Characterization of Bitumen Mixed with Plastic Waste

Plastic (Polyethylene Terephthalate, PET) is now used as packaging material for a whole range of consumerproducts in addition to carbonated beverages. Although plastics are very useful product, but the disposal ofthese wastes has become a problem and is of great concern, particularly in our country. One of the solutionsto the disposal of plastic wastes is recycling it into useful products such as it may be used in bituminous(asphaltic) pavements construction, resulting in reduced permanent deformation in the form of rutting of thepavement surface. The present study discusses in detail about the effect of PET on various engineeringproperties of bitumen. The PET waste was added in the bitumen from 2 to 14% and various tests such aspenetration, ductility, softening point, viscosity, flash and fire point and stripping tests were performed forthe characterization of plain bitumen and PET modified bitumen. The most effective percentage ofPolyethylene Terephthalate (PET) waste was obtained between 10 to 12% by weight of the bitumen. Theresults of the study indicated that the modified mixture possessed better performance as compared to thenon-modified bitumen. The experimental results were also authenticated by conducting Scanning ElectronMicroscopy (SEM) on the most effective percentages mixtures. It is observed that the addition of PET wastein the bitumen improves its engineering properties such as ductility, penetration, softening point andviscosity values by 32.43%, 14.56%, 26%, and 34% respectively. It has also been observed that addition of12% PET waste results in zero percent stripping even after 48 hours.

Keywords:

Bitumen , characterization , PET , SEM