Sustainable Asphalt Mixtures with Enhanced Water Resistance for Flood-Prone Regions Using Recycled LDPE and Carnauba-Soybean Oil Additive

Yeong-Min Kim; Kyungnam Kim; Tri Ho Minh Le

doi:10.3390/polym16050600

Sustainable Asphalt Mixtures with Enhanced Water Resistance for Flood-Prone Regions Using Recycled LDPE and Carnauba-Soybean Oil Additive

Polymers (Basel). 2024 Feb 22;16(5):600. doi: 10.3390/polym16050600.

Authors

Yeong-Min Kim¹, Kyungnam Kim², Tri Ho Minh Le³

Affiliations

¹ Department of Highway & Transportation Research, Korea Institute of Civil Engineering and Building Technology, 283 Goyangdae-Ro, Ilsanseo-Gu, Goyang 10223, Republic of Korea.
² Korea Expressway Corporation Research Institute, Pavement Research Division, Dong-tansunhwan-daero 17-gil, Hwaseong-Si 18489, Republic of Korea.
³ Faculty of Civil Engineering, Nguyen Tat Thanh University, 300A Nguyen Tat Thanh Street, District 4, Ho Chi Minh City 70000, Vietnam.

Abstract

This manuscript presents a comprehensive study on the sustainable optimization of asphalt mixtures tailored for regions prone to flooding. The research addresses the challenges associated with water damage to asphalt pavements by incorporating innovative additives. The study centers on incorporating recycled Low-Density Polyethylene (LDPE) and a tailored Carnauba-Soybean Oil Additive, advancing asphalt mixtures with a Control mix, LDPE (5%) + Control, and LDPE (5%) + 3% Oil + Control. A critical aspect of the research involves subjecting these mixtures to 30 wetting and drying cycles, simulating the conditions prevalent in tropical flood-prone areas. The incorporation of innovative additives in asphalt mixtures has demonstrated significant improvements across various performance parameters. Tensile Strength Ratio (TSR) tests revealed enhanced tensile strength, with the LDPE (5%) + 3% Oil-modified mixture exhibiting an impressive TSR of 85.7%. Dynamic Modulus tests highlighted improved rutting resistance, showcasing a remarkable increase to 214 MPa in the LDPE (5%) with a 3% Oil-modified mixture. The Semi-Circular Bending (SCB) test demonstrated increased fracture resistance and energy absorption, particularly in the LDPE (5%) with 3% Oil-modified mixture. Hamburg Wheel-Tracking (HWT) tests indicated enhanced moisture resistance and superior rutting resistance at 20,000 cycles for the same mixture. Cantabro tests underscored improved aggregate shatter resistance, with the LDPE (5%) + 3% Oil-modified mixture exhibiting the lowest weight loss rate at 9.820%. Field tests provided real-world insights, with the LDPE (5%) + 3% Oil mixture displaying superior stability, a 61% reduction in deflection, and a 256% improvement in surface modulus over the control mixture. This research lays the groundwork for advancing the development of sustainable, high-performance road pavement materials, marking a significant stride towards resilient infrastructure in flood-prone areas.

Keywords: Carnauba–Soybean Oil Additive; HWT test; SCB test; asphalt mixtures; dynamic modulus; field tests; flooded cycle simulation; recycled LDPE; water resistance.

Grants and funding

Research for this paper was carried out under the KICT Research Program (project no. 20240173-001, Development of innovative trenching and pavement restoration technology based on Smart QSE) funded by the Ministry of Science and ICT.