Flexible pavements using plastic as a road construction material: A Review

International Research Journal of Engineering and Technology (IRJET) e-ISSN: 2395-0056
Volume: 09 Issue: 08 | Aug 2022 www.irjet.net p-ISSN: 2395-0072
© 2022, IRJET | Impact Factor value: 7.529 | ISO 9001:2008 Certified Journal | Page 418
Flexible pavements using plastic as a road construction material: A
Review
Deepankar Sharma1, Haleema Naaz2
1Assistant Professor, Department of Civil Engineering, GITM, Lucknow
2Assistant Professor, Department of Civil Engineering, GITM, Lucknow
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Abstract
As one of the most important elements in preventing road deaths, the use of well-designed, sturdy, durable, and safe highways
is essential. Maintaining roads, including safety planning into all phases of development, and cooperating closely with
transportation safety stakeholders are all areas in which governments throughout the globe place a high priority. Additionally,
the road sector is making a concerted effort to mitigate the dangers posed by poor pavement conditions and other driver
behaviour and vehicle maintenance factors. When implementing road management virtue plans, it is critical to understand the
impact of road construction materials on traffic safety. There are a number of new technologies being explored to enhance the
qualities of materials used in transportation infrastructure, notably roads and traffic. This list includes concrete composites,
solar panels, self-healing materials, and shape-memory alloys. The amount of plastic garbage generated each year is growing
as a result of population expansion. Reusing plastic garbage is an urgent need. As a result of the lack of recycling, plastic waste
is destined for landfills and ocean garbage patches or incineration, where it causes a variety of environmental issues. Many
nations will be unable to afford the plant's operation if pollution from incineration facilities is not curbed. As a cost-effective
solution to both performance and environmental concerns, using plastic waste into flexible pavement has gained favor. Using
plastic waste as a bituminous mix modifier is the topic of this review paper. The inclusion of trash to the bituminous mix is
receiving a lot of attention.
Keywords: Plastic, Construction, Road, Flexibility, Load variation.
1. INTRODUCTION
Driver training and behavior, vehicle maintenance, road design, and pavement quality all have a role in reducing a driver's risk
of a crash. Despite all the research on how pavement conditions impact human safety, the number of traffic-related deaths and
injuries continues to rise throughout the country. Surface deterioration from increasing traffic and pavement wear may be
exacerbated by severe weather and excessive traffic on inadequate pavements. There is no pavement to blame for this
deterioration of the landscape.
Many collisions are caused by road surface defects, including as potholes and cracks, which are the most common. Reduced
tyre-asphalt friction as a result of road imperfections helps the vehicle to accelerate rapidly.
An inadequate storm water system, inadequate subsurface drainage due to the lack of embankment, surface cracks caused by
trucks that damage the road crust, frequent braking and wearing a coat that isn't designed to handle heavy tractive force all
contribute to urban road damage, which can be particularly damaging. This list is rife with the potential for all manner of
mischief. This study focuses on materials used in transportation infrastructure construction with the goal of improving road
durability and strength while also increasing traffic safety on the route.

Figure-1: Plastic Road
1.1. Construction of roads and the paving of Certain Roads
Since the earliest Roman roads were created from stone and wood some 4,000 years ago, road construction processes have
improved dramatically. Prior to the widespread use of asphalt paving, brick and granite block were often used in the building
of roads. Cars were forced to slow down due of the uneven brick and granite block surface, which reduced the likelihood of an
accident. In contrast, asphalt and concrete are often used in the construction of modern road surfaces. Route design,
earthwork, and pavement building are three of the numerous phases of road construction. A natural soil sub-grade layer must
first be put down before any manmade materials can be added to the foundation. Disperse the weight of cars on the ground by
using sub-principal grade soil.
Any one of these components may be improved to enhance the road's overall durability and strength. In order to build safe
roadways, research into the production of such materials has been conducted and will be conducted in the future. Flexible
pavements and stiff pavements, the two most common forms of road pavements, are each further classified into a number of
subcategories. Portland cement concrete's long-term durability makes it a good option for constructing strong pavements.
Depending on the scenario, engineers may utilise unreinforced, weakly reinforced, continuously reinforced, pre-stressed, or
fibrous concrete in the design of the pavement slab. Aggregate type has a significant impact on the performance and long-term
durability of pavements. A higher flexural strength may be achieved by using crushed rock aggregate in the same proportions
as uncrushed materials. When it comes to sound effects, this is a fact that cannot be ignored. Concrete pavements' compressive
and flexural strengths are strongly influenced by the cement's strength. Stronger concrete with higher strength cement has
superior compressive and flexural strengths than weaker concrete with lower strength cement when the water/cement ratio
is equal, A variety of factors, such as potholes and surface degradation, may cause stiff or flexible pavements to fail. Repairing
defects in road pavements using new processes and materials has been more popular in recent years. Experts in the area of
road building have been able to improve their work thanks to developments in technology.
2. TECHNIQUE TO STABILIZE THE PAVEMENT
What is meant by the term "pavement stabilization" is the process of using a stabilizing agent, such as a binder or granular
material, to modify the inherent qualities of a pavement material or earthworks material in order to satisfy performance
requirements during application. This is done in order to make the material more suitable for use. The stabilization of
pavement can also be referred to as "road stabilization." To improve the long-term performance of heavily travelled
pavements in the most cost-efficient manner, stabilizing and recycling the materials that are used in the construction and

maintenance of pavements is the most effective strategy. This is due to the fact that the demand for new construction and
maintenance may be reduced if these materials are stabilized and recycled.
2.1. Stabilization Materials for Soil
The quality of the soil underneath a building's foundation has a considerable influence on the foundation's performance over
time. Pavements and other structures may have serious issues if the clay soils are unstable. Stabilization of the soil prior to the
construction of overlaying buildings is often done to enhance the soil's geotechnical attributes, such as its compressibility,
strength, permeability, and durability. Stabilizing agents, also known as binding compounds, are used to increase the soil's
ability to bear weight. Cement and lime, as well as a variety of other possible stabilizers, are now the subject of study to see
whether they might improve the geotechnical properties of soil. Ashes, fly ash flocculants, wastewater sludge, rice husk ash,
and fly ash flocculants included pozzolanic value. The soil was stabilised with the help of these materials. Commercial roads
are increasingly being built using nano polymer binder technology, which strengthens and stabilizes the soil. Using nano
polymers to cover and bind dirt particles in water is considerably simpler since they are so tiny. The polymer-to-polymer
connection is strengthened by mechanical compaction. Binding quality has a direct correlation to compactness. The use of
nano polymers to stabilize fragile soils has many benefits. Some of the benefits include a smaller carbon footprint, improved
foundational and sub-base stability and strength, as well as a decrease in quarry aggregate consumption and construction
costs. Multiwall carbon annotates, carbon nanofibers, and metal oxide nanoparticles such as SiO2, TiO2, and Al2O3 may be
used to stabilize soil.
3. LITERATURE REVIEW
After studied the research paper related to the plastic uses in the road construction as a flexible material, the summary of all
research paper are given below:
Jithendra et.al: Plastic garbage production is on the rise. The disposal of plastic is getting more difficult as well. As a result,
recycling waste plastic in the building industry is a sustainable practise. Bitumen with a plastic coating has a higher melting
point. A higher performing alternative is Polymer Modified Bitumen. Binding strength and contact area between aggregate and
bitumen are improved by using plastic-coated bitumen. The voids may also be eliminated by using this product. Since voids
are eliminated, bitumen on roads is less susceptible to bituminous oxidation due to trapped air. Because of this characteristic,
the plastic-coated bitumen road can resist high traffic volumes and demonstrate greater robustness and endurance.
Kamal, Yousif: The kind of materials that are used in the construction of roadways have a considerable influence on the
overall degree of safety that these roadways provide. Roads that are built with the appropriate design and materials have the
potential to last for decades. Road construction projects need careful consideration of a wide range of factors, one of the most
important of which is the selection of appropriate materials for road building. This is because different components used in
road construction have varying service lives. Additives known as stabilising agents are relatively recent inventions that have
been produced in recent years for use in asphalt pavement materials, as well as soil and foundation materials. Their goal is to
rectify any problems with the road surface that may have arisen during the construction process. The building of roads to a
higher quality is made possible by the use of modern tools and innovative technologies throughout the construction process.
Fiber-reinforced polymers (FRP), geopolymers, nanoparticles, self-healing materials (SHM), shape memory alloys (SMA), and
photoactive materials are some of the technologies that fall under this category. However, this list is not exhaustive.
Johnson et.al: Improved viscoelastic behaviour and altered rheological characteristics may be achieved by adding
thermoplastic modifiers into traditional bitumen mixtures. There were two kinds of modifiers utilised, High density polythene
(HDPE) and Polypropylene (PP), each of which had a distinct impact on the binder, ranging from boosting the softening point
to lowering penetration value. This indicates that the polymer strands have been successfully 'blended-in' to the bitumen
matrix. Stable Polypropylene PMB was shown to be the best option for road-making applications within the study's
parameters. (PP). It has been demonstrated that there is a significant amount of potential in the use of waste plastic modified
bitumen as an alternative recycling technique for the management of plastic waste in Ghana and as a non-traditional binder
for the construction of roads. This has been done by showing that there is a significant amount of potential in the use of waste
plastic modified bitumen as an alternative recycling technique. In further research, it will be necessary to investigate, in more
detail, the resistance of PMB-coated field test sections to cracking, rutting, and long-term storage.

Shelema: The purpose of this study was to investigate how the incorporation of brick powder and plastic waste strips into the
soil influenced its physical properties in a variety of ways. Experiments, such as those for compaction characteristics,
unconfined compressive strength (UCS), free swell (FS), and CBR, have been carried out in the laboratory to investigate the
attributes of soil's tensile strength (Cement Binder Ratio). When plastic waste strips and brick powder were added to the soil,
there were significant changes in the compaction properties of the soil, as well as changes in CBR, free swell, and unconfined
compressive strength. When there is an increase in the number of plastic waste strips, CBR values go up, which leads to an
improvement in the sub grade strength of the soil (PWS). As the PWS and BP continue to rise, the earth's ability to swell will
continue to decrease. When the blood pressure (BP) was increased, it was discovered that MDD and OMC were somewhat
enhanced, but it was discovered that MDD and OMC were slightly lowered when the PWS was increased. The optimal PWS and
BP percentages, based on the findings and discussions, are 0.75 percent and 30 percent, respectively. The shear strength
parameters, strength properties, and swelling potential of clayey soils are significantly altered when PWS and BP are used
jointly as soil stabilizers for expansive soils. Expandable soil's strength may be improved by including plastic debris and waste
bricks, according to the findings of this research. Plastic and brick debris may now be used in paving, embankments, and
foundations without causing harm to the environment thanks to this development.
Balcom et.al: This research used an extended exergy analysis, commonly known as an EEA, to analyze and quantify the
environmental implications of several probable end-of-life disposal options for recycled plastic/sand roof tiles in Uganda, a
poor country. Using our extended exergy analysis, we can determine the energy-relevant resources used in the disposal
process, the resources saved by recycling virgin materials in their place, and any additional resources required to return the
tiles, byproducts, and pollutants to an environmentally acceptable state. This enables us to compare the quantity of energy-
relevant resources utilised in the disposal process to the amount of resources saved by recycling virgin materials in their
stead. During the course of our research, we looked at seven alternative garbage disposal strategies. Each of these strategies
has been employed before or has the potential to be useful in Uganda's less developed infrastructure. There is a chance that all
of Uganda's waste plastic will be recycled into roofing tiles, allowing the nation to safely dispose of all of its outmoded tiles. If
this option is realized, Uganda will be able to recycle all of its waste plastic. The practice of open burning was also investigated;
however, we discovered that owing to the limited technology now available in Uganda, it is impossible to eliminate all of the
pollutants that emerge from open burning in an environmentally sound way. This was one of our study's results. Planting trees
is an effective method of removing carbon dioxide from the environment, using just 0.7 percent of the exergy now required by
CO2 scrubbers in wealthy countries. Experiments employing waste plastic objects demonstrate how a thermodynamic
extended exergy analysis can be utilized to analyse resource utilization in a range of recycling and trash disposal options.
Because no study has been conducted specifically on plastic products and disposal options applicable to developing countries,
our paper has the potential to be useful to policymakers, multilateral organizations, and non-governmental organizations
(NGOs) making decisions about solid waste management practices in less-developed countries. This is due to the fact that
there has never been a research conducted exclusively on plastic items and disposal solutions appropriate to poor nations.
Because of the wide range of differences across nations in terms of natural resources and technological infrastructure, the
conclusions provided in this research are exclusively relevant to Kampala, Uganda. However, if newly forming countries have
enough data, it is feasible to modify the calculations to include such states. Because of the considerable negative
environmental consequences produced by specific disposal procedures, such as pyrolyzing PET or PVC, the choices for
disposing of plastic covered in this article are not relevant to all forms of plastic. As a result, the reader should avoid using
these ways to dispose of plastic. This study's results are applicable to high-density polyethylene (HDPE), low-density
polyethylene (LDPE), and polypropylene (PP).
Arjita et.al: The addition of waste plastic to the bituminous mix has delayed the early degradation of roads, according to the
results of a pilot research done in Pune, Maharashtra, India, on 10 in-service roads with the same CVPD and topographical and
climatic circumstances. Authors used the AHP model to evaluate all urban bituminous roads, taking into account significant
distress indicators that impact the degradation of these roads. Implementing plastic roads may save local governments in poor
countries like India money on annual pre-monsoon maintenance of bituminous roads, when resources are few and efficient
maintenance of bituminous roads is necessary. As a result, these roads will be even more useful as a result of the 8 percent
replacement of bitumen with waste plastic in this research. A significant increase in scrap value may be achieved by effectively
using the waste plastic for the manufacturing of the modified bitumen, which otherwise is an unwanted waste item that litters
the urban areas. Using a modified bituminous mix with waste plastic will motivate field engineers and local authorities.

Melkamu et.al: LDPE recycling may enhance the properties of bitumen and HMA, according to the findings of researchers.
According to the findings, a temperature of 170 degrees Celsius during mixing and a mixing time of one and a half hours result
in a mixture of waste LDPE plastic material and bitumen that is both compatible and consistent. Based on the aggregate mix's
total weight, 5.16 percent of bitumen was identified in the aggregate mix. The quantity of LDPE plastic detected in bitumen
amounted for 6.5% of the OBC's overall weight, it was discovered as well. The asphalt becomes considerably more stable when
it contains 8 percent or more LDPE plastic waste, but when the plastic concentration rises beyond that, the asphalt begins to
disintegrate. It is more stable than non-modified hot mix asphalt when the right amount of LDPE modified bitumen is used in
its combination. There's a big difference here. It was 5.7 percentage points less flow able than the conventional asphalt mix
when compared to the LDPE-modified asphalt mix. Reduced distorting properties are achieved when LDPE-treated asphalt is
exposed to heavy traffic loads. As LDPE increases the asphalt's resistance to permanent deformation, this is a good thing for
the pavement. An additional page is required Although LDPE-modified asphalt has a bulk density that is somewhat lower than
that of ordinary asphalt; conventional asphalt has a little larger bulk density. In part, this is because some of the asphalt mix's
components are made of low-density plastic. This is a factor in why this happens. For air gaps and aggregate voids, the value of
waste LDPE-modified asphalt is somewhat higher than that of non-modified HMA. Non-modified HMA, on the other hand, has a
much higher density. When compared to the standard mix, the modified asphalt mix included just a little amount less bitumen.
Asphalt mixtures may be enhanced by adding waste LDPE to the mix, as shown by this study Waste LDPE may be mixed with
asphalt to achieve this. The addition of asphalt that has been treated with waste LDPE might significantly enhance the
mechanical qualities of asphalt roads. Plastic trash from asphalt roads may be used to minimise the quantity of non-
biodegradable material dumped into the environment while simultaneously using a large amount of waste resources. Waste
LDPE plastics enable asphalt roadways to store more waste materials, making this conceivable.
Ayesha, Atiq: and mixed with hot bitumen. It is then utilized to create the pavement using this BM. Mechanically robust and
long-lasting pavements have been built using this technology. This debate has led us to the conclusion that utilizing plastic
waste to change BM, bitumen, and aggregates is a reasonable approach, since just a few studies have indicated that adding
plastic waste damaged the qualities. The majority of studies, on the other hand, have discovered that adding plastic trash to
BM enhances its functionality. The only measure that does not decrease with plastic addition, but rather rises, is the
percentage of air spaces in BM, which is in an acceptable range and does not represent an issue. In certain cases, it's been
found that adding plastic reduces the cost of flexible pavement maintenance. Recycled plastics are an obvious choice for the
flexible pavement. Toxic contamination and climate change are the outcome of using and discarding plastic. The mechanical
and chemical qualities of BM may be improved by include plastic waste in the mix. By tackling the problem of plastic trash
disposal, this approach will also assist to increase the flexibility of pavements in urban environments. Plastic waste, such as
PE, PS, and PP, may be utilized as an alternative to bitumen as a starting point. To make flexible pavement, plastic waste is
shreds, coated with aggregate,
4. CONCLUSION
After studied the above research paper related to the use of the plastic as the construction material, the conclusion are given
below:
There are few void available in the every materials which are going to used in the construction, similarly void will be present
in the plastic when it is used in the road construction. So, to remove the void from road which are produced due to used of the
plastic, can melt the plastic till its cannot converted like liquid which have minimum viscosity. The main purpose to remove
the void from plastic is that to improve the bearing capacity of the pavement.
Modifying bitumen with shredded waste plastic raises the price per square meter by roughly Rs. Ten and half. A little increase
in cost is offset by an raised in volume, which results in reduced overall bitumen content, improved performance and
environmental conservation with the use of scrap plastic.
REFERENCES
1. Chada Jithendra Sai Raja1 , N.Sai Sampath2 ,Ch.Suresh3 , A.Phani Bhaskar4 “A Review on Use of Plastic in Construction
of Roads” Journal of Advancement in Engineering and Technology, page-1-3, 2020.

2. Ibtisam Kamal a, Yousif Bas b “Materials and technologies in road pavements - an overview” Materials Today:
Proceedings 42 (2021) 2660–2667, pg 2661-2667, 2021.
3. Johnson Kwabena Appiaha,*, Victor Nana Berko-Boatenga, Trinity Ama Tagborb “Use of waste plastic materials for
road construction in Ghana” Case Studies in Construction Materials 6 (2017) 1–7.
4. Shelema Amena “Experimental study on the effect of plastic waste strips and waste brick powder on strength
parameters of expansive soils” Heliyon 7 (2021) e08278.
5. Paige Balcom *, Juliana Mora Cabrera, Van P. Carey “Extended exergy sustainability analysis comparing
environmental impacts of disposal methods for waste plastic roof tiles in Uganda” Development Engineering 6 (2021)
100068, pg 1-18.
6. Arjita Biswasa,*, Amit Goela, Sandeep Potnisb “Performance comparison of waste plastic modified versus
conventional bituminous roads in Pune city: A case study” Case Studies in Construction Materials 13 (2020) e00411.
7. Melkamu Birlie Genet *, Zenamarkos Bantie Sendekie, Addis Lemessa Jembere “ Investigation and optimization of
waste LDPE plastic as a modifier of asphalt mix for highway asphalt: Case of Ethiopian roads” Case Studies in Chemical
and Environmental Engineering 4 (2021) 100150.
8. Ayesha Noor, Muhammad Atiq Ur Rehman ⇑ “A mini-review on the use of plastic waste as a modifier of the
bituminous mix for flexible pavement” Cleaner Materials 4 (2022) 1059, pg 100059-1069

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