Improving Technical Characteristics of Asphalt Pavement Using Wastes of Polystyrene Disposable Dishes

3 Abstract: Due to widespread use of disposable dishes and their 500-600 years recycling and also carcinogenicity, the goal of this laboratory study is to investigate the possibility of using polystyrene (PS) disposable dishes wastes in making asphalt surfaces to decrease environmental problems in recycling and burial of these materials and also to analyze their effect on technical characteristics of asphalt mixtures. In addition, PS materials are used in four methods: 1-added to bitumen, 2-bitumen replaced with PS, 3-added to aggregates, 4- same-sized soft aggregates replaced with PS. In each of aforementioned instances, bitumen or asphalt mixture technical characteristics change much or a little. PS can resolve major problems of water percolation and drainage in asphalt surfaces and the obtained asphalt mixture has more strength and resistance to control sample. Consequently, while using the obtained mixture improves asphalt mixtures properties and reduces the consumption of aggregates, it exploits large amounts of PS wastes in civil engineering constructions.