Effect of different waste plastic fractions on the thermal kinetics and microstructural behaviour of bitumen used for bituminous mix

Abstract

The price of raw polymers used for making most of the waste plastics has confined the implementation of polymer modified bitumen (PMB) only to the major road projects. In view of the same, an attempt to make a PMB by such wastes was considered as a “state-of-art” in this investigation. Therefore, the different proportions of waste plastic fractions were blended with the pristine bitumen and the resulting blend characterized by thermal kinetics analysis, microstructural analysis, and Marshall mix design, respectively. The major findings have predicted the highest thermal stability of the blend was achieved by mixing plastic bags, plastic milk pouches, and plastic cups together in proportion of 2:0.25:1 to virgin bitumen with no thermal decomposition. Further, uniform dispersion of “bee-like structure” in that blend has reflected its homogeneity. Besides, such modified bitumen has elevated the Marshall quotient of the bituminous mix by 16%, which can preferentially be used in the rural roads safely, confirmed by Marshall mix design.