The College of Engineering at the University of Baghdad held the public defense of the master’s thesis submitted by Yousif Adeeb Numan, from the Department of Civil Engineering, entitled “Evaluation of Asphalt Concrete Mixture Properties Using Natural Asphalt Modified with High-Density Polyethylene (HDPE)”. The defense was held on Sunday, September 6, 2026, at Dr. Mohammed Makkiya Hall in the Department of Architecture, under the supervision of Asst. Prof. Ru’a Hamid Latif.

The thesis aimed to evaluate the feasibility of using Iraqi natural asphalt as a binder material in pavement works after modification with high-density polyethylene (HDPE), and to investigate the effect of this modification on the physical and engineering properties of natural asphalt and the performance of asphalt concrete mixtures.

The study involved the use of natural asphalt obtained from three sulfur springs in the city of Hit—Al-Askari, Al-Jabal, and Al-Qwaisim—with different percentages of HDPE added. The performance of the resulting binders and asphalt concrete mixtures was then evaluated.

The results showed that modifying natural asphalt with HDPE contributed to improving several important properties and enhancing the performance of asphalt mixtures, with the response to modification varying according to the source of the natural asphalt and the percentage of the added material.

Accordingly, the thesis recommended conducting further studies to improve the stability of the modified binders and investigate their long-term performance, including fatigue resistance, low-temperature performance, aging, and field performance. It also recommended examining the economic and environmental aspects of using HDPE with Iraqi natural asphalt.

Following the scientific discussion, the researcher’s defense, and the evaluation of the thesis, Yousif Adeeb Numan was awarded a Master’s degree in Civil Engineering.