The reuse of waste from road resurfacing: Cold in-place recycling of bituminous pavement, an environmentally friendly alternative to conventional pavement rehabilitation methods

Abstract

The conservation and maintenance of highways is an increasingly important activity in developed countries. Since it generates great quantities of inert waste material, an alternative use for this waste must be found so that it does not end up in landfills. This paper examines the multiple benefits of cold in-place recycling (CIR) of bituminous pavement as compared to other more conventional pavement rehabilitation methods. It also analyzes the performance of CIR with a view to extending its use to more highway and vehicle traffic types. CIR permits the reuse of existing material. This process involves milling and crushing the existing asphalt pavement, rejuvenating the cement, and finally placing and compacting the material to a specified depth. Consequently, it reduces the production of conventional aggregate, and thus, the extraction of virgin aggregate from natural quarries. CIT is preferable to other techniques because it saves energy as well as reduces contamination from gas emissions.