Page 40 - Plastics News August - 2023

FEATURE

Applied Testing of Recycled Plastic in Road Pavement Materials
creation of asphalt pavement. These
include three different types of poly-
ethylene (PE) and ground tire rubber.
According to Bill Buttlar, director at
the Mizzou Asphalt Pavement and
Innovation Lab, building at full scale
will help researchers determine if the
rock, asphalt, and plastic & rubber
additives successfully bond to create
a road that can stand up to weather
conditions and heavy traffic.
Previously, the group had installed a
test road along Stadium Blvd. in Co-
lumbia, MO, to evaluate four types of
recycled materials. The group special-
izes in a dry process that enables the
sample of asphalt material ready Missouri Department of Transporta- addition of recycled materials directly
A for testing at the University of tion, the research team has recently into the mixture before its application
Missouri lab. created a real-world test road along a to the road surface.
Researchers at the University of Mis- portion of interstate 155 in Southeast- An asphalt roller compacts plastic
souri are using recycled materials in- ern Missouri. waste pavement mixture along Sta-
cluding plastic waste in experimental The test road will be used to com- dium Blvd. in Columbia.
replacements for traditional asphalt pare the effectiveness of nine differ-
pavement. In partnership with the ent types of recycled materials in the

40 PLASTICS NEWS August 2023
40 PLASTICS NEWS
August 2023