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  • Essay / Potential Reuse of Plastic Waste in Road Construction

    Table of ContentsSummaryIntroductionRoad Laying ProcessEconomics of Road ConstructionConclusionSummaryNowadays, plastic is everywhere in today's lifestyle. The disposal of plastic waste is a major problem. These are non-biodegradable products due to which these materials pose environmental pollution and problems such as breast cancer, reproductive problems in humans and animals, genital abnormalities and even decrease in the number and distribution quality of human sperm. In recent years, applications of plastic waste have been considered in road construction with great interest in many developing countries. The use of these materials in road construction is based on technical, economic and ecological criteria. Several million tonnes of plastic waste are produced each year in India. If these materials can be used appropriately in road construction, pollution and disposal problems could be partly reduced. Considering the need for massive utilization of these wastes in India, it was considered expedient to test these materials and develop specifications to improve the utilization of plastic wastes in road construction, in which greater economic returns high might be possible. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why violent video games should not be banned”?Get an original essayThe possible use of these materials should be developed for the construction of low-traffic roads in different parts of our country. A review of various plastic wastes used in road construction has been discussed in this article. Keywords: polyethylene (PE), polypropylene (PP) and polystyrene (PS), plastic waste, bitumen, asphalt, etc.IntroductionPlastic is everywhere in today's lifestyle. It is used to package, protect, serve and even dispose of all kinds of consumer goods. With the industrial revolution, mass production of goods began and plastic emerged as a cheaper and efficient raw material. Today, all vital sectors of the economy, from agriculture to packaging, including automobiles, construction, communication and infotech, have been virtually revolutionized by the applications of plastics. The use of this non-biodegradable product (according to recent studies, plastics can remain unchanged for 4,500 years on earth) is growing rapidly and the problem is what to do with plastic waste. Studies have linked improper plastic disposal to problems as far-flung as breast cancer, reproductive problems in humans and animals, genital abnormalities, and even lower sperm count and quality. human. If we banned the use of plastic for emotional reasons, the real cost would be much higher, the inconvenience much greater, the risk of damage or contamination much greater. The risks to the health and safety of families would increase and, above all, the environmental burden would be multiple. So the question is not "plastic versus no plastic", but it is more about the judicious use and reuse of plastic waste. In recent years, applications of plastic waste have been considered in road construction with great interest in many developing countries. The use of these materials in road construction is based on technical, economic and ecological criteria. The lack of traditional road materials and protection ofenvironment make it imperative to carefully study the possible use of these materials. India has a vast network of metropolitan cities located in different parts of the country and many more are planned in the near future. Several million tonnes of plastic waste are produced each year in India. Traditionally, earth, stone aggregates, sand, bituminous cement, etc. are used. are used for road construction. Since natural materials are by nature exhaustible, their quantity gradually decreases. Additionally, the cost of extracting good quality natural materials is increasing. Concerned about this problem, scientists are looking for alternative materials for highway construction, and plastic waste is one of these categories. If these materials can be used appropriately in highway construction, pollution and disposal problems could be partly reduced. In the absence of other outlets, this solid waste has occupied several hectares of land around factories across the country. Considering the need for massive utilization of these solid wastes in India, it was considered expedient to test these materials and develop specifications to improve the utilization of these plastic wastes in road construction, in which yields higher economic rates could be possible. The possible use of these materials should be developed for low volume road construction in different parts of our country. Necessary specifications should be formulated and efforts should be made to maximize the utilization of solid waste in different layers of the pavement. By heating to 100 - 160°C, plastics such as polyethylene, polypropylene and polystyrene soften and exhibit good bonding properties. Mixing softened plastic with bitumen produces a mixture suitable for laying roads. The mixture has been used to lay roads up to 1,500 km long in the state of Maharashtra. Other states like Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Puducherry, Kerala and Andhra Pradesh have also laid out test roads. These roads have withstood the loads of heavy traffic, rain and temperature variations. Preparation of the polymer-aggregates-bitumen mixture. Cleaned and dried plastic waste (e.g. discarded transport bags, films, cups and thermocols) with a maximum thickness of 60 microns is crushed into small pieces (size 2.36 mm - 4.75 mm). PVC is not suitable for this process. The aggregates are heated to 165°C in a mini hot coating plant. Shredded plastic is added to the hot mixture. The plastic is softened and coated on the surface of the aggregate, giving an oily appearance in 30 to 60 seconds. Hot bitumen (heated to a maximum of 160°C to ensure a good bond) is added immediately and the contents are mixed well. The mixture, once cooled to 110 - 120°C, can be used for laying roads using a road roller with a capacity of 8 tonnes. As plastics are heated to a maximum temperature of 165°C, no gas is released. When heated above 270°C, plastics decompose and above 750°C they burn to produce harmful gases. Improved Mixture Properties Coating plastic over aggregates at 10-15% by weight of bitumen improves bonding properties. of the mixture: higher softening point and lower penetration point due to the interconnection of the polymer molecule with the bitumen. Less moisture absorption capacity due to plastic coating on the surface. Better ductility, higher Marshall stability value. Better stripping value (no stripping duringsoaking in water for 72 hours) High compressive strength (>100 MPa) and high flexural strength (>450 Kg/cm to bond property) Roads are twice as strong as normal roads and resistant to water stagnation and reduced bleeding. Polymer blended bitumen has a higher softening point, lower penetration point and better ductility. Polymer coated aggregates mixed with bitumen have a higher Marshall value and better stripping value, which shows that the mixture is more suitable for road laying. Road laying process using a polymer-aggregate-bitumen mixture. Plastic waste (bags, cups, thermocols) made from PE, PP and PS are separated, cleaned if necessary and crushed into small pieces (passing through a 4.35 mm sieve). The aggregate (granite) is heated to 170°C in the mini hot coating plant and the shredded plastic waste is added, it is softened. and coated on the aggregate. Immediately, hot bitumen (160°C) is added and mixed well. As the polymer and bitumen are in a molten state (liquid state), they mix and the mixture forms on the surface of the aggregate. The mixture is transferred to the road and the road is laid. This technique is also extended to mixing plants. Main characteristics of the road with a mixture of polymers, waste and bitumen The resistance of the road is twice as strong as that of normal roads; Resistance to water stagnation, that is, there are no potholes formed; Less bleeding in summer; Incineration of plastic waste could be avoided without requiring additional machinery; it does not increase the cost of road construction; and contributes to reducing the consumption of bituminous mix in relation to reducing costs. It is observed that addition of plastic waste up to 10 - 15 wt% bitumen results in higher softening point values ​​and lower penetration values, which is appreciable. improvements in binder properties. This resulted in and withstood a higher traffic load and high temperature variations. Several experimental sections have been laid at more than 15 sites in Tamil Nadu using both mini hot plants and mixing plants. Economics of Road Construction Laying of Bitumen Road - Indian Roads Congress (IRC) Specifications There are different types of bitumen roads. These are dense bituminous macadam, bituminous macadam. These routes differ in 3 ways, namely 1. Aggregate composition; 2. Type of bitumen used; and 3. Layer thickness. Bitumen is a useful binder for road construction. Different grades of bitumen like 30/40, 60/70 and 80/100 are available based on their penetration values ​​and these grades can be used as IRC specifications. Plastic waste (10% instead of bitumen) can be used for these different types of bitumen roads. The road laying technology is very close to that prescribed by the Indian Road Congress Specifications (Section 500, IV revision). A detailed description of the material required for laying a 25mm semi-dense bituminous concrete (SDBC) road (over an existing road) is described below: Conventional bitumen road battered by heavy rain a) Materials: For a road measuring 1,000 M x 3.75 M (25 mm): 11,250 tonnes of bitumen (quality 60/70) required. Shredded plastics required: 10% by weight (passing 4.74mm sieve and retaining 2.36mm). Bitumen replaced (saved) by 10% plastics: 1.125 tonnes Actual bitumen required: 10.125 tonnes Aggregates (11.2 mm): 70.875 m³ Aggregates (6.7 mm): 43.125 m³ Aggregate dust: 23.625.