Research Project

Research Interest:

• Pavement Engineering 

• Transportation Engineering 

Mr. Rahman is currently leading the day-to-day activities of a groundbreaking project titled "Improving the Compatibility of Waste Plastic and Asphalt Binder via Theoretically Justified Identification of Compatible Blends." This project is generously funded by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) and aims to revolutionize asphalt manufacturing. In his research role, Mr. Rahman is responsible for conducting experimental tests, analyzing results, preparing monthly presentations, and writing quarterly progress reports for the project. The impressive outcomes of his work on this project, as well as his previous successful completion of the "Improving Asphalt Binder Properties Using Recycled Plastics and Crosslinking Agents/Additives" project funded by the Louisiana Transportation Research Center (LTRC), are expected to be presented and published in esteemed peer-reviewed conferences and journals in the near future.

Furthermore, Mr. Rahman had the honor of presenting a captivating session titled "Understanding Phase Separation, Aging Characteristics, and SARA Fractions of HDPE, LDPE, and PP Modified Asphalt Binder (TRBAM-22-04469)" at the highly acclaimed 2022 Transportation Research Board (TRB) 101st Annual Meeting.

Details of the Current Project:

1. Name of the project: Improving the Compatibility of Waste Plastic and Asphalt Binder via Theoretically Justified Identification of Compatible Blends

The research will:

1) give insight into the fundamental mechanism by which common waste polymers such as high-density polyethylene (HDPE), low density polyethylene (LDPE), and polyethylene terephthalate (PET) mix/de-mix when blended with asphalt binder with various modifications,

2) optimize said blends, and

3) use that knowledge to develop tests to optimize the modification process before mixing untested binders and waste plastics of specified types.

The research will use atomistic and coarse-grained simulation to study the interactions between asphalt binder and waste plastics in order to gain insight into the causes for mixing/de-mixing. Experiments will complement these simulations for validation and to create and optimize at least one compatibilized blend for larger scale application and study. It then will correlate waste plastic and asphalt binder properties with quality of mixing to create tests which can detail how to modify the compatibilization approach for different waste plastic and asphalt binder quality.

2. Name of the project: Improving Asphalt Binder Properties Using Recycled Plastics and Crosslinking Agents/Additives

Abstract: In the laboratory, three thermoplastic polymers, namely high-density polyethylene (HDPE), low-density polyethylene (LDPE), and polypropylene (PP), were mixed with performance grade (PG) binders for experimentation. Several tests were conducted, including storage stability tests, dynamic shear rheometer (DSR) temperature sweep tests, Fourier Transform Infra-Red (FTIR) spectroscopy, chromatographic SARA fractions tests, and rotational viscosity tests. These tests aimed to investigate the phase separation behavior, aging characteristics, and chemical changes in plastic-modified asphalt binders (PlMAB). Results from the phase separation test indicated that a 3% HDPE modified asphalt binder exhibited homogeneity and stability without phase separation, even after extended high-temperature storage stability tests of up to 72 hours and 96 hours. Comparatively, LDPE modified binders showed higher aging indices than HDPE modified binders, which in turn had higher aging indices than the neat binder, as observed through four cycles of RTFO aging and three cycles of PAV aging. UV aging experiments revealed that the 3% LDPE modified asphalt binder exhibited degradation and reduced stiffness after two days, while the 3% HDPE modified binder and neat binder experienced degradation after three days and four days of UV aging, respectively. Notably, the carbonyl peak height did not reflect stiffness changes due to UV aging, whereas the sulfoxide peak height directly correlated with stiffness values. Additionally, SARA tests demonstrated that the addition of plastic modifiers (HDPE, LDPE, and PP) increased the content of asphaltenes, which aligned well with the observed increase in viscosity. The paragraph also briefly mentions the discussion of Interaction Parameter calculations and the validation of the method, along with the measurement and discussion of results as a function of SARA fraction for PS and PE.

Objective: The objective of this project is to explore the effectiveness of various additives and crosslinkers in enhancing the performance and stability of plastic-modified asphalt binders.

Potential Benefits: This work has the potential to significantly advance the knowledge and understanding in the field of plastic-modified asphalt binders.

Other Responsibility:

-Moreover, in his role, Mr. Rahman also serves as a mentor to undergraduate student workers, guiding them in various laboratory duties such as polymer shear mixing, DSR sample preparation, and storage stability testing.

-Mr. Rahman have the privilege of mentoring a high school graduate student in their research project at Louisiana Tech University. It is an exciting opportunity to guide and support them as they embark on their scientific journey. Together, we explore their research topic, develop experimental plans, and analyze data. I provide valuable insights, share research methodologies, and assist them in honing their critical thinking and problem-solving skills. It is truly rewarding to witness their growth and enthusiasm for research, and I am proud to contribute to their development as a budding scientist.