The New Jersey Institute of Technology's
Electronic Theses & Dissertations Project

Title:	Characteristics of recycled plastics and applications for highway appurtenances
Author:	MacBain, Keith
View Online:	njit-etd1997-074 (xi, 65 pages ~ 2.3 MB pdf)
Department:	Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering
Degree:	Master of Science
Program:	Civil Engineering
Document Type:	Thesis
Advisory Committee:	Saadeghvaziri, M. Ala (Committee chair) Dauenheimer, Edward G. (Committee member) Spillers, William R. (Committee member)
Date:	1997-10
Keywords:	Plastic--Recycling. Plastics--Analysis (Engineering). Plastics--Computer programs.
Availability:	Unrestricted
Abstract:	Recycling is gaining widespread support in many communities as an environmentally acceptable solution to the management of solid waste. The success of these recycling programs depends largely on the development of high-value end use for the recycled products. This research involves an experimental and analytical study on the development of high-value, high-volume end uses for recycled plastic shapes. The experimental part includes material tests to determine mechanical properties of various recycled plastics. A constitutive model is proposed and verified that can be used in characterization of recycled plastics. Bending tests of recycled plastic beams were performed to assess strength, stiffness and mode of failure. Analytical results using the proposed constitutive model are in good agreement with the experimental results. An innovative noise wall design that takes advantage of multi-layering to increase stiffness and sound effectiveness is discussed as well as other possible uses and future research needs.