Effect of LDPE in Rutting Characteristics of Asphalt Concrete mixtures

In recent years, different kinds of polymers such as SBS, SBR, Sasobit, etc have been used to modify the properties of asphalt binders. These additives can change the mechanical properties of Asphalt Concrete (AC) mixtures to some extent but most of them are expensive and the blending process with bitumenrequires special equipment and conditions. In this paper the use of low-density polyethylene (LDPE) in enhancing the AC mixture properties is discussed. In comparison with other polymer modifiers, the LDPE is relatively cheaper in the Iran market. It also does not require any special condition in mixing with bitumen. Based on the tests conducted and the model presented in this research, the results suggest that adding LDPE can improve the rutting characteristics of asphalt concrete

Keywords:

modified-bitumen , low-density polyethylene (LDPE) , HMA , asphalt properties