Utilization of Waste Polyethylene Terephthalate with Bitumen for Road Construction

Abstract

Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) is commonly used for soft drink water bottles and other applications. However, disposal of this waste PET in large quantities causes environmental problem, as it is considered non-biodegradable material. This study investigated utilization of waste PET mixed with 60/70 penetration grade of bitumen to be as a raw material for road construction. The effect of temperature (140, 150, 160°C), composition of PET (4, 8, 12%) and mixing time (20, 40, 60 min) for penetration test result were investigated. The experimental design was done using Design Expert 7.0.0 software. The experimental design selected for this study was general factorial design with full factorial type. The optimization of penetration results was carried out using three factors, three replicates and three levels. From the analysis of the experimental results, the minimum amount of penetration result was found to be 43.67(0.1 mm) under selected optimal condition of temperature (150°C), composition (8%) and mixing time (40 min). Temperature, composition and mixing time had a significant effect on penetration test results. The influences of optimum operating conditions of PET and bitumen mix performance were investigated. The PET and bitumen mix performance test includes ductility, softening point, flash and fire point and the results were found to be 42.67 cm, 58.34, 351 and 358 °C respectively. The PET coated aggregate with bitumen mix performances were also investigated. The PET coated aggregate with bitumen mix performance of indirect tensile and compressive strength ratio results were found to be 97.85 and 95.06% respectively. The study indicated that utilization of waste PET with bitumen for road construction is considered, not only as a positive option in terms of sustainability, as an attractive option in enhancing the performance and service life of road.

Cite this Article

Belete Tessema Asfaw. Utilization of Waste Polyethylene Terephthalate with Bitumen for Road Construction. Journal of Modern Chemistry & Chemical Technology. 2017; 8(2): 30–39p.