Performance Study of Waste PE-Modified High-Grade Asphalt

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Civil Engineering
• Polymer Science

Background:

• Asphalt modification is crucial for enhancing pavement performance.
• Utilizing waste polyethylene (PE) presents a sustainable approach to asphalt modification.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the performance of waste polyethylene-modified 90# asphalt.
• To determine the optimal blending quantity of waste PE in asphalt.
• To understand the modification mechanism of PE in asphalt.

Main Methods:

• Dynamic Shear Rheology (DSR) for high-temperature performance.
• Bending Beam Rheometer (BBR) for low-temperature performance.
• Infrared spectroscopy and fluorescence microscopy for mechanism analysis.

Main Results:

• Waste PE significantly enhanced the high-temperature performance of 90# asphalt, with 5% PE yielding the best results.
• Low-temperature performance was negatively affected by PE addition; a 1% PE blend minimized this degradation.
• Infrared spectroscopy and fluorescence microscopy indicated PE absorbs light components and forms a reticulated structure, enhancing high-temperature properties but impairing low-temperature ones.

Conclusions:

• Waste polyethylene is a viable modifier for improving asphalt's high-temperature characteristics.
• Optimizing PE content is critical to balance high-temperature benefits against low-temperature performance degradation.
• The reticulated structure formed by PE contributes to improved high-temperature stability but reduces low-temperature flexibility.