Experimental investigation of bituminous pavement (VG30) using E-waste plastics for better strength and sustainable environment

Abstract

Abstract Electronic waste or E-waste refers to all items of electrical and electronic equipment and its parts that have been discarded by its owner as waste without the intent of reuse. According to waste electrical and electronic equipment directive of the European Union, E-waste material consisting of any broken or unwanted electronic appliance which includes computers, entertainment electronics, mobile phones, and other electronic items that have been discarded by their original users. E-waste is becoming burgeoning global issue, which showcases the impacts of the same on environment and on humans. It has been examined after several studies on E-waste that plastics are the second largest component by weight representing about 15%. Reuse of E-waste plastics as aggregates in some or other forms of in construction industry may be considered as economical and technically viable for solving the disposal of large amount of waste and this can be used as aggregates and fine filler in concrete or in the construction of flexible pavement. The objective of this study is to partially adding the E-waste plastic powder as alternative to conventional bitumen in the layer of flexible pavement to find the strength in the bituminous grade VG30, in different percentages viz., 5% to 20% in 100 g of bituminous to study its behaviour as per Indian standards. The results have shown that the E-waste plastic powder can be used in pavements along with the conventional bitumen for better strength for 5%, 10% and 15% replacement which shows better strength.