SAJSET-01-2023-0008 Performance of waste plastic bottle treated aggregates in rutting resistance of flexible pavement

Abstract

The aim of this research is to determine the performance of waste plastic bottles (WPB) treated aggregates in an asphalt concrete mixture. The mechanical properties of WPB have improved the engineering characteristic of treated aggregates which in turn increased the rutting resistance of asphalt mixture. The rutting resistance of control and WPB-treated aggregates was determined using resilient modulus, dynamic creep, and wheel tracking tests. The result of the dynamic creep test shows that, resistance to permanent deformation of WPB treated aggregates mix was improved by 78% at 4% WPB treatment, creep stiffness has improved by 321% at 4% WPB treatment and the accumulated strain was reduced by 77% at 4% WPB treatment. The result of the resilient modulus test shows that, the rutting resistance of WPB treated aggregate mix was increased by 11% at 4% treatment. The rutting resistance was then decreased at 6% treatment compared to the control mix. From the wheel tracking test, there was 14% improvement in resistance to permanent deformation for 4% WPB treated aggregates mix, then decreased by 35% at 6% treatment compared to the control mix. Generally, mixtures containing 4% WPB aggregates have higher rutting resistance. Therefore, 4% is the optimum WPB treatment for aggregates against rutting.