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Corresponding Author

Deef-Allah, Eslam

Subject Area

Civil and Environmental Engineering

Article Type

Original Study

Abstract

Attention has been increasing towards the use of polymer modified asphalt, because conventional asphalt mixtures cannot resist the high axle loads and tire pressures. The main objective of this research was to evaluate economic feasibility of adding several types of polymers on asphalt mixtures in Egypt. Study program involved four steps. The first step was presentations and discussions results of lab work. The second step was estimating the cost per one cubic meter of asphalt mixtures using four types of polymers. The third step was calculating pavement life of virgin and modified asphalt concrete mixtures using Mechanistic Empirical Pavement Design Guide (MEPDG) program. The fourth step was calculating cost/benefit ratio. It was found that using polymers increased pavement life for all different types of used polymers. HDPE gave the best improvement in percent increase in design life followed by novolac followed by PVC and then waste plastic bags. The minimum cost was obtained by waste plastic bags, followed by HDPE, followed by PVC and then novolac. The minimum cost per benefit ratio obtained by waste plastic bags followed by HDPE followed by PVC and then novolac.

Keywords

Asphalt mixtures; Cost analysis; MEPDG; polymers

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