Use of locally produced recycled polymer as asphalt binder modifier for roads in Qatar
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abstract
The primary goal of this proposal is to use locally produced polymers as well as recycled polymers to develop high-performing asphalt binders that meet all specification requirements for use in the roads of Qatar. This research project is beneficial from an economic, environmental and technical perspective for Qatar. Currently, polymer production in Qatar results in tons of waste polymers that must be disposed of. Meanwhile, Polymer Modified Binder (PMB) producers in Qatar currently have to import synthetic polymers to modify otherwise unsuitable asphalt binder for use in the pavement industry and are unable to capitalize on the locally produced polymers. Recycling the waste material (which would otherwise be landfilled) and converting it to value-added material would bring significant economic benefits for the local economy and for the environment. The use of these locally produced candidate polymers (recycled as well as synthetic) will aid in improving the sustainability of roadways throughout the State. In addition to using local specification requirements, this project also recognizes that the current state-of-practice to evaluate performance of modified binders has several shortcomings. To address this gap and increase the reliability of the results and conclusions, the proposed project will also explore, advance and employ more rigorous performance evaluation tools to evaluate the binders in this study. As such, another outcome from this proposed project will be a better understanding of the relationship between binder composition and its expected performance as well as more accurate binder performance evaluation tools. This outcome will also help elevate the state-of-the-art and eventually practice in the area of asphalt materials. During the initial phases of this project, the researchers will use the existing body of knowledge to identify the best candidate polymers (locally produced and possibly recycled polymers), which can potentially be used as modifiers for asphalt binders appropriate for the climatic and traffic conditions in Qatar..........