Laboratory and Life Cycle Assessment of Bio-Based Rejuvenator for Cold Central Plant Recycled Asphalt Mixtures

Abstract

Cold Central Plant Recycling (CCPR) is method of road rehabilitation that uses 100% reclaimed asphalt pavement and a stabilizing agent to create a stronger base to the surface mix to reduce the quantity of new materials necessary for construction. This thesis reviews two alternative cold central plant recycling (CCPR) methods and compares their laboratory, structural and environmental performance. The first method of CCPR uses foamed asphalt and cement as a stabilizing agent and the second uses a bio-based stabilizing agent. The laboratory performance of the foamed asphalt CCPR is satisfactory in both indirect tensile testing and dynamic modulus however, the bio-based rejuvenator CCPR showed unsatisfactory indirect tensile testing but adequate dynamic modulus. The structural analysis of the foamed asphalt versus the bio-based CCPR showed they were able to be structurally equivalent in the same thickness. Environmental analysis showed that the foamed asphalt had less global warming potential than the bio-based rejuvenator.