EAGER: Porous Plastic-Based Cementitious Materials for Pervious Pavements

Temple University, Philadelphia PA

Investigators

Abstract

Proposal Title: EAGER: Porous Plastic-based Cementitious Materials for Pervious Pavements Principal Investigator: Naji Khoury Institution: Temple University Proposal No: 1101197 This EAGER project will test the hypothesis that plastic waste mixed with soil and aggregates can be used to produce durable and clog-resistant porous materials (porous plastic-based cementitious material, P-PBC) which can be used for pervious pavements. Plastic waste disposal has become a major concern for both the public and scientific communities alike. The manufacture of P-PBC utilizes a large quantity of plastic bottles that are currently sent to landfills, littered and/or incinerated. There are three research goals in this project: (1) Evaluation of durability and clogging characteristics of P-PBC materials. (2) Micro-structural investigation of P-PBC materials and (3) Life cycle assessment and cost analysis of P-PBC materials. The findings from this work will advance the state-of-knowledge of porous materials in pavement engineering. This study will also open the door for further research on the recycling of plastic waste into useful construction materials. The study will support one graduate student from Temple University. It will also provide summer internships to two students from Temple?s neighboring high school (Carver High School of Engineering and Science, i.e., CHSES) to conduct research in the PI?s laboratory. The student body at CHSES is 81% African-American, 8% Asian and 5% Caucasian. The primary risk in this project comes from the fact that P-PBC has not been tested for its longevity and resistance to clogging, a necessary step before it can be used as pavement slabs on roads, sidewalks or even parking lots. This work will provide necessary preliminary data on durability and clogging characteristics of P-PBC needed to submit full research proposals. Bruce Hamilton Program Director Environmental Sustainability 10/16/10