PRESERVATION UPDATE |
JESSICA LOMBARDO, EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
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Milling Best Practices Improve the Quality of
Many factors will determine the quality of the recycled asphalt pavement materials being produced
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he use of recycled asphalt pavement (RAP) is continuing to grow in the United States. In 2020, the National Asphalt Pavement Association reported that the industry reclaimed 97 million tons of RAP for future use, saving about 58.9 million
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cubic yards, or enough landfill space to fill up the dome of the U.S. Capitol 1,223 times. This massive reclamation effort also saved $5.3 billion in gate fees for disposal in landfills. Our country’s most diligent recyclers are in fact asphalt mixture producers, who utilize more than 94 percent of old asphalt pavements in new pavement construction. But are they doing the best they can to ensure these materials are being recycled properly? “Sizing of RAP can have a dramatic effect on how well RAP goes through asphalt plant," Kyle Neisen roadbuilding
product manager at Astec Industries says. “A more consistent size coming in off the milling machine will be more efficient for everyone involved.” By maintaining RAP quality in the field, the asphalt plant can achieve a faster turnaround using the RAP in a new mix design. Here are some ways to do that. IMPACT OF OPERATOR Operators play a huge role in the success of your operations, but this is especially true when milling where the operator plays the biggest part in ensuring quality.
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