| Summary: | Laboratory investigations at Civil Engineering Material Unit (CFMU) the University of Leeds, UK have shown that recycled plastics composed predominantly of Polypropylene can be incorporated in conventional Asphaltic Concrete (AC) road surfacing mixtures. In the correct proportions, a definite improvement in stiffness and strength of the resultant AC composites, referred to as (AC-Plastiphalt), have been demonstrated. The mixing and compaction temperatures need to be carefully controlled to cater for the differing softening points of the two plastic types.
This paper presents the mix design and the durability behaviour results of the AC-Plastiphalt mixes, especially on the water susceptibility behaviour. The results show that the AC-Plastiphalt mixes have higher strength than the control mixes at optimum bitumen content. In terms of water susceptibility behaviour, the results indicate that the AC-Plastiphalt mixes have excellent resistance to water damage.
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