PVC Road-Making Material for Lower-Bitumen, Crack-Resistant Asphalt
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current bitumen-based road materials suffer from issues such as temperature effects, oxidation leading to cracking and rutting, high maintenance costs, and the inefficiency and waste associated with polymer modified bitumen (PMB) production.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating polyvinylchloride (PVC) plastics, including recycled PVC, into the asphalt mix to replace a portion of the bitumen, with a glass transition temperature of no more than 180°C, to create a road making material that includes at least 10% PVC by weight.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If polymer modified bitumen (PMB) is used to improve road durability, then road strength is improved, but storage and handling complexity increases due to requiring specialist heated storage units and indefinite storage limitations
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the polymer modification function from the bitumen itself and implements it through a separate PVC plasticizer additive system. Instead of modifying bitumen with complex PMB formulations requiring heated storage, the invention uses PVC plasticizers that can be stored at ambient temperatures and added during asphalt production, thereby maintaining road strength improvements while eliminating storage and handling complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the temperature parameter for polymer storage from requiring heated storage (PMB) to ambient temperature storage (PVC plasticizers). This parameter change eliminates the need for specialist heated storage units while maintaining the polymer modification benefits in the asphalt mix
2Reliability
If PMB is used to improve road performance, then resistance to cracking and rutting is improved, but material cost increases due to expensive polymer materials and storage requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces expensive PMB materials with cheaper PVC plasticizers that can be stored at ambient temperatures. The PVC-based plasticizers are significantly less costly than virgin polymers used in PMB, while still providing the necessary road performance improvements through crack and rut resistance
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the chemical composition parameters by substituting expensive virgin polymers with recycled PVC plasticizers. This parameter change reduces material costs while maintaining the functional benefits of polymer-modified asphalt through improved elasticity and deformation resistance
3Quantity of substance
If conventional asphalt is used for road construction, then initial construction cost is lower, but maintenance frequency increases due to susceptibility to water permeation, cracking, and pothole formation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a composite material system combining conventional asphalt with PVC plasticizers. This composite approach maintains the cost-effectiveness of traditional asphalt while adding the durability benefits of polymer modification, resulting in extended road service life through improved resistance to water permeation, cracking, and pothole formation
Solution Approach 2:
The PVC plasticizers provide self-healing properties to the asphalt mix by maintaining flexibility and elasticity over time. This self-service mechanism allows the road surface to resist deformation and recover from minor stresses, thereby extending service life without requiring frequent maintenance interventions
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The PVC-enhanced asphalt mix demonstrates improved strength, reduced water sensitivity, decreased crack propagation, and lower bitumen usage, resulting in longer-lasting and more durable road surfaces.
Implementation Method 1
wherein the polyvinylchloride has a glass transition temperature of no more than 180° C.
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention provides a method for producing a road making material and a road making material, the road making material comprising more than 10% polyvinylchloride (PVC) by weight and the polyvinylchloride having a glass transition temperature of no more than 180° C.