During 2022, County Engineer Tony Hinkle reached out to Heritage Research Group (HRG), to have Waverly Park Road in Morgan County, Indiana, be sampled for a potential recycling project. The results from pavement sampling determined that the road was a candidate for a 4-inch Cold In-place Recycling (CIR) treatment. Based on the report’s recommendations, Hinkle made the decision to move forward with the CIR treatment to repair and preserve the pavement.
Full Depth Reclamation (FDR) and Cold Central Plant Recycling (CCPR) allowed the Indiana Department of Transportation (INDOT) to repair and upgrade a major collector in Northeast Indiana.
When you think to yourself, “What is the most recycled material in America?”, I bet glass, paper, aluminum, and plastic probably comes to mind. All of these are true! However, according to studies done by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) asphalt pavement is also considered one of America’s #1 recycled products.
Each year, the Asphalt Recycling & Reclaiming Association (ARRA) honors public officials and consulting engineers who have made outstanding contributions to the Asphalt Recycling and Reclaiming industry.
ARRA has many accomplishments of note, including the annual FHWA/ARRA In-Place Recycling Workshop, the publication of the Basic Asphalt Recycling Manual, the Federal Highway Administration’s adoption of an official policy on recycling, the National Highway Institute’s asphalt recycling and reclaiming training course, special features in the trade press, and several very successful joint annual meetings with the Asphalt Emulsion Manufacturers Association (AEMA) and the International Slurry Surfacing Association (ISSA).
The Asphalt Materials’ team continues to innovate and invest in sustainability.
A circular economy focuses on reducing waste and pollution with repair, reuse, and reduction. It entails redesigning products to be more durable, reusable, repairable, and recyclable, and therefore kept in use for as long as possible. Beyond product design innovations, it also means changing the way we consume and use goods and services.
Excerpts from the JULY – AUGUST 2022 Edition of TRANSPORTATION BUILDER Magazine from ARTBA, The American Road & Transportation Builders Association
BY SCOTT BERGKAMP
We often have heard that a chain is only as strong as its weakest link. As we evaluate our road networks for resiliency, this maxim certainly applies. In an emergency, a few scattered issues on major thoroughfares in a community will hinder first responders and population evacuation.
Focus on the Entire Network.
That’s why state and local road agencies—when improving the resiliency of their infrastructure—should enhance the pavement condition of the entire network via preservation. The uncertainty of trying to predict where failures will occur and then addressing only those locations—is eliminated when an entire road network is in good condition.
Pavement preservation is intended to keep good roads good—prolonging pavement life and resiliency—without adding structural value. Preservation techniques include surface treatments such as slurry surfacing, crack sealing, chip sealing, micro-surfacing, rejuvenation, hot and cold in-place recycling and thin-lift hot-mix asphalt paving, and concrete pavement restoration. In addition to providing cost savings for governments, pavement preservation utilizes up to 80 percent less of the earth’s non-renewable resources compared to conventional highway rehabilitation and reconstruction programs.
Less Maintenance. Fewer Emissions. Fewer Safety Issues.
Preservation treatments are completed quickly with minimal disruption to traffic. Freely moving traffic produces far fewer emissions than slowed or stopped traffic, so the environment benefits from decreased emissions means fewer road work-related traffic jams, less mobile construction equipment, and fewer, endless processions of haul trucks. Preservation fully utilizes reclaimed asphalt pavement (RAP), keeping it out of landfills. And preservation decreases airborne particulate matter (PM) compared to that emitted during conventional reconstruction.
In addressing network pavement condition, many agencies have demonstrated the ability to improve the condition of the entire network with pavement preservation practices, better utilizing their existing budget while enhancing resiliency.
A Cost-Effective Manner
Agencies found that improving a network’s overall resiliency in a cost-effective manner through pavement preservation is very achievable, and at the same time improves network condition. With this approach, the agency’s constituents will be pleased both during normal times, and also when they experience a disruptive event.
Saves Taxpayer’s Money.
Pavement preservation enhances system resiliency and is environmentally sustainable while it saves taxpayers money. On all accounts, it’s a win-win for road agencies and the road users they serve.
Scan the QR Code to visit the ARTBA Site.
To read the full article in the AUGUST 2022 Edition of TRANSPORTATION BUILDER follow the link below.
Scott Bergkamp is president of Bergkamp Inc., located in Salina, Kansas. He is the immediate past president of FP2, Inc.,the Foundation for Pavement Preservation. Scott’s email is [email protected]
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.
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