Field Validation of Warm Mix Asphalt at Reduced Production Temperatures for Balanced Mix Design

The asphalt pavement industry has a successful history of using warm mix asphalt (WMA) as compaction aids, but this situation is expected to change as the industry progresses toward the “The Road Forward” initiative to achieve net zero carbon emission by 2050. One of the tactics directed by this initiative is to increase the use of WMA technology to reduce temperatures and emissions from asphalt mixture production. Using WMA at reduced production temperatures can provide not only environmental and economic benefits but also engineering benefits. A case study by the National Center for Asphalt Technology (NCAT) and the National Asphalt Pavement Association (NAPA) demonstrates the feasibility of using lower-temperature WMA to improve the cracking resistance of asphalt mixtures for balanced mix design (BMD). Despite the promising results obtained, the case study is limited to a laboratory setting without validation through plant production. Therefore, this research project is proposed to conduct field validation of using WMA at reduced production temperatures for BMD. It is anticipated that two projects will be included. Each project will be comprehensively evaluated through mix design modification, plant production, emission assessment, laboratory performance testing, and pavement performance predictions to determine the environmental and performance impacts of using lower-temperature WMA for asphalt mixture production.

• Record URL:
  https://researchprojects.dot.state.mn.us/projectpages/pages/projectDetails.jsf?id=29238&type=CONTRACT&jftfdi=&jffi=projectDetails%3Fid%3D29238%26type%3DCONTRACT
• Supplemental Notes:
  • National Road Research Alliance Study Phase II: TPF-5(466)

Language

• English

Project

• Status: Active
• Funding: $160000
• Contract Numbers:

  1036333 WO#07

• Sponsor Organizations:

  National Road Research Alliance

  St. Paul, MN  United States  55155
• Managing Organizations:

  Minnesota Department of Transportation

  395 John Ireland Boulevard
  St Paul, MN  United States  55155
• Project Managers:

  Worel, Ben

• Performing Organizations:

  Auburn University

  National Center for Asphalt Technology
  310 Sanford Hall
  Auburn, Alabama  United States  36849-5131
• Principal Investigators:

  Yin, Fan

• Start Date: 20240307
• Expected Completion Date: 20251231
• Actual Completion Date: 0

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Asphalt mixtures; Cracking; Environmental impacts; Low temperature; Mix design; Warm mix paving mixtures
• Subject Areas: Design; Environment; Highways; Materials; Pavements;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01926765
• Record Type: Research project
• Source Agency: Minnesota Department of Transportation
• Contract Numbers: 1036333 WO#07
• Files: RIP, STATEDOT
• Created Date: Aug 9 2024 3:23PM