A review of using waste and virgin polymer in pavement

Many researches on PMA mixture have been conducted for the past two decades. Although addition of virgin polymers to asphalt for the purpose of enhancing the properties of asphalt over a wide temperature range in paving applications was contemplated quite some time ago, recycled polymer added to asphalt have also shown almost the same result in improving the road pavement performance as compared to virgin polymers. This paper is a review of the use of polymers in asphalt pavement. In this study, a critical review on the history and benefits of using waste and virgin polymer in asphalt is presented followed by a review of general studies on using polymers in asphalt in order to improve the properties of pavement.

► Polymers are being used in asphalt as a modifier as early as 1843.
► Addition of polymer in asphalt improves the properties of asphalt.
► Waste polymers can be used in pavement as a modifier and the result is almost as same as using virgin polymer.
► Property of PMAs depends on polymer and bitumen characteristic and the mixing condition.
► The Polymer content range is between 2% and 10% by weight of the bitumen.