BITUMINOUS MIX ENHANCEMENT THROUGH E-WASTE INCORPORATION AND POLYMER-MODIFIED BITUMEN

Abstract

With the rapid increase in urbanization, the generation of waste materials such as e-waste and plastic waste has become a significant problem, causing harm to the environment. The incorporation of these waste materials in road construction is an eco-friendly way to reduce the impact of these wastes. This paper presents a study on the performance of e-waste and polymer modified bituminous mix in flexible pavement. The aim of the study is to partially replace e-waste with coarse aggregate and plastic waste with bitumen using the wet-mix process in an economical way to construct roads. The research focuses on investigating the properties of the modified bituminous mix and comparing them with the conventional bituminous mix. The results of the experimental work indicate that the modified bituminous mix is superior to the conventional bituminous mix in terms of strength and stability. The incorporation of e-waste increases the strength of the mix, while plastic waste improves its flexibility and durability. However, beyond 15% addition of e-waste, the stability of the mix decreases. The study provides a framework for the use of e-waste and plastic waste in road construction in an environmentally friendly way. The modified bituminous mix can effectively reduce the harmful effects of e-waste and plastic waste in the environment, and there is scope for further work in this area