Performance Evaluation of Modified Bitumen with FTIR, TGA and OFM

Abstract

Bitumen is a visco-elastic substance that works at varying temperatures, like a viscous liquid and an elastic block. Bitumen is not willing to compete well under the new situation of increased traffic and improvements under temperature and environmental factors. This situation has opened a way for different kinds of bitumen to be discovered. Several experiments in the field of discovering new bitumen have been carried out, culminating in the production of Polymer Modified Bitumen (PMB).Six various forms of polymers were used for the alteration of bitumen, such as Polyethylene, Polypropylene, Polyvinyl Alcohol, Polyvinyl Pyrrolidone, Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene and Waste Plastics with varying quantities. Different characterization trials, such as simple measures such as Softening Point, Ductility, Penetrationand Marshall Stability Value (MSV) are subjected to the adjusted bitumen. To observe the modifications affected by the polymers in the unmodified bitumen, studies such as Fourier Transformed Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR), Viscosity, Thermo Gravimetric Analysis (TGA) and Optical Fluorescence Microscopy are conducted.Optical fluorescence Microscopy photographs of modified bitumen demonstrate the polymer dispersion on the medium of the bitumen. It is observed from the photos of 3% and 5% polymer-modified bitumen that the polymers are equally distributed in the continuous bitumen process. The dispersion is non-uniform at 7% of the polymer change, and the polymer process becomes continuous. It is verified by this finding that the polymer modifies the bitumen in a trend as the proportion of polymer is raised, that the bitumen lacks its visco-elastic property and becomes more plastic in nature. The results also show the optimal volume of polymer to be used for alteration. It is reported in the current analysis that 5% polymer modification is optimal.