Abstract

Abstract

A well-developed road network provides good services for road consumers. Most roads in the world are flexible types of pavement. Bitumen is viscous-elastic properties and is very sensitive to temperature; it plays a vital role in the production of hot mix asphalt and influences the performance of HMA pavement. Flexible pavements are linked to extreme high-temperature causing rutting and fatigue cracking. Pavement distress shortens service life and increases maintenance costs. This research focused on improving pavement resistance to distresses by modifying the conventional properties of bitumen using alternative materials such as shredded PET plastic. In this study, two stages were applied. The first stage was collecting samples, and the second determined the conventional properties of bitumen by adding 3%, 6%, and 9% of shredded PET plastic in the bitumen. Penetration, Ductility, and Softening point tests were conducted to analyze the conventional behavior of bitumen. Finally, for evaluating rutting damage, top-down, and bottom-up crack, utilizing 3D-Move analysis software by considering moving vehicles under various loads and speeds. From the conventional bitumen test, at 3% PET plastic add to the bitumen has no significant effect on the penetration grade, Ductility, and softening point. However, when 6% and 9% PET by weight of bitumen mixed, the penetration grade, ductility, and softening result become 49.3mm, 45.5mm, 97mm, 85mm, and 57mm and 62°C, respectively compared with the penetration grade, ductility, and softening point value of unmodified bitumen (66.5mm, 142cm, and 48.9°C). Besides, the 3D-Move Analysis software results that asphalt binders with higher PET plastic content have the best performance to resist the rutting damage, top-down and bottom cracks.