ASPHALT PAVEMENT FROM GLASS AND RUBBER WASTES

NEW TEST TECHNIQUES INDICATE THAT LOW-COST, HIGH-GRADE ROAD PAVEMENTS MAY BE DEVELOPED USING SOLID WASTE DEVELOPED FROM GLASS CONTAINERS AND RUBBER TIRES AND ADDED TO ASPHALTIC CONCRETES. THE RESULTS SHOW THAT, IN ADDITION TO SOLVING A POLLUTION PROBLEM, THESE WASTE MATERIALS OFFER A POTENTIAL RESOURCE IN PAVEMENT CONSTRUCTION. "BOPHALT": AN ESTIMATED 29.4 BILLION GLASS CONTAINERS WEIGHING 8.2 MILLION TONS WERE USED AND DISCARDED IN THE U.S. DURING 1966. FUNDAMENTAL MATERIAL PROPERTIES WERE OBTAINED USING AEROSPACE PROCEDURES, AND THESE CAN BE APPLIED IN THEORETICAL DESIGN TECHNIQUES. THE ADVANTAGE OF THE AEROSPACE PROCEDURES IS THAT THEY PROVIDE CONCLUSIVE AND RELIABLE RESULTS ALTHOUGH THEY ARE NOT THE CUSTOMARY METHOD. IN OUR TESTS, THE FINISHED GLASS AGGREGATE WAS GRADED FROM 3/8 IN. TO A 200 SIEVE. THIS PROVIDED OPTIMUM PACKING. THE MATERIALS WERE HEATED, MIXED IN A HOBART FOOD MIXER, COMPACTED WITH A JIMENEZ COMPACTOR, AND SAWED INTO 1.5 X 1.5 X 6 IN. SPECIMENS. THE BOPHALT SPECIMENS WERE TESTED WITH AN INSTRON. ABOUT 20 SPECIMENS PER MIXTURE WERE ANALYZED. "RUBAPHALT": WHILE CONTROVERSY CONTINUES OVER HOW OR TO WHAT EXTENT RUBBER ADDITIVES IMPROVE ASPHALTIC CONCRETE, SOME NEW TYPES OF TESTS SHOW VERY POSITIVE IMPROVEMENTS RUBBER ADDITIVES IMPART TO ASPHALT. THE RESULTS ARE ESPECIALLY SIGNIFICANT FOR DESIGN CONSIDERATIONS OF ROADS BEARING HEAVY TRAFFIC LOADS. PRECOMPRESSION: IN THE MOST SIGNIFICANT ASPECT OF THESE TEST RESULTS, THE MECHANICAL AGING INDEX WAS 0.58 FOR THE CONTROL, MIXES 1 AND 2, AND WAS 0.81 FOR RUBAPHALT, MIXES 4 AND 5. PRECOMPRESSION IN THESE TESTS IS OBVIOUSLY RELATED TO THE ACTION OF CONTINUAL COMPACTION IN THE FIELD DUE TO HEAVY TRAFFIC LOADS. THIS MEANS THE TENDENCY FOR ASPHALT FLUSHING IS CONSIDERABLY LESS WITH RUBBERIZED PAVEMENTS THAN REGULAR PAVEMENT. EQUALLY IMPORTANT IS THE FACT THAT WITH PRECOMPRESSION THE ULTIMATE STRAIN FOR RUBAPHALT INCREASED 36 PERCENT COMPARED TO 15 PERCENT FOR THE CONTROL.

• Authors:
  • Bynum, D
• Publication Date: 1971-12

Media Info

• Features: Tables;
• Pagination: p. 24-5
• Serial:
  • Rural and Urban Roads
  • Volume: 9
  • Issue Number: 12

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Asphalt pavements; Bituminous materials; Bituminous mixtures; Glass; Rubber; Wastes
• Subject Areas: Environment; Highways; Materials;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00211728
• Record Type: Publication
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Jun 11 1972 12:00AM