Investigating the Use of Polypropylene in Hot Mix Asphalt on the Mix Design of Flexible Pavements
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Date
2024-04-08
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Abstract
A Flexible pavements is a road constructed with its wearing course made up of Aggregates, Fillers and Bitumen as their binder. This research was aimed at investigating the use of Polypropylene in Hot Mix Asphalt on the mix design of flexible pavements. The main methods employed were Mechanical tests on the Density of Polypropylene, Penetration Test on Bitumen, Ten percent Fines Value for the Aggregates, Marshal Mix Design, Marshall Test, Indirect Tensile Strength and Volumetric analysis of the Asphalt Concrete.
Results showed that at an Optimal Bitumen Content of 4.9%, the addition of 1.5% Polypropylene in AC14 Mix design led to enhancements in; stability by 0.146%, Flow by 0.133%, Indirect Tensile Strength by 0.088% and Air Voids by 0.045%.
In conclusion Polypropylene enhances the Strength and Volumetric properties of Asphalt Concrete behaving like an antistripping agent therefore it is scientifically and practically applicable to be used in the Mix Design of Hot Mix Asphalt to minimize the occurrence of premature failure of the wearing course in Flexible pavements. It is recommended for a Cost Benefit analysis to be carried out to show the economic advantage of the Polypropylene Asphalt Concrete Mix Design over the conventional Asphalt.