (Part 2) 3200-4800 4664
Kinematic viscosity at 135°C, cSt IS 1206 (Part 3) Min. 400 765
Flash point (Cleveland open cup), °C IS 1448 [P: 69] Min. 220 >220
Solubility in trichloroethylene, percent IS 1216 Min. 99.0 >99

Softening point (R&B), °C IS 1205 Min. 50 62.3

Tests on rolling thin film oven (RTFO) residue
Viscosity ratio at 60°C IS 1206 (Part 2) Max. 4.0 2.15
Ductility at 25°C, cm IS 1208 Min. 25 >100

3.1.3 Fibre Additive

SMA mixes are prone to binder draindown during its mixing, hauling, and laying operations
and so to counteract the downward migration of bituminous binder under gravity at elevated
temperatures, cellulose fibre at a dosage of 0.3% by weight of the mix was used in the study
(shown in Figure 3.2).

Figure 3.2 Cellulose fibres

3.1.4 Waste Plastics

Three types of waste plastics: polyethylene terephthalate (PET), high density polyethylene
(HDPE), and polypropylene (PP) were collected from the Central Institute of Petrochemicals
Engineering & Technology (CIPET) situated in Guwahati (Assam, India). The waste plastics
were segregated according to their type and were shredded to a size smaller than 4.75 mm
using a mechanical shredder. Waste plastic corresponding to the size range of 2.36–1.18 mm
and 1.18–0.600 mm were used in this study. The steps involved in the collection of the waste
plastic are illustrated in Figure 3.3.

(a) (b)

(c) (d)

(e) (f) (g)

Figure 3.3 Collection of waste plastic: (a) waste plastic; (b) shredding of waste plastic;
(c) shredded waste plastic; (d) storage of shredded plastic in bags; (e) PET of size 2.36-
1.18 mm and 1.18-0.600 mm; (f) HDPE of size 2.36-1.18 mm and 1.18-0.600 mm; (g) PP
of
size 2.36-1.18 mm and 1.18-0.600 mm
3.2 Experimental Program

Figure 3.4 shows the flowchart of the experimental regime and tests used to achieve the
different objectives of the study.

Figure 3.4 Experimental flow chart

3.3 Methodology

3.3.1 SMA Mix Design

Preparation of SMA mix specimens

 Mixing temperature = 165 – 170°C

 Compaction temperature = 155 – 160°C

 Weight of cellulose fibre = (@ 0.3% by weight of mix

 Weight of dry aggregate batch = 1150 g

 Number of blows = 75 blows on both faces

 Binder contents (BC) = 5.5%, 6.0%, 6.5%, 7.0% by weight of mix

SMA mix requirements

The mix requirements for the determination of the optimum binder content (OBC) of an SMA
mix is listed in Table 3.3 and are in accordance with IRC: SP: 79 (2008). The minimum trial
binder content which meets the specifications listed in Table 3.3 is considered as the OBC of
the mix.

Table 3.3 SMA mix design requirements

Mix design parameters Requirement

Air voids content 4.0%

Bitumen content minimum 5.8%

Cellulose fibre 0.3% by weight of total mix

Voids in mineral aggregate (VMA) minimum 17%

VCAmix less than VCADRC

Binder draindown maximum 0.3%

Tensile strength ratio (TSR) minimum 85%

Following equations and standards are used to compute the mix volumetric:
Gmm  Gmb
 100
o Calculation of air voids content Gmm
 Gmb 
o Voids in mineral aggregate  100  P
 
 Gsb S
 Gmb 
 100  P
o VCAmix  
CA
 GCA 
GCA w   s
 100
o VCADRC GCA
w

o Binder draindown as per ASTM D6390

o TSR as per AASHTO T283

Notations:

Gmm : maximum theoretical specific gravity measured using the Corelok device at a binder
content of 6.0%
Gmb : bulk specific gravity of compacted sample measured using water displacement method
Gsb : bulk specific gravity of the aggregate corresponding to the used SMA gradation
P1  P2  P3  ...  Pn
P  P  P Pn
1 2 3  ... 
G2 G
: 3 Gn

G1
GCA : bulk specific gravity of the coarse aggregate fraction (greater than 4.75 mm) used in
the SMA gradation
PS : percentage of aggregate by total weight of mix
PCA : percent of coarse aggregate (greater than 4.75 mm) by total weight of mix
γw : unit weight of water in kg/m3 (998 kg/m3)
γs : unit weight of coarse aggregate (greater than 4.75 mm) under a dry rodded condition
in kg/m3 calculated in accordance to ASTM C29.

SMA mix design results

The variation of the design parameters with percentage binder content (BC) mix design is
presented in Figure 3.5. The optimum binder content found for the SMA mix specimen
fabricated with VG 40 neat binder is found to be 6.4% by weight of the mix. The SMA mix
specimen prepared at OBC (6.4% binder content) met all the requirements stipulated in
Indian standard IRC: SP: 79 (2008) and also presented in Table 3.3. The observed values for
mix volumetric parameters for SMA mixes prepared at 6.4% binder content are as follows:
air void content = 4%; VMA = 17.4%; VCAmix: 31.9%; binder draindown: 0.19%.

(a) (b)
 (c) (d)
Figure 3.5 Volumetric parameter of SMA mix (with neat VG 40 binder) versus binder
contents: (a) air voids; (b) VMA; (c) VCAmix; (d) binder draindown

3.3.2 Marshall Stability

Marshall stability and flow tests were conducted as per ASTM D6927. Specimens were
conditioned at 60 °C in a water bath for 30-40 minutes before testing. After the conditioning
period, specimens were removed, patted with a towel to remove excess water, and quickly
placed in the Marshall testing head. Loading ram was brought into contact with the testing
head. Load at the rate of 50.8 mm/minute (2 inches/minute) was applied until the maximum
load was reached. The maximum load to failure was reported as the stability. As per standard,
testing should be completed within 30 seconds from the time specimen is removed from the
bath so that excessive cooling of the sample does not occur.

Figure Error! No text of specified style in document..5 Marshall stability test setup
3.3.3 Cantabro Abrasion Loss

The compacted SMA mix samples are subjected to the Los Angeles abrasion machine
(without steel balls) in the Cantabro abrasion loss evaluation test. The change in weight
before and after the test indicates the durability of SMA mix specimens. The initial weight of
each SMA mix sample is noted and placed in the abrasion drum, which is then set for 300
revolutions at a rate of 30 revolutions per minute. The difference between the readings
observed after the rotations is referred to as the Cantabro abrasion loss and is calculated in
percentage using equation (1):
W1 W2
Cantabro Loss (%)  100
(1)
W1

where,
W1 = Initial sample weight, g
W2 = Final sample weight, g
 Chapter 4
Results and Discussion

Mechanical strength and resistance against ravelling were evaluated through the Marshall
stability test and Cantabro abrasion loss test, respectively, to see the effect of polypropylene
(PP), high density polyethylene (HDPE), and polyethylene terephthalate (PET) on the
performance of stone matrix asphalt mixes. SMA mixes were fabricated at different sizes
(2.36-
1.18 mm and 1.18-0.600 mm) and at varying dosages of plastics (0%, 4%, 6%, 8%, and 10%
by weight of asphalt binder). The results of the test conducted on SMA mix specimens are
reported and discussed on the basis of the different types, sizes, and contents of plastics.

4.1 Marshall Stability

4.1.1 Effect of Plastic Type

(a) (b)
Figure 4.1 Variation of Marshall stability of SMA mixes for plastic types at different sizes:
(a) 2.36-1.18 mm; (b) 1.18-0.600 mm

Figure 4.1 illustrates the Marshall Stability results of SMA mixes fabricated with PET,
HDPE, and PP at dosages of 0%, 4%, 6%, 8%, and 10% by weight of asphalt binder using the
dry process. After adding PET, HDPE, and PP of coarser size (2.36 mm-1.18 mm) as
depicted in Figure 4.1(a), the stability value increased for plastic content up to 6% and
thereafter witnessed a reduction in the stability. On the other hand, for finer size (1.18 mm-
0.6 mm) of PET, HDPE, and PP, the stability value increased until 10% dosage of plastic in
SMA mixes as shown in
Figure 4.1(b). It is noteworthy that the Marshall stability was higher in comparison to the
control mix for all the dosages when the finer size of plastics was used in SMA mixes. When
compared for variation of Marshall stability among plastic types, HDPE performed best
followed by PP and PET. A higher content of coarser sizes of waste plastic leads to improper
mixing or a less homogeneous, resulting in a decrease in Marshall Stability values after a
dosage of 6%. This challenge was not observed with finer sizes and the Marshall Stability
values increased with increase in plastic dosage.

4.1.2 Effect of Plastic Size

(a) (b)

(c)
Figure 4.2 Variation of Marshall stability of SMA mixes with different plastic types: (a)
PP; (b) HDPE; (c) PET
Figure 4.2 shows the Marshall stability results of SMA mixes prepared with 6.4% of VG 40
asphalt binder and adding PP, HDPE, PET plastics to SMA mix through the dry process at
contents of 0%, 4%, 6%, 8%, and 10% by weight of asphalt binder. It is evident from Figures
4.2(a) and 4.2(b) that SMA mixes prepared with the coarser size of waste plastic in general
showed a better performance up to 6 to 8% of dosage (for PP and HDPE it is 8% and for PET
it is 6%) when compared with the finer fractions. However, when the content increased by
more than 8%, SMA mixes with finer sizes showed a higher Marshall Stability than coarser
mixes, indicating that both size and type plays an important role in the optimum dosage of a
plastic type in terms of Marshall stability strength.

4.2 Cantabro Abrasion Loss

4.2.1 Effect of Plastic Type

(a) (b)
Figure 4.3 Variation of Cantabro abrasion loss of SMA mixes for plastic types at different
sizes: (a) 2.36-1.18 mm; (b) 1.18-0.600 mm

Cantabro abrasion loss results of SMA mixes produced with PET, HDPE, and PP at dosages
of 0%, 4%, 6%, 8%, and 10% by weight of asphalt binder added to bituminous through the
dry mixing method are shown in Figure 4.3. Cantabro abrasion loss is quite dependent on the
adhesion of the bituminous binder with aggregates and the cohesion of the mix. The abrasion
loss value for plastic content reduced up to 6% after adding PET, HDPE, and PP of coarser
size (2.36 mm-1.18 mm) as shown in Figure 4.3(a), but then increased for plastic dosage of
8% and 10%. In contrast, the abrasion loss value of PET, HDPE, and PP for finer size (1.18
mm-
0.6 mm) declined until 10% plastic dosage in SMA mixes as depicted in Figure 4.3(b). It is
worth noting that when finer plastics were utilised in SMA mixes, abrasion loss was reduced
in comparison to control mix for all dosages. When it came to abrasion loss variation among
plastic types, HDPE outperformed PP and PET. The finer sizes are thus showing a higher
impact in the adhesion of the bituminous binder with the aggregates.

4.2.2 Effect of Plastic Size

Figure 4.4 depicts the abrasion loss of SMA mixes produced with PP, HDPE, and PET
plastics at dosages of 0%, 4%, 6%, 8%, and 10% by weight of asphalt binder. There is no
definite trend obtained with plastic size for the dosage of particular plastic type. It is evident
from Figure 4.4(a) that SMA mixes prepared with the finer size of PP showed lower abrasion
loss than coarser size up to plastic content of 10% while the abrasion loss had lower results in
coarser size than finer in SMA mixes fabricated with HDPE and PET for dosages up to 6%.
When dosages were 8% and 10%, SMA mix specimens generated with finer HDPE and PET
had reduced abrasion loss than coarser size. However, the abrasion loss of all the SMA mixes
with plastic waste was lower than the control mixes but with the increase in dosage of waste
plastic there is definite trend which is observed. This shows that the content and size of
different plastic type have an important role in the abrasion loss. There is no definite trend
observed which may be due to the combined effect of the general increase in strength of mix
with plastic waste incorporation but a reduction in the adhesion of the aggregate and binder
with increase in dosage, which can depend on chemical characteristics of the plastic waste. In
terms of abrasion loss, SMA mix specimens having HDPE of coarser size performed better
than mixes prepared with the coarser size of PP and PET while PET performed better than PP
and HDPE among SMA mixes with the finer size of plastic.

(a) (b)
 (c)
Figure 4.4 Variation of Cantabro abrasion loss of SMA mixes with different plastic types:
(a) PP; (b) HDPE; (c) PET
 Chapter 5

Conclusions

5.1 General

The main aim of this study is to investigate the properties of SMA mixes fabricated with
varying types, sizes, and dosages. To see the influence of plastic type, polypropylene
(PP), high density polyethylene (HDPE), and polyethylene terephthalate (PET) on the
performance of stone matrix asphalt mixes, the Marshall stability test, and Cantabro
abrasion loss test was used. SMA mixes were made with different sizes of 2.36-1.18 mm
and 1.18-0.600 mm, and with varied plastic dosages (0%, 4%, 6%, 8%, and 10% by
weight of asphalt binder). Based on the experimental data presented and discussed in this
study, the following major conclusions are drawn.

5.2 Conclusions

 The addition of plastic to SMA mixes improved the Marshall stability and resistance
against ravelling evaluated through Cantabro abrasion loss when compared to mixes
without waste plastic.

 Among plastic types, HDPE performed better than PP and PET in terms of Marshall
stability for both coarser and finer sizes. Size/length of plastics thus showed a
prominent effect on the performance of SMA mix characteristics.

 The coarser size (2.36 mm-1.18 mm) of PET, HDPE, and PP showed increased
Marshall stability value for plastic content up to 6% and thereafter witnessed a
reduction in the stability. On the other hand, for finer size (1.18 mm-0.6 mm) of PET,
HDPE, and PP, the stability value increased until 10% dosage of plastic in SMA
mixes.

 SMA mixes prepared with the finer size of PP showed lower abrasion loss than
coarser size up to plastic content of 10% while the abrasion loss had lower results in
coarser size than finer in SMA mixes fabricated with HDPE and PET for dosages up
to 6%.
 Both size and type of waste plastic play an important role in the strength and
adhesion/abrasion loss characteristics of SMA when used in variable dosages.
5.3 Scope for Future Works

 Evaluation of SMA mixes with varying type, size, and contents of waste plastics from
different sources.
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