September 17, 2021

Asphalt Materials Shines the Spotlight on Sustainability

As The Heritage Group continues to expand capabilities and investments in the sustainability space, the Asphalt Material’s team is also focused on sustainability in a number of different areas, this article is focused on CCPR or Cold Central Plant Recycling.

CCPR is the process in which the asphalt recycling takes place at a central location using a stationary cold mix plant and an existing stockpile of RAP or reclaimed asphalt pavement.

Why is CCPR a Sustainability Initiative?

Aggregate and oil resources are not infinite and current conventional remove-and-replace approaches to construction projects is unsustainable and not always budget-friendly. CCPR is a modern, yet time-tested approach. It has helped agencies complete more projects within the same budget, or in many cases with reduced dollars versus budget without sacrificing the structural integrity of asphalt pavements.

By reducing energy usage during the processing, CCPR is an ideal choice for road construction projects. There is a smaller carbon footprint and reduction in greenhouse gases because of the significant reduction in trucks exporting and importing materials to and from the site.

RAP is a Valuable Asset!

Agencies paid for the initial construction materials for an existing asphalt pavement. With CCPR, agencies are able to reuse those materials and stretch their budget dollars. When roads last longer, infrastructure funds go further.

CCPR Can be Less Expensive

CCPR is less expensive than conventional maintenance, reconstruction, or new construction methods. Rehabilitating a road with an engineered emulsion additive is less expensive than producing a virgin hot mix made from completely new materials. Typical overall project cost savings can be 25% or more.

Nate Jenkins (AMI Sales Representative) and Tim Zahrn (Specialty Products Area Manager) collaborate on a number of recycling projects around the state of Indiana. They also draw on the expertise of The Heritage Research Group, specifically team members like Megan Yount, and Zach Robinson. A few of their insights are seen below.

CCPR is a green approach that is not only environmentally friendly, but is often economically advantageous to agencies. – Tim Zahrn, Specialty Products Area Manager for Asphalt Materials, Inc.

CCPR gives an agency the ability to remove existing asphalt pavement and fix the underlying pavement issues, reusing the RAP in the new pavement structure. – Megan Yount, Heritage Research Group.

CCPR is placed at ambient temperatures and the mixing plant is typically located in close proximity to the project.  This decreases excessive hauling and utilizes a lower amount of virgin material in comparison to some other alternatives. – Jason Wielinski, Asphalt Institute.

If an agency needs to remove the existing pavement structure, RAP, it makes sense to reuse the material that the agency already owns. – Nate Jenkins, Asphalt Materials Inc. Sales Representative.

RAP has value and can be used by an agency for a number of different things, but can be very valuable when used in a CCPR or other pavement recycling processes. – Zach Robinson, Heritage Research Group.

Show below are a number of different pictures taken at different stages of a CCPR project. In addition, you may be interested in watching a short video of CCPR here: Video Link.

Read More
Katrina LiMandriSustainability
July 12, 2021

Success Story: CMS in Iowa

Cationic Emulsions are made up of three major classifications of emulsion grades: rapid-setting, medium-setting, and slow-setting. The terms “rapid,” “medium,” and “slow” relate to the amount of time it takes for the emulsion to cure and the amount of mixing that can be performed before the emulsion breaks. Emulsions that allow for the longest mixing times generally take the longest to cure, while emulsions that allow for very little mixing time are those that set and cure most rapidly.

Chemical surface-active agents, serving as emulsifiers, are classified by the electrochemical charge that is attained when they dissociate in a water solution. In the case of cationic emulsions, the chemical charge is positive. The chemical type and quantity of surface-active agents used in the manufacturing process governs the properties of the emulsion and in what applications the resulting asphalt emulsion can be used.

As many people know, Asphalt Materials, Inc. is made up of a large family of companies. One of these companies, Bituminous Material and Supply, with plant locations in Tama and Des Moines, Iowa, was approached by Denco Construction regarding an interest in using scrub seal in Iowa. This is an emulsion seal that is not often seen in Iowa. A scrub seal is an application that is very similar to a chip seal treatment. The only difference is that the asphalt distributor pulls a broom sled that houses a series of brooms placed at different angles. These brooms guide or “scrub” the emulsion into cracks to help ensure the road’s surface is sealed.

Testing

The scrub seal is a process by which asphalt emulsion is applied to a pavement surface by an asphalt distributor. The emulsion is scrubbed into the cracks and voids with a broom before a layer of aggregate is applied over the asphalt. The scrub seal is then rolled with a pneumatic tire roller and is usually ready for controlled traffic in 1 hour or less. The scrub seal process is intended to rejuvenate dry, oxidized, and cracked asphalt pavements in lieu of a micro-surfacing, chip seal or asphalt overlay. This process was tested on roads that interested counties offered as a demo. Below, you’ll find images that were taken during the testing process.

Results

The evaluation of the demo roads showed success, and Bituminous is now focused on sand applications. Denco Construction purchased a sand spreader during the winter season to fulfill the county’s request.

According to Chris Aldama, Plant Manager at Bituminous, “It’s still a pretty fresh process. Denco was able to take approximately 10,000 gallons at the end of June, but needs to make adjustments on sand suppliers. Once sand quality is finalized, I’m confident in the long term success in this area and beyond.”

To learn more about the process, feel free to watch this video:

Read More
Katrina LiMandriCompany News
July 6, 2021

National Air Traffic Control Day: Recognizing Our Work at Coles County Airport

National Air Traffic Control Day was first held on July 6, 1986, on the 50th anniversary of the establishment of the air control system in the United States. According to Senate Joint Resolution 188, which designated the day, it was created to increase public awareness about the United States National Airspace System and to give people a way to “express their gratitude and respect” to “pioneers of the technology of air traffic control” and to all air traffic control personnel.

Many might wonder how National Air Traffic Control Day relates to the work we do here at AMI. The work we do expands far beyond just county roads and highways. We also have experience working with airports because just like with roads, protecting longitudinal joints is also important for airport runways! This past June, we completed a 7,300-foot J-Band project at the Coles County Airport, located near Mattoon, Illinois. The application was scheduled to be 18” wide and 1.51 lb./ft for the 2” surface mix, P401, PG64-22, N40. This was over a recently applied and tacked level binder mix.  J-Band, which is a Void Reducing Asphalt Membrane (VRAM) was measured at 280F after the distributor applied. In total, 7,124 ft and 10,330 lbs. were applied for a total yield of 1.45 lbs./ft. Images of the project can be found below. In Illinois, you may also see VRAM referred to as a Longitudinal Joint Sealant (LJS).

The air control system, created by the United States Bureau of Air Commerce, is the National Airspace System. It works to ensure adequate spacing between airplanes that are flying on routes and to prevent congestion at airports. There are more than 14,000 air traffic controllers, who together with engineers, electronics specialists, and technicians make up the National Airspace System. The system is a model for the world aviation community, is known for its safety and efficiency. Over the course of its first 50 years, the volume of air traffic in the United States expanded one hundred and eighty fold. Today, 5,000 aircraft are in the air in the country at any given moment, with millions of flights taking place each year. The country has 5.3 million square miles of domestic airspace and 24 million miles of airspace over the oceans. On National Air Traffic Control Day, we thank all those who work to keep the airways safe as part of the National Airspace System, and we work to make the system stronger. Learn more about National Air Traffic Control Day here.

Read More
Katrina LiMandriIndustry News