A Sustainable Approach for Pothole Repair Using Plastic Waste

Abstract

India\'s expansive road network, vital to its economic growth and connectivity, suffers from recurring pothole issues that disrupt traffic, damage vehicles, and pose significant safety risks—especially during the monsoon season. Simultaneously, the country faces an escalating plastic waste crisis, with millions of tons of non-biodegradable waste generated annually. This study presents a sustainable solution by integrating shredded plastic waste into VG-30 bitumen for pothole repair, aiming to address both infrastructure degradation and environmental concerns. Laboratory tests reveal that a 9% addition of plastic waste yields optimal results, enhancing mechanical properties such as Marshall Stability, flow, and thermal resistance, while maintaining workability. The approach not only offers a cost-effective and durable pothole repair technique but also promotes circular economy principles by repurposing plastic waste. The research provides actionable insights and practical recommendations for implementing this method on a larger scale, particularly in developing nations like India.

Introduction

India’s extensive road network is crucial for socio-economic growth but suffers from widespread pothole problems caused by factors like poor drainage, overloading, and weather, particularly during monsoons. Potholes not only degrade transport efficiency and safety but also increase vehicle maintenance costs and contribute to road accidents. Concurrently, India faces a major plastic waste pollution challenge.

To address both issues, researchers are exploring the incorporation of shredded plastic waste into bituminous road materials. This approach enhances pavement durability, thermal resistance, and lifespan while offering an eco-friendly waste management solution. The study focuses on using plastic-modified bituminous mixes specifically for pothole patching—a less studied area—by blending VG-30 bitumen with varying percentages of plastics like HDPE, LDPE, and PP.

Laboratory tests (including the Marshall Stability Test) show that adding plastic improves key mechanical properties, with optimal performance at 9% plastic content, resulting in stronger, more compact, and temperature-resistant mixes compared to conventional materials. The research supports a sustainable, cost-effective method for pothole repair that enhances road resilience and promotes circular economy goals.

Conclusion

This study presents a sustainable and performance-oriented approach to pothole repair by utilizing VG-30 grade bitumen modified with shredded plastic waste. The experimental investigation confirms that VG-30 bitumen inherently meets the required specifications for penetration, softening point, ductility, flash point, and viscosity, making it suitable for flexible pavements exposed to moderate to high traffic loads and variable climatic conditions. Upon modification with plastic waste, significant improvements in the mechanical performance of the bitumen were observed. The addition of plastic increased the stiffness and temperature susceptibility of the bitumen, as evidenced by reduced penetration and ductility values and elevated softening points. These enhancements contribute to greater resistance to rutting and thermal deformation.

References

[1] Goyal, A. Gupta, and J. Bhardwaj, \"Innovative Road Repair: Utilizing Recycled Plastics for Eco-Friendly Maintenance,\" *African Journal of Biomedical Research*, vol. 28, no. 1s, pp. 2048–2058, Jan. 2025. [2] K. Zhang, J. Xiong, C. Ruiz, and J. Zhang, \"Design and performance assessment of sustainable road pothole patching materials using waste cooking oil, plastic, and reclaimed asphalt pavement,\" *Construction and Building Materials*, vol. 429, 136426, 2024. [3] A. G. Hirekhan, K. K. Gupta, N. M. Deshmukh, P. N. Mhaisker, S. S. Damke, S. N. Wahane, and Z. I. Syeed, \"Use of Plastic Waste as Partial Replacement of Bitumen for Repairing Potholes in Bituminous Pavement,\" *International Journal for Research in Applied Science & Engineering Technology (IJRASET)*, vol. 11, no. 6, Jun. 2023. [4] G. G. Gurudeep and N. G. C., \"Repairing of Potholes and Highway Maintenance,\" *International Advanced Research Journal in Science, Engineering and Technology*, vol. 10, no. 5, May 2023. [5] M. Verma, P. Pandey, and Md. Hasnain, \"Comparative Study for Filling Road Potholes with Plastic Waste Mix Bitumen at Galgotias University Service Lane,\" *International Journal of Creative Research Thoughts (IJCRT)*, vol. 10, no. 11, Nov. 2022. [6] S. N. Gosavi, M. R. Kadam, A. J. Pandey, P. V. Nikam, and V. M. Mali, \"Utilization of Non-Biodegradable Material for Repairing Potholes,\" *International Journal for Research in Applied Science & Engineering Technology (IJRASET)*, vol. 10, no. 8, Aug. 2022. [7] N. Saji, I. P. Khedikar, and S. Diwan, \"Reclamation of Potholes by Utilisation of Plastic,\" *International Journal of Scientific Research in Science and Technology*, vol. 8, no. 4, pp. 592–597, Jul.–Aug. 2021. [8] A. Z. Merzakhill and J. Singh, \"Durability of Potholes Filled with Waste Materials,\" *International Research Journal of Engineering and Technology (IRJET)*, vol. 8, no. 1, pp. 54–58, Jan. 2021. [9] A. Z. Merzakhill and J. Singh, \"Durability of potholes filled with waste materials,\" *IOP Conference Series: Earth and Environmental Science*, vol. 889, 012056, 2021. [10] M. Dhirde, R. Gharat, S. Selvam, V. Shelar, and R. Gondhali, \"A Review on Suitability of Materials for Providing Potholes Repair Solutions and Comparisons of their Characteristics,\" *International Journal of Creative Research Thoughts (IJCRT)*, vol. 8, no. 7, Jul. 2020. [11] A. Nachivanekar, A. Mujawar, M. Mungi, and V. Nagdeve, \"Pothole Filling Vehicle Using Waste Plastic: A Review,\" *International Journal of Scientific Development and Research (IJSDR)*, vol. 4, no. 4, Apr. 2019.

Copyright

Copyright © 2025 S. V. Mhamane, R. D. Shinde, A. B. Khemalapure. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.