Prefabricated Plastic Pavement for High-Traffic and Extreme Weather Conditions

Abstract

This study investigates the potential of prefabricated plastic pavements as an alternative solution to traditional asphalt pavements for high-traffic and extreme weather conditions. Through a comprehensive review of existing literature and case studies, the advantages of utilizing waste plastics as raw materials for the construction of plastic pavements were highlighted, such as high melting point temperatures, lower carbon footprint, and reduced occurrences of defects in comparison to conventional pavement types. Additionally, the use of plastic roads can also help to address the growing problem of plastic waste by finding a new use for recycled plastic materials. Furthermore, plastic roads have potential advantages over traditional roads in terms of water storage and climate adaptation, as they have been found to have better water drainage capabilities. Waste plastics such as polyethylene, polyvinyl chloride, and ethylene vinyl acetate were identified as suitable materials for heavy traffic roadway applications. However, the study also highlighted the limitations of the technology in terms of heavy traffic roadway applications and the need for more research to fully understand the potential benefits and drawbacks of plastic roads and how to extend this new technology to roadways considering the long-term durability and maintenance requirements of plastic pavements.