Three-Year Field Performance of a Low Volume Road With 100% Reclaimed Asphalt Pavement Cold Mix With Rejuvenator

Abstract

In the pavement construction industry, 100% reclaimed asphalt pavement (RAP) has not been widely adopted, although it is a sustainable technique that can significantly contribute to the ambitious goal of carbon neutralization. The field performance of this technology is rarely well documented, resulting in a lack of confidence in using it. To address the gap, this paper presents three-year field performance monitoring of a low volume road that used 100% RAP cold mix with a rejuvenator. A three-round distress survey was conducted for 7, 22, and 34 months of service, and the effects of staged construction and edge compaction on the road conditions were evaluated to determine the best practice in paving with 100% RAP with rejuvenator. The change of pavement condition index with time was constructed to better understand the performance evolution of a low volume road in a warm and non-freeze climate zone. Based on the three-year field performance data, it was found that the major distresses were weathering and raveling and neither cracking nor rutting was observed. This study recommends enhancing compaction efforts during the construction stage to achieve a better in-place density and completion of mixing and compaction on the same day for better durability and field performance. As a low-cost solution, the application of 100% RAP with rejuvenator is feasible for a low volume road that is located in a wet and non-freeze climate zone.