Effect of waste cooking oil on warm mix asphalt block pavement - a comprehensive review

Abstract

Waste cooking oil (WCO) is an innovative alternative to modified binder materials for asphalt block pavement. Instead of discarding the WCO as unwanted material, modern scientific approach has supported the application of WCO as a defensible binder rejuvenator for asphalt block pavement, thus improving the significance of bio-oil waste (BoW) through reclamation. The effects of WCO on warm mix asphalt (WMA) block pavement and advanced bitumen replacement agents are reviewed. Similarly, the structural performance of WMA block pavement incorporated with WCO is summarised. High volume of WCO has been reported to upset the design life and mechanical behavior of the asphalt block pavements due to the waste oil constituents. Improper management of WCO in the pavement industry is a vital challenge to the environment and should be evaded. The integration of WCO in WMA block pavement is a credible solution to promote sustainable management of wastes. The most difficult task is in the reprocessing of WCO sufficient for the WMA pavement to withstand the pressure exerted on it. It is likewise essential to reprocess these BoW in an orderly atmosphere to preserve its consistency and structural performance. Reprocessing WCO for various applications of pavement contribute towards resource conservation, carbon emission reduction and pave the way towards responsible consumption. As long as the cost gap between the industrial and produced oils is optimized, the application can become not just feasible, but also economical. Based on a universal analysis of the structural behaviour discovered, there are noble projections regarding the imminent application of WCO solutions in pavement construction industry, especially for lightweight and mediumweight block pavements. However, to the best of our knowledge, the preceding reviews do not characterize recent WMA blocks integrated with WCO as a binder rejuvenator. As such, there is need for further studies on effects of unused cooking oil on either cold, warm, or hot mix asphalts block pavements.