Sustainable Pavement Engineering Using Recycled Thermoplastic Waste: Mechanical and Durability Assessment

Abstract

The growing accumulation of thermoplastic waste and the increasing demand for sustainable infrastructure development have encouraged the exploration of eco-friendly materials in pavement engineering applications. Conventional pavement construction materials often contribute to environmental degradation and high resource consumption, necessitating alternative approaches that support waste reutilization and long-term structural performance. This research investigates sustainable pavement engineering using recycled thermoplastic waste through comprehensive mechanical and durability assessment techniques. The study focuses on incorporating recycled thermoplastic materials into pavement mixtures to evaluate their influence on strength characteristics, deformation resistance, and overall pavement durability. Experimental investigations are conducted using different proportions of recycled thermoplastic waste blended with conventional bituminous materials under controlled laboratory conditions. Mechanical performance analysis includes tests for Marshall stability, compressive strength, tensile strength, rutting resistance, and load-bearing capacity, while durability assessment examines moisture susceptibility, thermal stability, fatigue resistance, and aging performance. Material characterization techniques are further employed to analyze the bonding behavior and structural interaction between thermoplastic particles and pavement aggregates.