TCE ENVIS Articles
A technique to dispose waste plastics in an eco friendly way.
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Waste plastics, littered both by domestic and industrial sectors was found to be a source of raw material for the flexible pavement. Waste plastics, mainly used for packing are made up of PE, PP and PS, their softening point varies between 110 C and 140 C and they do not produce any toxic gases during softening. But the softened plastics have a tendency to form a film like structure over the aggregate, when it is sprayed over the hot aggregate at 160 C. The formed PCA is a better raw material for the construction of flexible pavement. PCA was then mixed with hot bitumen of different types and the mixes were used for road construction. PCA + bitumen mix showed improved binding property and poor wetting property. The sample showed higher Marshall Stability value in the range of 18–20 kN and the load bearing capacity of the road is increased by 100% and there is no pothole formation. The roads laid since 2002 using PCA + bitumen mixes are performing well. A detailed studies on the performances of these roads shows that the PCA bitumen mix roads are performing well. This is an eco friendly and economic process too.
Utilization of Waste Polymers for Flexible Pavement and Easy Disposal of
Waste Polymers.
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Solid waste management is the thrust area. Of this various waste materials, plastic waste, and municipal solid waste are of great concern. Use of disposed plastics waste is the need of the hour. On the other side, the road traffic is increasing. The traffic intensity is increasing. The load bearing capacities of the road are to be increased. The studies on the improvement of road strength using polymer modified bitumen (PMB) for flexible pavement are being carried out by different schools. Virgin and recycled polymers are being used for these studies. But when higher percentage of plastics waste was used, the polymer got separated from the blend. Hence a new innovative technique was developed by the author and the heated stone aggregate was first coated with plastics generated from wastes like carry bags, films, foams, and multi layers and the plastics waste coated aggregate (PCA) was used as the raw material for flexible pavement. PCA is then mixed with 60170 or 80/100 bitumen and the mix is used for road construction. PCA + Bitumen mix showed better binding property. It had less wetting property. Its voids were much less. The sample showed higher Marshall Stability value. By this process a road of 1km length and 3.75m width of single lane can consumes 10,00,000 carry bags and the road strength is increased by 100% and there is no pothole formation. The roads laid using PCA + Bitumen mixes are performing well. Performance studies were carried out for plastic road of different ages and reported in this paper.