Electrospun Recycled Polyethylene Terephthalate Microfibers as an Asphalt Binder Modifier

More than 8.8 billion Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET) bottles end up in landfills, annually. High elasticity, stable polymer backbone, and hydrophobicity make PET a strong candidate for being recycled in asphalt mixes. In absence of an effective method for recycling PET in asphalt, this study seeks to address environmental concerns related to PET waste and overcome technical challenges of recycling PET in asphalt mixes while improving their mechanical properties. Therefore, PET microfibers will be produced in the laboratory from waste plastic by using electrospinning technique. Different amounts of Electrospun PET Microfiber (EPM) will be incorporated in asphalt binders and their effect on the rheological, mechanical, and adhesion properties of asphalt binders will be studied. Additionally, effects of using EPM-modified asphalt binders in mixes on their cracking, elastic modulus, rutting, and stripping properties will be evaluated. Finally, feasibility of using resonant frequency test, as a quick and non-destructive technique, for indirect measurement of elasticity and crack detection in EPM-modified asphalt mixes will be studied. This study is expected to introduce a novel approach for recycling waste PET in asphalt mixes which in turn addresses an important environmental challenge while improving the sustainability and performance of asphalt pavements and ground transportation system.

• Record URL:
  https://www.mountain-plains.org/research/details.php?id=561

Language

• English

Project

• Status: Completed
• Funding: $316518.24
• Contract Numbers:

  69A3551747108

• Sponsor Organizations:

  Office of the Assistant Secretary for Research and Technology

  University Transportation Centers Program
  Department of Transportation
  Washington, DC  United States  20590
• Managing Organizations:

  Mountain-Plains Consortium

  North Dakota State University
  Fargo, ND  United States  58108
• Project Managers:

  Tolliver, Denver

• Performing Organizations:

  Dept. of Civil and Environmental Engineering

  South Dakota State University
  Brookings, SD  United States 
• Principal Investigators:

  Ghabchi, Rouzbeh

  Wehbe, Nadim

• Start Date: 20210825
• Expected Completion Date: 20240731
• Actual Completion Date: 20241125
• USDOT Program: University Transportation Centers Program
• Source Data: MPC-664

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Bituminous binders; Cracking; Elasticity (Mechanics); Nondestructive tests; Plastics; Recycled materials
• Subject Areas: Highways; Materials; Pavements;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01781662
• Record Type: Research project
• Source Agency: Mountain-Plains Consortium
• Contract Numbers: 69A3551747108
• Files: UTC, RIP
• Created Date: Sep 16 2021 2:26PM