GOVERNMENT POLYTECHNIC

MAHABUB NAGAR

DEPARMENT OF CIVIL ENGINEERRING

GOVERNEMENT POLYTECHNIC
MAHABUBNAGAR
BATCH - 2014-2017
 PROJECT
REPORT
ON
“CONSTRUCTION OF PLASTICS ROADS”

IN PARTIALLY FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIRE THE AWARD OF THE

DIPLOMA IN CIVIL ENGINEERING

BY

P. MANNEM NAYAK
14006-C-051
UNDER THE GUIDANCE OF

Sri. K. VISHNU B.Tech, M.Tech

LECTURER IN CIVIL ENGINEERING
 GOVERNMENT POLYTECHNIC
MAHABUB NAGAR
DEPARMENT OF CIVIL ENGINEERRING
2014-2017

BATCH CERTIFICATE
THIS IS TO CERTIFY THAT THE PROJECT ENTITLED

CONSTRUCTION OF PLASTICS ROADS

S.No NAME PIN
1 A .SOUNDARYA 14006-C-004
2 C .SRI RAM 14006-C-013
3 G .MAHENDAR 14006--019
YADAV
4 H .SHIVANI 14006-C-022
5 K .SRIHARSHHA 14006-C-026
6 K .ANITHA 14006-C-030
7 M .MALLESH 14006-C-039
8 P. SHIVAKUMAR 14006-C-049
9 P. MANNEM 14006-C-051
NAYAK
10 V. SREEJA 14006-C-060
11 N. RAJU 14524-C-027

Of final year “DIPLOMA IN CIVIL ENGINEERING”in academic year 2014-

2017
 GUIDE HOD
Sri. K. VISHNU GARU Sri. SRI NIVAS REDDY
GARU
PRINCIPLE
Sri.DR.A.RAVENDER BABU GARU
GOVERNMENT POLYTECHNIC
MAHABUB NAGAR

DEPARTMENT OF CIVIL ENGINEERING

CERTIFICATE
This is to certify that the project entitled
“CONSTRUCTION OF PLASTICS ROADS”

Has been carried out by bonafide Mr. P.

MANNEM NAYAK bearing pin no:14006-C-051
under my supervision guidance and submitted
in partial fulfillment of requirement for
the award of diploma in civil engineering by
the state board of technical education and
training T.S. during academic year 2014-
2017. In the department of Civil Engineering
 GUIDE HOD

Sri.K.VISHNU GARU Sri.SRI NIVAS REDDY

GARU

PRINCIPLE

Sri.DR.A.RAVENDER BABU GARU

ACKNOWLDEGEMENT

Working on this project was one of the

wonderful and exciting experiences in our
life. This project not only bears testimony
of extensive effects but also reflects co-
operations, help and guidance. We are
sincerely thank full our project guide
Sri.K. Vishnu Sir for is valuable guidance
suggestions and active involment in our
project
We are also thank full to Head Of Civil
Engineering Department Sri.K. SRINIVAS REDDY
and our principle A RAVINDER BABU SIR
without whose help this project would have
been impossible with thank deeply to inluava
guidance rendered t use all occasion by all
others to directly or indirectly contribute
to our humble performance
 ABSTRACT

The plastic wastes could be used

in road construction and the
field tests withstood the stress
and proved that plastic wastes
used after proper processing as
an additive would enhance the
life of the roads and also solve
environmental problems. Plastic
use in road construction is not
new. It is already in use as PVC
or HDPE pipe mat crossings built
by cabling together PVC
(polyvinyl chloride) or HDPE
(high-density poly-ethylene)
pipes to form plastic mats.
Waste plastic is ground and made
into powder; 3 to 4 % plastic is
mixed with the bitumen. The
durability of the roads laid out
with shredded plastic waste is
much more compared with roads
with asphalt with the ordinary
mix. The use of the innovative
technology not only strengthened
the road construction but also
increased the road life as well
as will help to improve the environment and
also creating a source of income.
 Introduction

Plastic use in road construction is not new. Recent studies in this direction

have shown some hope in terms of using plastic waste in road construction i.e.

plastic roads. Plastic roads mainly use plastic carry bags, disposable cups and

PET bottles that are collected from garbage dumps as an important ingredient

of the construction material. When mixed with hot bitumen, plastics melt to

form an oily coat over the aggregate and the mixture is laid on the road surface

like a normal tar road.

 What is Plastic??

A plastic material is any of a wide range of synthetic or semisynthetic organic

amorphous solids used in the manufacture of industrial products. Plastics are

typically polymers of high molecular mass and may contain other substances to

improve performance and/or reduce costs. Monomers of plastic are either

natural or synthetic organic compounds.

Discarded thin-plastic carry-bags are a menace. In town, they clog drains,

cause flooding, choke animals that eat them and are unsightly.

Strewn across fields, they block germination and prevent rainwater

absorption by soil. Recycling plastic by melting releases fumes, and is only

possible 3-4 times. Toxic contents might leach into recycled water pots or water-

pipes. Shredded plastic is a great additive for tar roads.

 What are waste plastic roads?

The roads constructed using waste plastic, popularly known as Plastic Roads,

are found to perform better compared to those constructed with conventional

bitumen. The Indian Centre for Plastics in the Environment (ICPE) has been

promoting the use of plastic waste to construct asphalt roads. A few trial roads

have been paved successfully by combining waste plastic with bitumen. Plastic

roads mainly use plastic carry bags, disposable cups, and bottles that are

collected from garbage dumps as an essential ingredient of the construction

material. When mixed with hot bitumen, plastics melt to form an oily coat over

the aggregate and the mixture is laid on the road surface like a normal tar

road.
 LITERATURE REVIEW
Around 95% of road in the UK are paved with asphalt mixtures. The construction
and maintenance of these roads require large amounts of aggregates, which typically
account for more than 90% by weight of the asphalt mixtures. In 1999, industrial,
commercial and municipal solid waste accounted for approximately 13 %, 6 % and
8% respectively of total [1]. So, use of these recycled materials or its replacement with
traditional materials may be beneficial for environment. Steel slag should be used in
place of coarse aggregate in surface asphalt to make the best use of its mechanical
strength and skid resistance. One advantage of recycling steel slag is that, it can be
collected from a low number of steel plants, making the collection more efficient than
that of most other solid waste materials. The coated aggregates show increased
strength. As replacing bitumen by plastic 15% higher cost Efficiency is possible. No
degradation of roads even after 5 -6 years after construction. Can be practiced in all
type of climatic conditions. No evolution of any toxic gases as maximum temperature
of 180ºC [1]. The industrial pozzolanic solid waste found in the three Gorges reservoir
in yantse in southwest china can be used for rural road construction which will not
only reduce the cost of road construction but also the environmental impact of the
waste. Recycled aggregate from selected construction and demolition work can be
used as an alternative to natural aggregate in unpaved rural road construction
without risk of environmental impact. Approximately 461 million tons of construction
and demolition of waste produces per year. To evaluate the performance of recycled
aggregate in field conditions, an experimental unpaved rural road (EURR) was built
in southern cordoba, Spain. The results of this study show that recycled aggregate of
good quality can be used as an alternative to natural aggregate in rural road
construction[2]. The effect of waste polymer modifier on various mechanical
properties shows that Bitumen properties improve by addition of polymer. Addition
of such polymer helps in improving resistance to rutting and thermal and fatigue
cracking. Use of shredded nitride rubber and polyethylene wastes in 1:4 ratios gives
good result. Marshal Stability flow and Marshall Quotient test, Retained stability,
Indirect Tensile Strength, Creep Stiffness, need to be tested before construction. Other
tests like wheel tracking test for evaluating
 Properties of Road Aggregates

Aggregates form the major portion of the pavement structure. Bear stresses occurring on the roads and
have to resist wear due to abrasive action of traffic. Aggregates are also used in flexible as well as in rigid
pavements. Therefore, the properties of aggregates are of considerable importance to highway.

Properties of Road Aggregates

1. Strength
2. Hardness
3. Toughness
4. Durability
5. Shape of aggregates
6. Adhesion with bitumen
1. STRENGTH

The aggregates to be used in road construction, particularly the aggregates used in the wearing course of
the pavement should be sufficiently strong/ resistant to crushing to withstand the high stresses induced
due to heavy traffic wheel loads.

2. Hardness

The aggregates used in the surface course are subjected to constant rubbing or abrasion due to moving
traffic. Abrasive action may be increased due to the presence of abrasing material like sand between the
tyres of vehicle and the aggregates exposed to the top surface. Thus, they should be hard enough to resist
the wear due to abrasive action of traffic.
3. Toughness

Aggregates in the pavement are also subjected to impact due to moving wheel loads. The magnitude of
impact increase with roughness of road and speed of vehicle. Severe impact is common when heavily loaded
steel tyred vehicles move on WBM. The resistance to impact or toughness is thus another desirable
property of aggregates.

4. Durability

The aggregates are subjected to physical and chemical actions of rains and ground water, the impurities in
them and that of atmosphere. Thus it is desirable that the road stones used in the construction should be
sound enough to withstand the weathering action. The property of aggregates to withstand the adverse
actions of weather may be called soundness.

5. Shape of Aggregate

Aggregates may be rounded, angular, flaky or elongated. Flaky and elongated particles have less strength
than rounded and cubical particles. Thus, too flaky and too much elongated particles should be avoided.

6. Adhesion with bitumen

The aggregates in bituminous pavements should have less affinity with water when compared with
bitumen, otherwise the bituminous coating on the aggregates will be stripped off in presence of water.

Tests for Road Aggregates

In order to describe the suitability of aggregates for use in road construction, the following tests are used:

a. Crushing
b. Abrasion
 c. Impact test
d. Soundness
e. Bitumen adhesion test
f. Shape test
g. Specific gravity and water absorption

PROPERTIES OF BITUMEN

Bitumen is defined as “A viscous liquid, or a solid, consisting essentially of hydrocarbons and their
derivatives, which is soluble in trichloro-ethyelene and is substantially nonvolatile and softens gradually
when heated”. It is black or brown in colour & possesses waterproofing and adhesive properties. It is
obtained by refinery processes from petroleum, and is also found as a natural deposit or as a component of
naturally occurring asphalt, in which it is associated with mineral matte.

Bitumen has the following five characteristic properties.

1. Bitumen Adheres
2. Bitumen is Elastic
3. Bitumen is Plastic
4. Bitumen is Viscoelastic
5. Bitumen Ages
6. Bitumen Hardens
1. BITUMEN ADHERES

Bitumen has excellent adhesive qualities provided the conditions are favorable. However in presence of
water the adhesion does create some problems. Most of the aggregates used in road construction possess a
weak negative charge on the surface. The bitumen aggregate bond is because of a weak dispersion force.
Water is highly polar and hence it gets strongly attached to the aggregate displacing the bituminous
coating.
2. BITUMEN IS ELASTIC

When one takes a thread of bitumen from a sample and stretches or elongates it, it has the ability to return
to a length close to its original length eventually. For some bitumens this process may take longer than
others. This property is referred to as the elastic character of bitumen.
3. BITUMEN IS PLASTIC

When temperatures are raised, as well as when a load is applied to bitumen, the bitumen will flow, but will
not return to its original position when load is removed. This condition is referred to as plastic behavior.
Applying a load means that you put a weight on the bitumen in order to subject it to stress. This could be
in a lab or in the bitumen’s final position in the road and it is done to assess the bitumen’s reaction to the
load.
4. BITUMEN IS VISCOELASTIC

Bitumen has a Viscoelastic character. Its behavior may be either viscous or elastic depending on the
temperature or the load it is carrying. At higher temperatures there is more flow or plastic behavior, while
at lower temperatures and short duration loading, the bitumen tends to be stiff and elastic. At
intermediate temperatures it tends to be a combination of the two.
5. BITUMEN AGES

Aging refers to changes in the properties of bitumen over time, which is caused by external condition.
These changes are visible as cracks or crumbling areas. When bitumen is exposed to atmospheric
conditions, the bitumen molecules react with oxygen, which results in a change of the structure and
composition of the bitumen. This process of combining with oxygen, called oxidation, causes the bitumen
to become brittle and hard and to change colour from dark brown or black to grey. This change is usually
referred to as oxidative hardening or age hardening. This form of ageing occurs more frequently in warmer
climatic or during warm seasons, causing older pavements to crack more easily. The condition can also
occur where the surface films of bitumen are thin, or if there has been inadequate compaction during
construction.
Also Read: Factors Affecting Aging of Bitumen

6. BITUMEN HARDENS

Exposure to ultraviolet (UV) rays and the evaporation of volatile compounds can cause bitumen to harden.
A volatile material is a material that can change in to a gas very quickly. There are two kinds of hardening:
.
 Characteristics of Plastic Waste
Thermal study
A study of the thermal behavior of the polymers namely polyethylene, polypropylene, polystyrene
shows that these polymers get softened easily without any evolution of gas around 130-1400C, this
has been scientifically verified.

At around 3500C, they get decomposed releasing gases like methane, ethane etc. and above 7000C,
they undergo combustion producing gases like CO and CO2.
Binding property

The molten plastic waste inhibits good binding property. Following experiments were carried out
to study the binding property.

a. The aggregate was heated to around 1700C and the shredded plastic waste (size between
2.36mm and 4.75 mm) was added. Plastics got softened and coated over the aggregate. The mix of
aggregate and plastic was compacted and cooled. The block was very hard and showed
compressive strength not less than 130 MPa and binding strength of 500 kg/cm2. This shows that
the binding strength of the polymer is good.
b. The polymer coated aggregate was soaked in water for 72 hours. There was no stripping at all.
This shows that the coated plastic material sticks well with the surface of the aggregate.

Preliminary Studies
 The studies on the thermal behavior and binding property promoted a study on the preparation
of plastic waste-bitumen blend and its properties to find the suitability of the blend for road
construction.
Plastic Waste Blending Materials

a. Preparation of blend
Polyethylene carry bags were cut into pieces using a shredding machine. It was sieved and the
plastics pieces passing through 4.75mm sieve and retaining at 2.36mm sieve were collected. These
plastic pieces were added slowly to the hot bitumen of temperature around 170-1800C. The
mixture was stirred well using mechanical stirrer for about 20-30 minutes. Polymer-bitumen
mixtures of different compositions were prepared and used for carrying out various tests.
b. Characterization of Blend

i. Separation test (IRC-SP: 53-1999)

Samples of different composition were prepared and subjected to the separation test. The
following observations were made on the basis of their softening point values. Homogeneity was
obtained approximately up to 1.5% blend. Beyond this composition, the variation of softening
point was much higher for the top and bottom layer of the test samples showing that there is a
separation of polymer from bitumen on standing.
ii. Determination of softening point (IS: 1205-1978)
The blend of different composition with different percentage of plastic waste has been prepared
and their softening points were determined as given in Table-1. It is observed that the softening
point increases by the addition of plastic waste to the bitumen. Higher the percentage of plastic
 waste added, higher is the softening point. The influence over the softening point may be due to
the chemical nature of polymers added.
iii. Penetration Test: (IS: 1203-1978)

Samples having different percentage of plastic waste in bitumen were prepared and their
penetration values determined as per the IS Code given in Table-2. The penetration values of
blends are decreasing depending upon the percentage of polymers and the type of polymer added
the increase in the percentage of polymer decreases the penetration value. This shows that the
addition of polymer increases the hardness of the bitumen.

iv.Ductility
Table-3 shows that the ductility is decreasing by the addition of plastic waste to Bitumen. The
decrease in the ductility value may be due to interlocking of polymer molecules with bitumen.
v. Flash and fire point (IS: 1209-1978)
The studies of flash and fire points of the plastic waste-bitumen blend helps to understand the
inflammability nature of the blend. Flash & fire point of plain Bitumen is 175-2100C. From the
experimental results it is observed that the inflammability of the blend is decreasing as the
 percentage of polymer increases. The blend has developed better resistance to burning. The
polymer bitumen blend road surfaces will be less affected by fire hazards.

Characterization of Plastic Waste-Bitumen Blend For

Flexible Pavement
The utility of the plastic waste blended bitumen-aggregate mix for flexible pavement construction
was characterized by studying stripping value and Marshall Stability value of the mix for the
blends having a maximum of 1.5% plastic waste.

a. Stripping Test (IS :6241-971)

Plastic waste was dissolved in bitumen and the blend was coated over aggregate. It was tested by
immersing in water. Even after 72 hrs, there was no stripping. This shows that the blend has
better resistance towards water. This may be due to better binding property of the plastic waste-
bitumen blend.
b. Marshall Stability Test
The specimen was prepared as per the IRC specification using plastic waste-blended bitumen.
This shows that plastic waste-bitumen blend has higher strength compared to pure bitumen,
whose value is approx. 1200Kg

Moreover, the Marshall Quotient is also within the range of tolerance, thus showing that the
plastic waste (polyethylene) blended bitumen mix is better and more suitable for flexible
pavement construction.
 Plastic Wastes used in process:

The following types of waste plastic can be used in the construction of rural roads:

 Films ( Carry Bags, Cups) thickness up to 60micron (PE, PP and PS)

 Hard foams (PS) any thickness
 Soft Foams (PE and PP) any thickness.
 Laminated Plastics thickness up to 60 micron (Aluminum coated also) packing materials used for
biscuits, chocolates, etc.,
 Poly Vinyl Chloride (PVC) sheets or Flux sheets should not be used in any case.