Effect of using of reclaimed asphalt and/or lower temperature asphalt on the availability of the road network

Abstract

There is a need for a method for assessing the results from changes in the potential durability of road materials due to the inclusion of reclaimed and secondary component materials in the manufacture of new road materials. Such changes will have an effect on the cost of the construction maintenance, both financially to the client and environmentally to society in general, and any savings may be transitory. A site trial has been laid of mixtures with and without reclaimed asphalt and work started to assess their durability from early-life properties. The trials are being monitored for their initial performance whilstlaboratory trials are concentrating on the combined effect of ageing and moisture damage on the performance of asphalt mixtures on the trial. All three strands are being used to develop life-cycle analysis models to customise them for the effect of using alternative component materials on the availability of the network and their overall financial and environmental cost, both initial and whole-life. The costs will be identified as being direct (of the construction and maintenance) and indirect (on society in general, such as congestion).Structural EngineeringCivil Engineering and Geoscience