Pavement Recycling in Cold Climates: Laboratory and Field Performance of the MnROAD Cold Recycling and Full Depth Reclamation Experiment

Abstract

In 2019 a series of test sections were constructed on 70th Street in Albertville/Otsego, MN. The existing roadway was badly deteriorated with an international roughness index value above 300 in./mi, which places it in a “poor” performance category. A combination of treatments including cold in-place recycling (CIR), cold central plant recycling (CCPR), and full depth reclamation (FDR) stabilized with foamed or emulsified asphalt were used to evaluate performance in cold regions. Sections including a typical hot mix asphalt (HMA) mill and fill were also evaluated. All sections contained a 1-in. HMA thinlay as the wearing surface. This paper presents the laboratory testing data for the mixtures, including application of HMA tests not typically applied to CIR, CCPR, and FDR, the field performance to date, and a new approach to connecting laboratory data to field performance.