Laboratory Evaluation of the Effect of Using Plastic Waste on the Performance Properties of Bitumen

Due to the increase in population, disposal of waste accumulation in the world has become an important challenge. Biodegradability issues arise from the accumulation of two non-biodegradable waste materials: plastic and rubber. Asphalt pavements experience various stresses caused by high traffic density, which leads to numerous failures. The aim of this study is the effect of plastic and rubber waste on the functional properties of bitumen. Specifically, this study investigates the addition of waste rubber powder (4% and 6%) and waste polyethylene terephthalate (PET 1 (4% and 6%) to 100/85 bitumen. Three tests to evaluate the physical properties Bitumen was conducted, which includes softening points, penetration tests and viscosity tests. The results show that the penetration degree of bitumen with the addition of 6% waste tire rubber and PET was 9% lower compared to the 4% mixture for both waste materials. Therefore, bitumen modified with rubber powder has higher softening points (79 ◦C, 2580 s) and viscosity compared to normal bitumen (48 ◦C, 1800 s) and PET modified bitumen (53 ◦C, 2580 s) Showed. These differences indicate that the combination of waste PET and tire rubber improves the engineering properties of bitumen. This study highlights the importance of increasing the softening point of bitumen in high temperature regions.