Analytical and Laboratory Investigation on the Use of RAP and Waste Plastic for Conservative Planning of Road Construction Raw Materials

Abstract

Abstract The current work emphasizes improving the procedure for analysis and design of flexible pavement by considering a variety of materials to be used in different layers of pavement. Field investigation and laboratory analysis were carried out to classify the subgrade soil based on their strength parameter. It is observed that most of the flexible pavement near Satara is getting deteriorated earlier than its design life. In the present study, the effect of waste materials individually and in combination on the physical properties, rutting, and fatigue behavior of pavement by laboratory and analytical investigation is evaluated. The various important input parameters like traffic characteristics, moduli of paving materials, etc. are used in structural models. The output of structural models in the form of strains, stresses, and deflection are used in distress models while the output of these distress models is examined against fatigue and rutting criteria recommended by the Guidelines for the Design of Flexible Pavements (IRC:37-2012). The computed strains at the critical locations are compared with allowable limits to decide the thicknesses of hypothetical conditions formed under different combinations of varying materials and thicknesses. The design charts proposed by consideration of multiple factors of varying nature are more realistic and optimum design charts, which can be considered to replace existing pavement sections with an eco-friendly and economic approach.