There are mainly two ways of asphalt modification with waste plastics, the dry and wet

methods. This article compares the dry and wet methods of asphalt modification with
waste plastics to understand the critical factors affecting the modification and shed light
on the gaps of knowledge. Marshall test results reveal that both the nature of the waste
plastics and the way they are introduced into the asphalt mix have significant impacts
on the performance of the resultant asphalt mixture. However, in general, plastic wastes
can increase the Stability and decrease the Flow number.

Heydari, S., Hajimohammadi, A., Javadi, N. H. S., & Khalili, N. (2021). The use of
plastic waste in asphalt: A critical review on asphalt mix design and Marshall properties.
Construction and Building Materials, 309, 125185.

This paper analyses the mechanical, environmental and economic performance of

replacing 25% of bitumen with two low-cost plastic wastes (cable plastic and the film
fraction from household packaging waste) in an asphalt mixture. The results
demonstrated the feasibility of the technology from the 3 viewpoints analysed. The
plastic-modified mixtures achieve reductions of more than 17% and 11% in the
economic and environmental impact when the analysis is focused on the wearing
course.

Lastra-González, P., Lizasoain-Arteaga, E., Castro-Fresno, D., & Flintsch, G. (2022).

Analysis of replacing virgin bitumen by plastic waste in asphalt concrete mixtures.
International Journal of Pavement Engineering, 23(8), 2621-2630.

This paper presents a review on the pyrolysis of the most abundant plastic waste
polyolefins, low-density polyethylene (LDPE), high-density polyethylene (HDPE) and
polypropylene (PP), with a focus on the heavy wax products. A sizeable research gap in
its known applications outside of the petrochemical and chemical feedstock industries
was identified. Furthermore, its potential use in the hot mix asphalt (HMA) layers of
flexible roads as an alternative binder material and aggregate is discussed. A plastic-
derived bitumen modifier could be a viable solution to the current limitations associated
with plastic bitumen modifiers (PMB), while producing asphalt with enhanced
rheological properties and failure resistances. Consequently, future trends in research
may include obtaining a full understanding of the capacity for pyrolysis products from
waste polyolefins in bitumen modification. The key relationships between pyrolysis
process parameters and the subsequent product properties, modification mechanisms
and binder performance may also be explored. This application pairing process for
pyrolysis products from plastic wastes may also be more extensively adopted in
sustainable infrastructure, as well as other industries.

Abdy, C., Zhang, Y., Wang, J., Yang, Y., Artamendi, I., & Allen, B. (2022). Pyrolysis of
polyolefin plastic waste and potential applications in asphalt road construction: A
technical review. Resources, conservation and recycling, 180, 106213.

This review presents analyses and comparisons of various forms of waste plastic used
in asphalt modification, and approaches to incorporating waste plastic into asphalt
mixtures, both for single and composite modifications. It focuses on the properties of
waste plastics, asphalt binders, and asphalt mixtures. Overall, the incorporation of
plastic waste into asphalt mixtures can significantly improve high-temperature
performance and has potential economic and environmental benefits. The performance
of modified asphalt is highly dependent on multiple factors, such as waste sources,
waste plastic dosages, blending conditions, and the pretreatment methods for waste
plastic. There are different ways to apply waste plastics to blend into a mixture. In
addition, this paper discusses the current challenges for waste plastic-modified asphalt,
including the stability, low-temperature performance, modification mechanism, and
laboratory problems of the blends. The use of chemical methods, such as additives and
functionalization, is considered an effective way to achieve better interactions between
waste plastics and the binder, as well as achieving a higher sufficiency utilization rate of
waste plastics. Although both methods provide alternative options to produce waste
plastic-modified asphalt with stability and high performance, the optimal proportion of
materials used in the blends and the microcosmic mechanism of composite modified
asphalt are not clear, and should be explored further.

Xu, F., Zhao, Y., & Li, K. (2021). Using waste plastics as asphalt modifier: A review.
Materials, 15(1), 110.

The study aimed to address these issues for four types of plastic waste, using different
plastic contents added by the dry process and compared the results with a conventional
mixture without plastic. A set of laboratory tests, such as volumetric parameter
evaluation, the Marshall, gyratory compactor, and indirect tensile tests, repetitive four-
point bending; and repetitive compression, assessed the workability and mechanical
behavior of the studied materials. The results show that, although the addition of plastic
waste reduces workability, the asphalt concrete retains satisfactory handling conditions.
By adding plastic waste, the asphalt concrete becomes more elastic, and the stiffness
values of the material are adequate to apply the material in a pavement surface layer.
The resistance to fatigue cracking was at a suitable level for the asphalt mixtures
studied. Adding the plastic waste in the study generally improved resistance to
permanent deformation, although the performance was plastic type and content
dependent.

Fonseca, M., Capitão, S., Almeida, A., & Picado-Santos, L. (2022). Influence of Plastic
Waste on the Workability and Mechanical Behaviour of Asphalt Concrete. Applied
Sciences, 12(4), 2146.

This research investigates the possibility of using high-density polyethylene (HDPE)

plastic waste to improve the properties of asphalt concrete pavement. HDPE plastic
waste contents of 1, 3, 5, and 7% by aggregate weight were used. HDPE plastic
waste=stabilized asphalt concrete pavement (HDPE-ACP) was evaluated by
performance testing for stability, indirect tensile strength, resilient modulus (MR), and
indirect tensile fatigue (ITF). In addition, microstructure, pavement age, and CO2
emissions savings analyses were conducted. The performance test results of the
HDPE-ACP were better than those without HDPE plastic waste. The optimum HDPE
plastic waste content was 5%, offering the maximum MR, ITF, and pavement age.
Scanning electron microscope images showed that the excessive HDPE plastic waste
content of 7% caused a surface rupture of the sample. Improvements in the pavement
age of the HDPE-ACP samples were observed compared with the samples with no
HDPE plastic waste. The highest pavement age of the HDPE-ACP sample was found at
an HDPE plastic waste content of 5% by aggregate weight. The CO2 emissions savings
of the sample was 67.85 kg CO2-e/m3 at the optimum HDPE plastic waste content.
Suksiripattanapong, C., Uraikhot, K., Tiyasangthong, S., Wonglakorn, N., Tabyang, W.,
Jomnonkwao, S., & Phetchuay, C. (2022). Performance of asphalt concrete pavement
reinforced with high-density polyethylene plastic waste. Infrastructures, 7(5), 72.

Ras Al Khaimah, UAE is well known in the region for its industrial sectors. As a result,
its road network is enduring heavy traffic loads. When accompanied by hot
temperatures during the summer these roads fail prematurely due to permanent
deformation (rutting). To avoid this problem, asphalt binder with high stiffness should be
used, which is expensive and not eco-friendly. The objective of this study was to
evaluate the addition of different percentages of plastic waste powder obtained by
grinding waste bottle plastics on different asphalt binders’ properties. Test results
showed that adding plastic waste to asphalt binder increased its viscosity and G*/sin δ
values. Furthermore, it was observed that when adding waste plastic, the tested binder
grades would meet Superpave Asphalt Binder Specifications for higher binder grades.
Thus, adding plastic waste to asphalt binder could be considered as a cheaper and
environmental friendly solution, when compared to the use of higher binder grades to
reduce rutting in asphalt pavements in Ras Al Khaimah roads.

Abu Abdo, A. M., & Khater, M. E. (2018). Enhancing rutting resistance of asphalt binder
by adding plastic waste. Cogent Engineering, 5(1), 1452472.

The main objective of this paper is to evaluate the use of plastic waste as a low cost
asphalt binder modifier. For this Purpose Marshall, mix design procedure was used.
Marshall mix design procedure seeks to select the Optimum Binder Content (OBC) To
be added to a specific aggregate blend resulting in a mixture that Satisfies the desired
properties of strength and durability. In order to Evaluate the plastic waste modified
(PWM) asphalt mixtures, the OBC for the conventional asphalt mix was first identified,
and then Different percentages of crushed plastic waste by weight of the Identified OBC
were tested. Marshall test results for the modified Asphalt mixtures were analyzed to
find the optimum PWM content. Finally, the static indirect tensile strength (IDT) was
determined for All mixtures using the splitting tensile test. It was found that PWM
Content of 7.43% by weight of OBC is recommended as the optimum PWM content
needed for enhancing the performance of asphalt Mixtures. It enhanced stability by
42.56%, flow by 89.91% and Strength by 13.54%. This would lead to a more durable
pavement by Improving the pavement resistance to fatigue cracking and rutting.

Naghawi, H., Al-Ajarmeh, R., Allouzi, R., AlKlub, A., Masarwah, K., Al-Quraini, A., &
Abu-Sarhan, M. (2018). Plastic waste utilization as asphalt binder modifier in asphalt
concrete pavement. International Journal of Civil and Environmental Engineering, 12(5),
566-571.

In this study, a combined form of recycled plastic waste (RPW) was used as a mineral
aggregate supplement in a dense-graded hot mix asphalt (HMA) AC made with RPW-
modified asphalt binder. The term hybrid RPW-AC is used to refer to the HMA AC in this
study. The viscoelastic performance of ACs containing combined RPW aggregates
were compared with those containing RPET-only aggregates. Dynamic modulus (jEj)
tests, flow number (FN) tests, and rutting resistance tests using an asphalt pavement
analyzer (APA) were utilized to evaluate the performance of the hybrid RPW asphalt
concrete mixes and were compared to fresh, RPET, and crumb rubber AC. The results
showed that combined RPW as an aggregate supplement has advantages over the use
of RPET-only aggregates. The hybrid RPW-AC showed superior performance
compared to the reference mixtures.

Dalhat, M. A., Al-Abdul Wahhab, H. I., & Al-Adham, K. (2019). Recycled plastic waste
asphalt concrete via mineral aggregate substitution and binder modification. Journal of
Materials in Civil Engineering, 31(8), 04019134.

This research studies the quality effect of low-density polyethylene (LDPE) plastics
waste on the quantity and quality of oil yield produced through the pyrolysis process in
the three reactor outlets. LDPE plastics waste used was distinguished: LDPE-White,
LDPE Mixed-plastic, and LDPE Blend-plastic. The results showed that, in the process of
plastic pyrolysis LDPE, in addition to affecting the yield of produced oil, the quality of
plastic is also influenced by the length of time of pyrolysis. The better the quality of the
plastic is, the higher the oil yield and the shorter the pyrolysis times are. LDPE plastic
pyrolysis at 250 °C produces the maximum yield. Most oil yields, namely 99.78%,
75.60%, and 50.29% were produced by LDPE white plastics, mixed plastics, and blend
plastics, respectively, when pyrolyzed for 110, 180, and 270 min. The economic yields
of each plastic of 88.78%, 60.68%, and 40.35% were generated if each was hydrolyzed
for 60, and 80 min.

Hariadi, D., Saleh, S. M., Yamin, R. A., & Aprilia, S. (2021). Utilization of LDPE plastic
waste on the quality of pyrolysis oil as an asphalt solvent alternative. Thermal Science
and Engineering Progress, 23, 100872.

This study aims to examine and evaluate the effect of using a domestic waste plastic,
polyethylene terephthalate (PET), in modifying C320 bitumen. The assessment of
several contents of PET-modified bitumen is carried out in two phases: modified
bitumen binders and modified asphalt mixtures. Dynamic shear rheometer (DSR) and
rolling thin film oven tests (RTFOT) were utilised to investigate the engineering
properties and visco-elastic behaviour of plastic-modified bitumen binders. For
evaluating the engineering properties of the plastic-modified asphalt mixtures, the
Marshall stability, Marshall flow, Marshall quotient and rutting tests were conducted. The
results demonstrated that 6–8% is the ideal percentage of waste plastic proposed to
amend and enhance the stiffness and elasticity behaviour of asphalt binders.
Furthermore, the 8% waste PET-modified asphalt mixture showed the most
improvement in stability and rutting resistance, as indicated by increased Marshal
stability, increased Marshall quotient and decreased rut depth. Future fatigue and
modulus stiffness tests on waste plastic-modified asphalt mixtures are suggested to
further investigate the mechanical properties.

Mashaan, N., Chegenizadeh, A., & Nikraz, H. (2021). Laboratory properties of waste
PET plastic-modified asphalt mixes. Recycling, 6(3), 49.