Properties of Bituminous Binders and Mixes with Composite Bitumen Modification using Waste Automobile Rubber and Pyrolytic Oils

Abstract

This study evaluates the properties of asphalt binders modified using waste materials such as ethylene-propylene-diene-monomer (EPDM) rubber, sourced from non-tire automotive rubber components and pyrolytic oils derived from the pyrolysis of scrap tires and waste plastics. EPDM rubber, a byproduct of automotive and roofing applications, exhibits resistance to decomposition, underscoring the need for recycling to ensure environmental sustainability. Modifying asphalt with EPDM rubber enhances rutting and moisture resistance but offers limited fatigue and cracking performance improvements. In contrast, modification with pyrolytic oils improves intermediate and low-temperature performance, though challenges persist with high-temperature performance. A composite modification combining waste EPDM rubber and pyrolytic oils from tires and plastics is expected to overcome these individual limitations. This composite modification is expected to optimize binder performance across a wider temperature range and will also contribute towards the development of sustainable materials for road construction.