Workshop Teaches Proper Asphalt Recycling

Recycling is no longer considered an experimental process by many highway agencies. These agencies permit recycling alternate on a routine basis in their standard highway construction specifications and/or special provisions. There is a need to train state and local government highway officials and engineers in pavement recycling so that its use becomes wide spread and benefits are realized at all levels.

The National Center for Asphalt Technology (NCAT) has developed a two-day workshop, for the Federal Highway Administration, on all aspects of recycling of asphalt pavements. The objectives of this course are to provide participants with:

-- An understanding of the various methods (hot and cold)of recycling asphalt pavements;

-- The ability to determine when asphalt recycling is a pavement rehabilitation alternative;

-- The knowledge of how to select the most appropriate asphalt recycling method;

-- Information on materials and mix design for recycling; and

-- Information on equipment, construction methods, and quality control and quality assurance (QC/QA)involved in recycling.

This training will provide an in-depth technical knowledge of the following recycling methods: hot-mix asphalt recycling (both batch and drum plants), hot in-place recycling, cold-mix asphalt recycling (both in-place and central plant), and full-depth reclamation of asphalt pavements. The training also will include the following topics: performance data of recycled mixes, selection of pavement for recycling and recycling strategies, and economics of recycling. Although the structural design of recycled pavement is not included in the two-day workshop, the information on this topic is included in the participant's handbook and a separate training module consisting of visual aids is available for pavement design engineers.