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RECYCLING PAVEMENT MATERIALS
RESEA.RCH REPORT 214-12
DECQ1BER" 1975
Introduction
Expansion, rehabilitation and maintenance of the transportation system
is dependent upon a supply of aggregate and binder. Projected aggregate
requirements for 1985 are more than double the amounts for 1966 and binder
requirements are also expected to increase significantly.
The demand for construction aggregates is increasing at a time when
sources near urban and other high use areas are being depleted. The quality
.. of available materials is at a low level, and they are becoming unavailable
in certain locations because of mining restrictions, environmental protec-
tion regulations and/or appreciating land values. Quality aggregates must,
therefore, be used selectively; marginal aggregates must be improved and/or
utilized, and supplemental aggregate sources must be developed. One possible
source of supplemental aggregates is the reuse or recycling of paving mate-
rials. Large amounts of rubble, both from highways and from structures,
are created annually as old facilities are replaced by new construction. In
the past, little, if any, consideration has been given to recycling these
materials. Disposal of the old materials has been effected by simply finding
a location and hiding the material, usually by burying it. With a growing
concern about land pollution and its effects upon the environment, disposal
of rubble and other materials by burial is becoming increasingly less
attractive and more difficult. Further, the waste of potentially good II roc k ll
2
Type of Mater; a1
Recycled Location of Project· Aggregate Used For Remarks References
CONTINUED
"
Type of Material
Recycled Location of Project Aggregate Used For Remarks References
Figure 1
Recycling of Base r~aterials
Untreated Base
I No 1
Bituminous Treated Base
Remove unsuitable
Hot Mix Asphalt material
Concrete
Replace \'/ith
new rna teri a1
i l l \
Figure 2
Possible Recycling Methods
Cement -..-
-. The addition of new bituminous
I Bitumi nous Treated
I
I I Emulsion I treated materials may be
desirable. In place or central
Cutback plant construction operation
may be utilized.
I Road Oils -.
Asphalt
Cement
9
yard (for a 6-inch depth) is common. The advantage of this type of repair
is that in-place materials can be utilized,thus reducing transportation,
handling, and aggregate costs.
Reworking of bases on projects other than "spot" maintenance has also
been practiced. One such operation was performed in Florida. The contrac-
tor removed the existing base, a la-inch thick layer of lime rock, and stock-
piled it. The subgrade was reworked and the old untreated base put back in
place and compacted. This recycled base was then covered with two 5 1/2 inch
layers of new lime rock. The surface was then primed and 3 inches of hot-mix
placed (!).
Untreated bases may be stabilized in-place by the addition of a stabil-
izing agent such as asphalt emulsion. The Michigan State Highway Department
has stabilized some existing untreated material with emulsion. One project
was performed on a 2400 ft. section of U.S. Highway 131. The existing ma-
terial was removed to a depth of 4 inches and spread evenly over the adjacent
lane. Two percent emulsion was added. Mixing of the emulsion and the aggre-
gate was accomplished by alternating asphalt application and blade mixing.
After each application of emulsion, the material was mixed and the top
inch bladed off and windrowed. This process was repeated until all the
aggregate was treated and windrowed. The surface of the subbase was primed
and the treated materials replaced. Compaction was performed using rubber-
tired and steel wheel rollers. This emulsion treated base was primed and
four and one-half inches of asphaltic concrete surface was placed. Perform-
ance of this recycled base has been good (~).
courses under most conditions are more difficult than with unstabilized
bases. Examples of procedures utilized by several agencies are given below.
Wisconsin--Several recycling projects have been performed in Wisconsin
since 1972. Three miles of State Highway 13 in Adams and Woods counties
was recycled in 1973. This roadway consisted of 8 inches of soil-cement
base and 13 inches of bituminous surface material. Approximately half of
the section had No.8 wire mesh placed directly on the soil-cement base.
This roadway was scarified to a 24 inch depth using a tractor with a single
tooth ripper. The scarified pavement, wire mesh, soil cement treated base,
and underlying sand base,was hauled to a crusher and processed to meet the
specifications for base material. This recycled material was hauled back
to the roadway, compacted, and shaped. A three inch asphalt concrete sur-
face was placed on the prepared base {£}.
Aggregate produced from this source was utilized for asphalt concrete
surfacing, and for seal coat coverstone on the shoulder. Six and one-half
percent asphalt was required with the recycled aggregate to produce the
asphalt concrete surfacing which had a Hveem stability of 50. The perform-
ance of this pavement has been excellent since its completion in April
1972 (]1).
Asphalt Concrete
Asphalt concrete surface courses often are broken up and mixed with the
existing base in order to strengthen the base. Stabilizing agents are
15
sometimes added during this process. Operations of this nature are described
below.
Massachusetts--The runway pavement at Orange Municipal Airport was
scarified and broken up with a traveling hammer mill. This material was
mixed with the existing base and compacted .. A prime coat was applied to
this improved base and a two-inch asphalt concrete surface course was
placed. A 15 percent savings over conventional construction was realized
on this project (ll).
California--Independent Construction Company of Oakland, California
recently completed an in-place recycling project on Road 45, a farm-to-
market type road that is heavily traveled by trucks. A tractor armed with
rippers tore the old pavement into chunks up to 24 inches long and 9 inches
wide. A drum type compactor equipped with cutter pads reduced the material
to 4 inch size. Next the material was reduced to l~ inch maximum size
by the Metradon pulverizer. This machine, the only one in existence, picks
up the material, pulverizes it, and places it back on the roadbed. Four
percent lime was added, and the recycled material was compacted. A seal coat
was applied, and the road was opened to traffic in December 1974. For the
next six months, the road was subjected to heavy truck traffic. In June
1975, an asphalt concrete overlay was placed. At the time of the overlay,
no visible blemishes or breaks were apparent in the recycled base (18).
Michigan--Michigan Department of State Highways has completed several
projects in which the shoulder of the highway was recycled using in-place
stabilization. The first trial sections were placed in 1963.
Many of the shoulders are 1.5 inches of asphalt concrete on a granular
base course. The material is pulverized to a depth of 4 to 5 inches and a
stabilizer added and mixed in a single pass. Cutback asphalt, emulsified
16
asphalt, tar, sodium chloride and Portland cement have been used as the
stabilizers. Most of the recent shoulder recycling work has been performed
with either a medium setting emulsion (MS-2S) or medium curing asphalt
(Me-800). A limited amount of laboratory work has been performed to deter-
mine properties of the recycled mixture.
Midwest Asphalt of Troy, Michigan is one of several contractors who
have performed the shoulder recycling work. These contractors have also
recycled several county roadways in the Detroit area utilizing Me-800 and
MS-2S as the stabilizers. Pulverization of the existing pavement and un-
treated base where the asphalt .mixture is less than 4 inches is performed
with a Koeing in-place stabilization machine with specially designed blades.
About 6,000 square yards per 8-hour day is the expected production rate for
the pulverization process.
For pavements with asphalt mixtures greater than 4 inches in depth, a
three-step operation is required. Aripper-cutter device mounted on a blade
is first utilized to size the pavement to about 4 inches maximum size. The
4-inch maximum size material is then bladed to one side and a working plat-
form established. A portion of the 4-inch maximum size material is then
windrowed and a Brosse hammermill machine is utilized to pulverize the
material in the windrow. The pulverized material is then bladed to the sides
and the process repeated until all material has been pulverized. Following
pulverizatio~ the recycled material is stabilized. For example, if the
recycled material ;s all asphalt treated material, about 1 gallon of Me-800
is added per square yard for a 4-inch lift. This three-step operation has
been utilized for pavements with 6 to 8 inches of asphalt mixtures (1~).
In-place stabilization with soft asphalt cement has been performed in
the Detroit area. The asphalt cement was heated to 400°F and mixed with the
17
moist aggregate. A foaming action takes place which helps the asphalt coat-
ing process. The Australians have several years experience with this
operation (20).
Iowa--A 0.90 mile section of roadway in Kossuth County, Iowa was
recycled in April 1975. This pavement consisted of approximately 4 inches of
asphalt concrete on a gravel-clay base. A motor grader was used to scarify
the pavement. Chunks of pavement were further broken up by a tractor equipped
with compactor wheels. This material was hauled to the plant site where it
was crushed to a maximum size of 2 inches.
After the pavement had been removed, the gravel-clay base material was
scarified to a 4-inch depth over one-half of the width of the roadway. This
material was windrowed, moved, and stockpiled on top of the other half of
the unscarified gravel-clay base. A motor grader was then used to cut the
excavated half of the roadway down uniformly one foot and place the exca-
vated material on the fores1opes. Compaction of this material was accom-
plished using sheeps-foot rollers. This process was repeated on the other
half of the roadway resulting in 1500 tons per mile of salvaged gravel-clay
base. The salvaged material was re-1aid, compacted, and utilized as a
subbase material.
After the gravel-clay subbase material was in place, the crushed pave-
ment was recycled. Mixing was accomplished by using a 10 by 30 foot drum
mixer with a low efficiency wet wash. This mixer had an asphalt line inside
the drum and introduced 3.5 percent asphalt by weight into the old pavement
which contained 3.7 percent residual asphalt. To reduce the resultant
smoke, 3 percent moisture was added to the incoming pavement material.
Production was maintained at 275-300 tons per hour with a mix temperature
of 225°F. Thirty percent limestone was added to the mixture. The resulting
18
mix was laid as a base course at a thickness of 4.5 inches. Placement was
accomplished utilizing conventional equipment. This recycled material was
surfaced with a 3-inch layer of standard asphalt concrete (~).
In the spring of 1975, a 1.4 mile section of U.S. Highway 84 was re-
cycled on an experimental basis by District 8 of the State Department of
Highways and Public Transportation. This section consisted of a hot-mix
asphalt concrete surface on a flexible base. After the material was scari-
fied, two methods of crushing the rubble were used. The first material was
removed and hauled to a primary crusher and processed. A conventional pug-
mill plant was used to recycle this material. Various amounts of new asphalt
were added. It was determi ned that the addi ti on of one-half of one percent
22
pavement to direct flame. The drum dryer plant was equipped with a water
bath. This also was unable to remove the smoke from the exhaust stack.
Temperatures as low as 200°F were maintained in an effort to reduce this
smoke (28).
Economics of Recycling
Over the past few years, labor, equipment, and material prices have
escalated. As a result, the cost of new construction has increased. Ob-
viously, some means must be developed to offset these increasing prices.
Recycling can be one method of alleviating these rising costs.
Michigan--The Michigan Department of Highways has conducted several
projects involving the in-place recycling of untreated bases. These re-
cycling operations were conducted utilizing conventional equipment. The
cost of recycling one square yard of untreated base material six inches
thick is about $0.80 to $1.00 (~). This cost is applicable only when no
new material or additive is required.
A private contractor in Michigan has altered existing in-place stabili-
zation equipment to recycle asphalt concrete pavements and various types of
base courses. The pulverization equipment can process a 6-foot wide by 4-
inch deep section at a rate of about 15 to 20 feet per minute. A production
rate of about 6,000 square yards is expected per 8-hour day. Prices for this
process are 0.85 to 1.00 dollar per square yard plus the stabilization agent
(ill·
California--Independent Construction Company has recycled several asphalt
surfaces by pulverizing and mixing them with the existing base. Prices for
the pulverization process range from $0.67 to $0.72 per square yard. Their
unique Metradon pulverizer has also been used to recycle four-inch asphalt
surfaces by stabilizing the pulverized asphalt surface and existing base
combination with four percent lime. The price for this operation was $2.10
26
per square yard pl us the cost of the 1ime and water. Independent Construc-
tion Company estimates that 50 percent of the cost of hauling new rock to
the job can be saved by utilizing their recycling method (29).
Nevada--Las Vegas Pavings, Inc. has already begun to take advantage
of the cost savings available from recycling asphalt concrete. Utilizing
the Thermo-matic plant, they can produce recycled asphalt concrete for
$4.81 per ton. New hot-mix can be produced for $7.31 per ton. The various
components formulating these costs are shown in Table 3. This $2.50 savings
represents a 34 percent savings for the paving industry (24).
As suggested by the Nevada study, a substantial cost savings may be
possible by recycling old bituminious mixtures in a hot-mix operation.
Asphalt and aggregate costs comprise about 50 percent of the in-place cost of
asphalt concrete. About one-half of this 50 percent is composed of aggre-
gate cost while the cost of asphalt makes up the other half. If it is
assumed that the average cost of asphalt concrete is 20 dollars per ton, .the
following savings may be possible.
1. About 1 to 1.5 percent new asphalt cement is required in recycled
mixtures. If it is assumed that typical asphalt concrete requires
6% asphalt cement, a cost savings of about $3.25 per ton can be
appreciated or 16%.
2. The aggregate for the recycled mixtures is the old asphalt concrete
pavement. The old asphalt concrete pavement must be removed, hauled
to the hot-mix plant site, crushed and sized prior to the hot-mix
process. The cost of removal, hauling, crushing and sizing should
be compared with the cost of purchasing and hauling new aggregate,
if one assumes that an asphalt concrete overlay would provide the
26
per square yard plus the cost of the lime and water. Independent Construc-
tion Company estimates that 50 percent of the cost of hauling new rock to
the job can be saved by utilizing their recycling method (29).
Nevada--Las Vegas Pavings, Inc. has already begun to take advantage
of the cost savings available from recycling asphalt concrete. Utilizing
the Thermo-matic plant, they can produce recycled asphalt concrete for
$4.81 per ton. New hot-mix can be produced for $7.31 per ton. The various
components formulating these costs are shown in Table 3. This $2.50 savings
represents a 34 percent savings for the paving industry (24).
As suggested by the Nevada study, a substantial cost savings may be
possible by recycling old bituminious mixtures in a hot-mix operation.
Asphalt and aggregate costs comprise about 50 percent of the in-place cost of
asphalt concrete. About one-half of this 50 percent is composed of aggre-
gate cost while the cost of asphalt makes up the other half. If it is
assumed that the average cost of asphalt concrete is 20 dollars per ton, the
following savings may be possible.
1. About 1 to 1.5 percent new asphalt cement is required in recycled
mixtures. If it is assumed that typical asphalt concrete requires
6% asphalt cement, a cost savings of about $3.25 per ton can be
appreciated or 16%.
2. The aggregate for the recycled mixtures is the old asphalt concrete
pavement. The old asphalt concrete pavement must be removed, hauled
to the hot-mix plant site, crushed and sized prior to the hot-mix
process. The cost of removal, hauling, crushing and sizing should
be compared with the cost of purchasing and hauling new aggregate,
if one assumes that an asphalt concrete overlay would provide the
• i
TABLE 3
COST TO MANUFACTURE NEW ASPHALTIC CONCRETE 3/4"
Savings/ton = $2.50
REFERENCES
1. Gallaway, B.M. et al., "Fina1 Report on the FeasiQility of Using Solid Haste
in Highway Construction and Maintenance," Final Report on Contract
No. DOT-FH-11-7692, Texas Transportation Institute, Texas A&M University,
1971.
2. O'Neal R.J. and J.A. Epps, "Recyc1ing of Pavement Materials in States
Other than Texas," Paper presented at the Texas Department of Highways
and Public Transportation Meeting on Pavement Recycling held at Austin,
Texas on September 4, 1975.
3. Epps, J.A., "Use of Waste Materials, By-Products and Recycled Products,"
Prepared as a summary of Topic 5 at the Transportation Research Board
Workshop on Optimizing the Use of Materials and Energy in Transportation
Construction, The University of Illinois, November 12-14, 1975.
4. , IIContractor Reuses Old Base in 4-Laning Job," Roads
and Streets, Vol. 113, No. 10, October 1970.
5. Novak, LC., Jr. and R.C. Mainfort, "Base Course Stabilization with
Asphalt Emulsion," Michigan Department of State Highways, Research Report
No. R-598, 1966.
6. , "Recycling Old Pavement Can Be Economical for County
Roads," Better Roads, October 1975.
7. , "Pavement is Half-Glass and Concrete Waste," Engineering
News Record, Vol. 189, No. 17, October 1972.
8. , "Recycling Rubble for Highway Purposes," Public Works,
Vol. 103, No. 10, October 1972.
9. , "Crushing Converts Rubble Into Subbase Aggregate,"
Roads and Streets, Vol. 114, No.5, May 1971.
10. , "Recycled Concrete Used in California Subbase," American
Concrete Paving Association Newsletter, May 1975.
11. Marek, C.R., B.M. Gallaway and R.E. Long, "Look at Processed Rubble--It's
a Valuable Source of Aggregates ," Roads and Streets, Vol. 114, No.9,
September 1971.
12. Personal Communication with Henry L. Ga11egly, District 4 of the State
Department of Highways and Public Transportation, Amarillo, Texas.
13. Ullom, J.A. Jr., "Report of Crushing of Old Concrete Pavement for Use
as Surface Coats on U.S. Highway 60, Hemphill County, Texas,1I State
Department of Highways and Public Transportation Paper.
30
14. Epps, J.A., Personal Minutes of the State Department of Highways and
Public Transportation Meeting on Pavement Recycling, Austin, Texas,
September 4, 1975.
15. Private Communication with W.O. Hamm, State Department of Highways and
Public Transportation, 0-10, Austin, Texas.
16. Lyon, J.W., "Heavy Pneumatic Rolling Prior to Overlaying: A 10-year
Project Report," Highway Research Record Number 327, 1970.
17. Bri ggs, R. C., "Pavement Crushed, Reused to Strengthen Runway Base, II