Influence of Polyethylene on Fatigue Parameters of Bitumens

Year 2018, Volume: 2 Issue: 1, 1 - 6, 10.07.2018

Jülide Öner Burak Şengöz

Abstract

The
use of polymer modified bitumen has become a very important part of pavement
construction due to its superior performance, including less ageing, enhanced
rutting resistance and lower fatigue cracking properties. The polyethylene is a
type of product normally not used as additive to bitumen, generally showing a
congealing point of 92-100°C. Areas where it has been used are for instance in
plastics and polishes, as thickener for lubricating oils and petrolatum and as
paraffin wax improver/up-grader. Although the many significant researches which
have been carried out related to the polymer modified bitumen in road
applications, more studies should be undertaken on the compatibility, in the
interaction between polymer and the different sources bitumens according to the
needs of refineries in different countries. 
The main purpose behind this study is to minimize the fatigue damage of
waxes within bitumens obtained from different sources. For this purpose;
bitumen samples were modified by recommended content of polyethylene polymer
(at concentration of 1.5% by weight of the bitumen). The intermediate
temperature performance levels of polyethylene polymer modified bitumens were
determined by fatigue parameters.

Keywords

Polyethylene, modification, polymer, fatigue parameter

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