UT Arlington ‘Plastic Roads' research project paving road to sustainability

Parking lot #49 at UT Arlington is closed for repairs and a test.

"What I see out here is an outside-of-the-classroom laboratory for our students," UTA Director of Auxiliary Services Greg Hladik said.

Dump trucks with asphalt fill in about 40,000 square feet of parking lot, but it's not your typical asphalt.

"We're calling it 'Plastic Road,'" said UTA civil engineering Ph.D. student Ishraq Faruk. "We are trying to use recycled plastic in the mix. That way we will be able to divert the plastics going into the landfill to here."

'Plastic Roads' is a UTA student research project that has been in the works for 3 years. The parking lot repairs are the first real-world test. "To see how it performs in real life as a parking lot," Faruk said.

The asphalt used for the parking lot has enough plastic from milk and shampoo bottles to fill 15 recycle/garbage trucks.

The goal is to use less oil to produce asphalt and send less plastic to landfills.

"So we'll be able to solve a problem with an already existing problem," Faruk said.

"You know, this is a great example of the work that our researchers are doing that can really make an impact on the future and drive a greener future," Hladik said. "It's a little bit higher upfront cost, but it's gonna save us significant funds in the future."

That's because in the lab tests, the 'Plastic Roads' mix lasted twice as long as traditional asphalt.

"This should last," Faruk said looking at the crews laying fresh asphalt. "They should park on it, and it will not fail."

The next test will take their research on the road. The project has scouted roads in Dallas and Kaufman counties to try 'Plastic Roads' later this summer.

"So we are looking forward to paving a road, like a real road, with our mix," Faruk said. "It will be very exciting for us!"