Use of Reclaimed Asphalt Pavement (RAP) in Malaysian Hot Mix Asphalt (HMA)

Abstract

Recycling technology for advanced pavement materials has been realistically proven to be more economical, energy- saving and substitute materials to traditional ones. In making the recycled premix, asphalt surfacing reclaimed from old flexible pavement are reprocessed along with some virgin materials to produce modified asphalt mixes. They may be placed on the same roadbeds from which the reclaimed asphalt pavements (RAP) came but their uses can be applied herever the needs dictate. Recycled premixes vary widely in their contents of RAP, virgin aggregates, fresh asphalt and recycling agents that much react as additives or fibre or filler. A state of Selangor road improvement projects was selected as an initial study. The first step is to establish the probable causes of pavement distresses. Towards the end, the original pavement design and construction records are rigorously reviewed. The usual laboratory tests are carried out to test the physical and structural properties of the RAP. Moreover, the aggregates and the ageing asphalt that form the RAP have specific characteristics that definitely must be separately evaluated. RAP may range from as little as10 percent to as much as 70 percent of the final mixtures. These asphalt paving mixtures with certain amount of RAP requires standard testing in addition to the common Marshall procedures. The considerable composition of RAP that is applicable in asphalt mix must be obtained. Such standard testing are aggregate gradation, typical aggregate and asphalt tests plus the performance analysis.