RE-ROAD - Re-Road End of Life Strategies of Asphalt Pavements
Overview
Background & policy context:
The re-use of recycled asphalt started in the 1950s. It was spurred on by the energy crisis in 1973-1974 due to bitumen savings and started on a 100% basis in 1976 in the Netherlands. Currently several techniques are available, including batch mixing plant (hot) re-use, drum mixer plant (hot) re-use, plant with parallel drum (hot) re-use and cold mix recycling/re-use.
In Europe more than 300 million tonnes of asphalt are produced at more than 4 000 stationary asphalt plants and 750 mobile plants.
The RE-ROAD project aimed to develop knowledge and innovative technologies for enhanced end of life strategies for asphalt road infrastructures. Such a strategy has an important impact on the energy efficiency and the environmental footprint of the European transport system and fits within the life-cycle thinking which is being introduced in waste policy at European level. It leads to reduction of the need for new raw materials, prevents the creation of waste and the occupation of landfills and consequently minimises the need to transport these materials to and from the work site and hence reducing energy, pollution including CO2 emissions.
Objectives:
The project covered the following issues of reclaimed asphalt:
Dismantling Strategies
The impact and potentially adverse effects of different dismantling procedures on the quality of reclaimed asphalt will be investigated.
Characterisation Strategies
Improving characterisation of reclaimed asphalt and technical evaluation of reclaimed asphalt as a raw material considering the heterogeneity of the material and the specific industrial process for producing the asphalt mix.
Handling Strategies
Optimising the process to achieve the highest possible level of quality. Ensuring environmentally sound use of reclaimed asphalt and disposal of materials that cannot be recycled.
Environmental Criteria
Assessment of risks and benefits to the environment with the use of reclaimed asphalt will be developed. Special attention will be paid to potential harmful substances (e.g. tar-containing asphalt). Life cycle analysis (LCA) will be used as a tool for this assessment.
Cost Effective Recycling
Short and long-term performance, as well as lifetime prediction by modelling of asphalt mixes produced with different levels of reclaimed asphalt and production techniques.
Industrial Processes
Study of the effect on the final asphalt mix quality derived from the specific method for introducing reclaimed asphalt in the mixing plant. Avoiding the problems when recycling polymer modified reclaimed asphalt and how to take full advantage of their special qualities.
Methodology:
The consortium carried out various studies.
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