Rheological and chemical properties of reclaimed asphalt pavement using polyethylene terephthalate (PET) additive as a modifier

Utilizing waste materials and reclaimed asphalt pavement (RAP) in road construction is gaining research interest. The pricey nature of building roads is attributed to the energy required for new material production and its environmental impact. The study investigated rheological and chemical properties of reclaimed asphalt pavement using PET additive as a modifier. The materials used in this study are virgin bitumen (VB), RAP bitumen (RB), and PET bottles. The synthesis of PET bottle into PET-derived additives was carried out, using aminolysis method in the presence of triethylenetriamine (TETA) as a solvent. Additionally, polymer-modified bitumen (PMB) was created by adding 2% PET additive with VB. The findings showed that utilizing PMB with RB in asphalt blend improved RB's brittle effect and has high resistance to deformation at high temperature. Moreover, the effect of the PMB on the asphalt binder did not alter the functional group while there was a reduced mass loss for PMB. Consequently, PET additives can be used to improve the quality of asphalt mixture in road construction, thus enhancing sustainability.