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NATIONAL
NCHRP REPORT 696
COOPERATIVE
HIGHWAY
RESEARCH
PROGRAM
Performance of Corrugated Pipe
Manufactured with Recycled
Polyethylene Content
OCR for page R2
TRANSPORTATION RESEARCH BOARD 2011 EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE*
OFFICERS
CHAIR: Neil J. Pedersen, Administrator, Maryland State Highway Administration, Baltimore
VICE CHAIR: Sandra Rosenbloom, Professor of Planning, University of Arizona, Tucson
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR: Robert E. Skinner, Jr., Transportation Research Board
MEMBERS
J. Barry Barker, Executive Director, Transit Authority of River City, Louisville, KY
Deborah H. Butler, Executive Vice President, Planning, and CIO, Norfolk Southern Corporation, Norfolk, VA
William A.V. Clark, Professor, Department of Geography, University of California, Los Angeles
Eugene A. Conti, Jr., Secretary of Transportation, North Carolina DOT, Raleigh
James M. Crites, Executive Vice President of Operations, Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport, TX
Paula J. Hammond, Secretary, Washington State DOT, Olympia
Michael W. Hancock, Secretary, Kentucky Transportation Cabinet, Frankfort
Adib K. Kanafani, Cahill Professor of Civil Engineering, University of California, Berkeley
Michael P. Lewis, Director, Rhode Island DOT, Providence
Susan Martinovich, Director, Nevada DOT, Carson City
Michael R. Morris, Director of Transportation, North Central Texas Council of Governments, Arlington
Tracy L. Rosser, Vice President, Regional General Manager, Wal-Mart Stores, Inc., Mandeville, LA
Steven T. Scalzo, Chief Operating Officer, Marine Resources Group, Seattle, WA
Henry G. (Gerry) Schwartz, Jr., Chairman (retired), Jacobs/Sverdrup Civil, Inc., St. Louis, MO
Beverly A. Scott, General Manager and CEO, Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority, Atlanta, GA
David Seltzer, Principal, Mercator Advisors LLC, Philadelphia, PA
Lawrence A. Selzer, President and CEO, The Conservation Fund, Arlington, VA
Kumares C. Sinha, Olson Distinguished Professor of Civil Engineering, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN
Thomas K. Sorel, Commissioner, Minnesota DOT, St. Paul
Daniel Sperling, Professor of Civil Engineering and Environmental Science and Policy; Director, Institute of Transportation Studies; and Interim
Director, Energy Efficiency Center, University of California, Davis
Kirk T. Steudle, Director, Michigan DOT, Lansing
Douglas W. Stotlar, President and CEO, Con-Way, Inc., Ann Arbor, MI
C. Michael Walton, Ernest H. Cockrell Centennial Chair in Engineering, University of Texas, Austin
EX OFFICIO MEMBERS
Peter H. Appel, Administrator, Research and Innovative Technology Administration, U.S.DOT
J. Randolph Babbitt, Administrator, Federal Aviation Administration, U.S.DOT
Rebecca M. Brewster, President and COO, American Transportation Research Institute, Smyrna, GA
Anne S. Ferro, Administrator, Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, U.S.DOT
LeRoy Gishi, Chief, Division of Transportation, Bureau of Indian Affairs, U.S.DOT
John T. Gray, Senior Vice President, Policy and Economics, Association of American Railroads, Washington, DC
John C. Horsley, Executive Director, American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials, Washington, DC
David T. Matsuda, Deputy Administrator, Maritime Administration, U.S.DOT
Victor M. Mendez, Administrator, Federal Highway Administration, U.S.DOT
William W. Millar, President, American Public Transportation Association, Washington, DC
Tara O'Toole, Under Secretary for Science and Technology, U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Washington, DC
Robert J. Papp (Adm., U.S. Coast Guard), Commandant, U.S. Coast Guard, U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Washington, DC
Cynthia L. Quarterman, Administrator, Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration, U.S.DOT
Peter M. Rogoff, Administrator, Federal Transit Administration, U.S.DOT
David L. Strickland, Administrator, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, U.S.DOT
Joseph C. Szabo, Administrator, Federal Railroad Administration, U.S.DOT
Polly Trottenberg, Assistant Secretary for Transportation Policy, U.S.DOT
Robert L. Van Antwerp (Lt. Gen., U.S. Army), Chief of Engineers and Commanding General, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Washington, DC
Barry R. Wallerstein, Executive Officer, South Coast Air Quality Management District, Diamond Bar, CA
*Membership as of June 2011.
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NATIONAL COOPERATIVE HIGHWAY RESEARCH PROGRAM
NCHRP REPORT 696
Performance of Corrugated Pipe
Manufactured with Recycled
Polyethylene Content
Richard W. Thomas
David Cuttino
TRI/ENVIRONMENTAL, INC.
Austin, Texas
Subscriber Categories
Highways · Materials · Bridges and Other Structures
Research sponsored by the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials
in cooperation with the Federal Highway Administration
TRANSPORTATION RESEARCH BOARD
WASHINGTON, D.C.
2011
www.TRB.org
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NATIONAL COOPERATIVE HIGHWAY NCHRP REPORT 696
RESEARCH PROGRAM
Systematic, well-designed research provides the most effective Project 04-32
approach to the solution of many problems facing highway ISSN 0077-5614
administrators and engineers. Often, highway problems are of local ISBN 978-0-309-21340-0
interest and can best be studied by highway departments individually Library of Congress Control Number 2011933954
or in cooperation with their state universities and others. However, the © 2011 National Academy of Sciences. All rights reserved.
accelerating growth of highway transportation develops increasingly
complex problems of wide interest to highway authorities. These
problems are best studied through a coordinated program of COPYRIGHT INFORMATION
cooperative research.
Authors herein are responsible for the authenticity of their materials and for obtaining
In recognition of these needs, the highway administrators of the written permissions from publishers or persons who own the copyright to any previously
American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials published or copyrighted material used herein.
initiated in 1962 an objective national highway research program Cooperative Research Programs (CRP) grants permission to reproduce material in this
employing modern scientific techniques. This program is supported on publication for classroom and not-for-profit purposes. Permission is given with the
understanding that none of the material will be used to imply TRB, AASHTO, FAA, FHWA,
a continuing basis by funds from participating member states of the
FMCSA, FTA, or Transit Development Corporation endorsement of a particular product,
Association and it receives the full cooperation and support of the method, or practice. It is expected that those reproducing the material in this document for
Federal Highway Administration, United States Department of educational and not-for-profit uses will give appropriate acknowledgment of the source of
any reprinted or reproduced material. For other uses of the material, request permission
Transportation.
from CRP.
The Transportation Research Board of the National Academies was
requested by the Association to administer the research program
because of the Board's recognized objectivity and understanding of
NOTICE
modern research practices. The Board is uniquely suited for this
purpose as it maintains an extensive committee structure from which The project that is the subject of this report was a part of the National Cooperative Highway
Research Program, conducted by the Transportation Research Board with the approval of
authorities on any highway transportation subject may be drawn; it the Governing Board of the National Research Council.
possesses avenues of communications and cooperation with federal,
The members of the technical panel selected to monitor this project and to review this
state and local governmental agencies, universities, and industry; its report were chosen for their special competencies and with regard for appropriate balance.
relationship to the National Research Council is an insurance of The report was reviewed by the technical panel and accepted for publication according to
procedures established and overseen by the Transportation Research Board and approved
objectivity; it maintains a full-time research correlation staff of
by the Governing Board of the National Research Council.
specialists in highway transportation matters to bring the findings of
The opinions and conclusions expressed or implied in this report are those of the
research directly to those who are in a position to use them. researchers who performed the research and are not necessarily those of the Transportation
The program is developed on the basis of research needs identified Research Board, the National Research Council, or the program sponsors.
by chief administrators of the highway and transportation departments The Transportation Research Board of the National Academies, the National Research
and by committees of AASHTO. Each year, specific areas of research Council, and the sponsors of the National Cooperative Highway Research Program do not
needs to be included in the program are proposed to the National endorse products or manufacturers. Trade or manufacturers' names appear herein solely
because they are considered essential to the object of the report.
Research Council and the Board by the American Association of State
Highway and Transportation Officials. Research projects to fulfill these
needs are defined by the Board, and qualified research agencies are
selected from those that have submitted proposals. Administration and
surveillance of research contracts are the responsibilities of the National
Research Council and the Transportation Research Board.
The needs for highway research are many, and the National
Cooperative Highway Research Program can make significant
contributions to the solution of highway transportation problems of
mutual concern to many responsible groups. The program, however, is
intended to complement rather than to substitute for or duplicate other
highway research programs.
Published reports of the
NATIONAL COOPERATIVE HIGHWAY RESEARCH PROGRAM
are available from:
Transportation Research Board
Business Office
500 Fifth Street, NW
Washington, DC 20001
and can be ordered through the Internet at:
http://www.national-academies.org/trb/bookstore
Printed in the United States of America
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The National Academy of Sciences is a private, nonprofit, self-perpetuating society of distinguished scholars engaged in scientific
and engineering research, dedicated to the furtherance of science and technology and to their use for the general welfare. On the
authority of the charter granted to it by the Congress in 1863, the Academy has a mandate that requires it to advise the federal
government on scientific and technical matters. Dr. Ralph J. Cicerone is president of the National Academy of Sciences.
The National Academy of Engineering was established in 1964, under the charter of the National Academy of Sciences, as a parallel
organization of outstanding engineers. It is autonomous in its administration and in the selection of its members, sharing with the
National Academy of Sciences the responsibility for advising the federal government. The National Academy of Engineering also
sponsors engineering programs aimed at meeting national needs, encourages education and research, and recognizes the superior
achievements of engineers. Dr. Charles M. Vest is president of the National Academy of Engineering.
The Institute of Medicine was established in 1970 by the National Academy of Sciences to secure the services of eminent members
of appropriate professions in the examination of policy matters pertaining to the health of the public. The Institute acts under the
responsibility given to the National Academy of Sciences by its congressional charter to be an adviser to the federal government
and, on its own initiative, to identify issues of medical care, research, and education. Dr. Harvey V. Fineberg is president of the
Institute of Medicine.
The National Research Council was organized by the National Academy of Sciences in 1916 to associate the broad community of
science and technology with the Academy's purposes of furthering knowledge and advising the federal government. Functioning in
accordance with general policies determined by the Academy, the Council has become the principal operating agency of both the
National Academy of Sciences and the National Academy of Engineering in providing services to the government, the public, and
the scientific and engineering communities. The Council is administered jointly by both Academies and the Institute of Medicine.
Dr. Ralph J. Cicerone and Dr. Charles M. Vest are chair and vice chair, respectively, of the National Research Council.
The Transportation Research Board is one of six major divisions of the National Research Council. The mission of the Transporta-
tion Research Board is to provide leadership in transportation innovation and progress through research and information exchange,
conducted within a setting that is objective, interdisciplinary, and multimodal. The Board's varied activities annually engage about
7,000 engineers, scientists, and other transportation researchers and practitioners from the public and private sectors and academia,
all of whom contribute their expertise in the public interest. The program is supported by state transportation departments, federal
agencies including the component administrations of the U.S. Department of Transportation, and other organizations and individu-
als interested in the development of transportation. www.TRB.org
www.national-academies.org
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COOPERATIVE RESEARCH PROGRAMS
CRP STAFF FOR NCHRP REPORT 696
Christopher W. Jenks, Director, Cooperative Research Programs
Crawford F. Jencks, Deputy Director, Cooperative Research Programs
Edward T. Harrigan, Senior Program Officer
Melanie Adcock, Senior Program Assistant
Eileen P. Delaney, Director of Publications
Scott E. Hitchcock, Editor
NCHRP PROJECT 04-32 PANEL
Field of Materials and Construction--Area of General Materials
Cecil L. Jones, Diversified Engineering Services, Inc., Raleigh, NC (Chair)
James B. Goddard, Powell, OH
Michael G. Katona, Washington State University, Gig Harbor, WA
James C. Schluter, CONTECH Construction Products Inc., Franklin, OH
Andrew L. Thomas, Pennsylvania DOT, Harrisburg, PA
Tim Toliver, Advanced Pipe Services, Bowling Green, OH
Masha B. Wilson, Nevada Department of Public Safety, Carson City, NV
Eric P. Munley, FHWA Liaison
G. P. Jayaprakash, TRB Liaison
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FOREWORD
By Edward T. Harrigan
Staff Officer
Transportation Research Board
This report provides potential specifications for corrugated drainage pipe manufactured
with recycled high-density polyethylene (HDPE). The report details the research performed
and includes proposed draft specifications for recycled HDPE, formulations of virgin and
recycled HDPE, and drainage pipe containing recycled HDPE. Thus, the report will be of
immediate interest to materials engineers and bridge and structural design engineers in state
highway agencies, as well as to thermoplastic pipe suppliers.
The corrugated drainage pipe market in the United States consumes in excess of a billion
pounds of virgin HDPE annually. Previous research has demonstrated the feasibility of
blending virgin HDPE with recycled HDPE (millions of pounds of which are generated each
year) to manufacture drainage pipe. To produce pipe of satisfactory quality, HDPE blends
must consistently maintain critical material properties that affect pipe durability, such as
strength and structural properties, density, melt index, environmental stress-crack resis-
tance, and thermal stability, at the levels required by relevant AASHTO specifications.
The objective of this research was to develop specifications for (1) recycled HDPE
intended for use in the manufacture of corrugated drainage pipe and (2) corrugated pipe
manufactured from blends of virgin and recycled HDPE. To accomplish this objective, the
research examined the structural and service capabilities of corrugated drainage pipe man-
ufactured with recycled HDPE content in typical transportation applications and evaluated
the applicability of existing design and performance standards for corrugated drainage pipe
manufactured with virgin HDPE to that containing HDPE.
The research was conducted by TRI/Environmental, Inc. of Austin, Texas in three phases.
In the first phase, key material properties of a wide range of post-consumer recycled (PCR)
and post-industrial recycled (PIR) HDPEs were compared to those of virgin HDPEs typi-
cally used to produce corrugated drainage pipe. The results showed that PCR, mixed-color,
reprocessed HDPE was the preferable recycled material because of its wide availability and
good consistency. In the second phase, 67 different blends of PCR mixed-color, reprocessed
HDPEs and virgin HDPEs were prepared and tested to determine their suitability for pro-
duction of corrugated drainage pipe of satisfactory quality and performance. In the final
phase, several promising blends of recycled and virgin HDPEs were used to manufacture 15
12-in.-diameter pipe samples at three different manufacturing plants. The short-term mate-
rial properties and long-term durability of these pipe samples were tested and compared to
control pipe manufactured under the same conditions from virgin HDPE.
Overall, the research demonstrated that (1) pipe made with a 50% or greater content of
recycled HDPE can provide adequate short- and long-term properties and a service life
comparable to pipe manufactured with 100% virgin HDPE and (2) the best blends are those
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that combine recycled HDPE with virgin HDPE lower in density and higher in stress-crack
resistance than those typically used in the production of corrugated drainage pipe.
The report fully documents the research leading to the development of draft specifica-
tions for recycled HDPE, formulations of virgin and recycled HDPE, and two sizes of cor-
rugated drainage pipe proposed for review and possible adoption by the AASHTO High-
way Subcommittee on Materials. Besides the full text of the contractor's final report, this
report contains six printed appendixes:
APPENDIX A: Procedures and Test Methods
APPENDIX E: Proposed Specification for Reprocessed, Mixed-Color, PCR-HDPE
APPENDIX F: Proposed Specification for Recycled Containing HDPE Resin
Formulations for Corrugated Pipe Made to AASHTO
Specification M252-Recycled
APPENDIX G: Proposed Specification for Recycled Containing HDPE Resin
Formulations for Corrugated Pipe Made to AASHTO
Specification M294-Recycled
APPENDIX H: Proposed Specification for Corrugated Polyethylene Drainage Pipe
Containing Recycled Polyethylene, 75- to 250-mm Diameter
APPENDIX I: Proposed Specification for Corrugated Polyethylene Drainage Pipe
Containing Recycled Polyethylene, 300- to 1500-mm Diameter
In addition, three appendixes are available to download from the NCHRP Project 04-32
web page at http://apps.trb.org/cmsfeed/TRBNetProjectDisplay.asp?ProjectID=865:
APPENDIX B: Recycled Polyethylene Resins
APPENDIX C: Recycled-Resin Blends
APPENDIX D: Pipe Containing Recycled HDPE
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CONTENTS
1 Summary
3 Chapter 1 Introduction
4 Chapter 2 Research Approach
4 Phase 1 Recycled PE Resins
4 Phase 2 Recycled-Resin Blends
4 Phase 3 Pipe Made from Recycled-Resin Blends
4 Short-Term Properties
5 Long-Term Properties
5 Service Lifetime of PE
8 The SIM for Predicting Creep and Creep Rupture (Stage I) Properties
12 The Long-Term Stress-Crack (Stage II) Resistance
12 The FL-DOT Junction Test
13 The BFF Test
13 The Long-Term Oxidation (Stage III) Resistance
14 Specifications
15 Chapter 3 Findings
15 Phase 1 Recycled Polyethylene Resins
15 Post-Industrial Recycled Polyethylene
16 Post-Consumer Recycled High-Density Polyethylene
17 PCR Natural Resin
17 PCR Mixed-Color Resin
18 OIT vs. OITemp
18 The Effects of Contamination
19 The Effects of Particulates
19 The Effects of Melt Filtration
21 The Effect of Silicone Rubber
24 The Effect of Polypropylene
24 Phase 2 Recycled-Resin Blends
26 Blends Made with Mixed-Color PCR
28 Blends Made with Natural PCR
30 Blends Made with PIR-HD
32 Phase 3 Pipe Made from Recycled-Resin Blends
32 Trial Pipe Manufacturing
32 Short-Term Properties
32 Index Test Results
34 Stress-Crack Test Results
37 AASHTO M294 Properties
37 Long-Term Properties
37 Long-Term Tensile Strength by SIM
40 Long-Term Creep Strain and Modulus by SIM
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41 Long-Term Stress-Crack Resistance
42 Combined SIM (Stage I) and BFF (Stage II) Service-Lifetime
Estimates
45 The BFF Test for QC
46 Designing Pipe with Recycled Content
47 Proposed Draft Specifications
49 Chapter 4 Conclusions and Suggested Research
49 Phase 1 Recycled PE Resins
49 Phase 2 Recycled PE Blends
50 Phase 3 Pipe Made from Recycled-Resin Blends
54 References
A-1 Appendix A Procedures and Test Methods
B-1 Appendix B Recycled Polyethylene Resins
B-1 Appendix C Recycled-Resin Blends
B-1 Appendix D Pipe Containing Recycled HDPE
E-1 Appendix E Proposed Draft Standard Specification
for PCR MCR High-Density PE Bottles
for Use in AASHTO-Approved Corrugated
Drainage Pipe
F-1 Appendix F Proposed Draft Standard for Recycled
Content Containing HDPE Resin Formulations
for Corrugated Pipe Made to AASHTO
Standard M252-Recycled
G-1 Appendix G Proposed Draft Standard Specification
for Recycled Content Containing HDPE Resin
Formulations for Corrugated Pipe Made
to AASHTO Standard M294-Recycled
H-1 Appendix H Proposed Draft Standard Specification
for Corrugated Polyethylene Drainage
Pipe Containing Recycled Polyethylene,
75- to 250-mm Diameter
I-1 Appendix I Proposed Draft Standard Specification
for Corrugated Polyethylene Drainage
Pipe Containing Recycled Polyethylene,
300- to 1,500-mm Diameter
Note: Many of the photographs, figures, and tables in this report have been converted from color to grayscale
for printing. The electronic version of the report (posted on the Web at www.trb.org) retains the color versions.
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AUTHOR ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
There were many organizations and people who contributed to this project. Input was requested and
received from virgin resin suppliers, recyclers, trade associations, and corrugated pipe manufacturers. The
majority of the laboratory testing was performed by David Cuttino of TRI. The evaluation of designing
with recycled-containing HDPE was performed by Sarah L. Gassman of the University of South Carolina.
She wrote the section called "Designing Pipe with Recycled Content."
The companies that contributed samples to the project were:
Berou International Inc.
Blue Ridge Plastics LLC
ChevronPhillips Chemical Co.
Clean Tech, Inc.
Custom Polymers Inc.
Entropex, Inc.
Envision Plastics
Ineos Olefins and Polymers USA
KW Plastics, Recycling Division
LyondellBasell Advanced Polyolefins USA, Inc.
Polychem Products Ltd
Recyc RPM
Solplast
Trademark Plastics Corporation
The companies that manufactured pipe for the project were:
ADS
Blue Diamond Industries
Lane Enterprises, Inc.
Individuals who contributed include:
Sam Allen--TRI/Environmental
Rex Bobsein--ChevronPhillips Chemical Co.
John Brown--Solplast, Inc.
Serge Bourret--Recyc RPM, Inc.
David Cornell--Association of Post Consumer Plastic Recyclers
Mark Dick--Lane Enterprises, Inc.
Tamsin Ettefagh--Envision Plastics
Ken Flamming--Blue Diamond Industries
Adel Haddad--LyondellBasell Advanced Polyolefins USA, Inc.
Mike Harris--ADS
Brian Hauger--ChevronPhillips Chemical Co.
Mike Kilough--Ineos Olefins and Polymers USA
Jason Kroll--TRI/Environmental
Tim McGrath--Simpson Gumpertz & Hegar, Inc.
Jarrett Nelson--TRI/Environmental
Mansukh Patel--TRI/Environmental
Scott Saunders--KW Plastics
Joel Sprague--TRI/Environmental
Tom Walsh--Walsh Consulting
