Improved Pavement Durability and Climate Resiliency Using Balanced Mix Design with High RAP and Rejuvenator: A Path Toward Statewide Implementation

This research initiative, developed in consultation with the Materials Division of the Oklahoma Department of Transportation (ODOT), addresses a critical agency need related to the statewide implementation of Balanced Mix Design (BMD). Two Southern Plains Transportation Center (SPTC) partner institutions, namely the University of Oklahoma (OU) and Louisiana Tech University (LTU), will collaborate to accomplish the goals of this research. Incorporating Reclaimed Asphalt Pavement (RAP) into asphalt mixes offers significant benefits, including reduced cost, resource conservation, energy savings, enhanced sustainability, and reduced environmental impact. With a focus on achieving net-zero emissions, increasing RAP usage in asphalt mixes can substantially lower the embodied carbon of pavement materials. However, challenges such as variations in material property and a lack of performance data complicate the design of asphalt mixes with high RAP content. ODOT has been actively implementing BMD through pilot projects and research, allowing up to 15% RAP for surface courses and 20% for base courses. This project aims to further increase the RAP content using the BMD approach. A key factor in the performance of RAP-containing asphalt mixes is the aging of the asphalt binder. Rejuvenators can replenish the volatiles and light binder fractions, restore the mechanical and chemical properties lost due to aging and aid in meeting the BMD design criteria. While rejuvenators generally reduce the stiffness of the asphalt mix, their effects on binder and mix properties need evaluation, along with determining the optimum amount of rejuvenator for satisfactory performance. This collaborative study focuses on designing high-RAP asphalt mixes using commercially available rejuvenators and the BMD approach, followed by performance evaluation of field test sections. LTU will investigate the properties of asphalt binder blends with high RAP and rejuvenators, while OU will focus on the mix design. The project tasks include the following: (1) Select and collect test materials (OU and LTU); (2) Extract and recover aged binders from RAP (LTU); (3) Prepare blends of unaged binder, RAP binder, and rejuvenators (LTU); (4) Evaluate binder properties (LTU); (5) Develop asphalt mix design with high RAP and rejuvenator (OU); (6) Construct field section and perform evaluation (OU); (7) Evaluate plant-produced mixes and monitor field performance (OU), and (8) Modify special provision/specification (OU). The results of this study will inform modifications to the BMD special provision for high RAP content.

• Record URL:
  • https://www.sptc.org/cy2-ou-ltu-12

Language

• English

Project

• Status: Active
• Funding: $125,291.00
• Contract Numbers:

  CY2-OU-LTU-12

  69A3552348306

• Sponsor Organizations:

  Office of the Assistant Secretary for Research and Technology

  University Transportation Centers Program
  Department of Transportation
  Washington, DC  United States  20590

  Oklahoma Department of Transportation

  200 NE 21st Street
  Oklahoma City, OK  United States  73105
• Managing Organizations:

  Southern Plains Transportation Center

  University of Oklahoma
  202 W Boyd St, Room 213A
  Norman, OK  United States  73019
• Project Managers:

  Dunn, Denise

• Performing Organizations:

  University of Oklahoma, Norman

  School of Civil Engineering and Environmental Science
  202 West Boyd Street, Room 334
  Norman, OK  United States  73019
• Principal Investigators:

  Ali, Syed

  Hobson, Kenneth

  Zaman, M

  Wasiuddin, Nazimuddin

• Start Date: 20241001
• Expected Completion Date: 20250930
• Actual Completion Date: 0
• USDOT Program: University Transportation Centers

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Asphalt mixtures; Binders; Durability; Mix design; Pavement performance; Reclaimed asphalt pavements; Rejuvenators
• Geographic Terms: Oklahoma
• Subject Areas: Design; Highways; Materials; Pavements;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01941683
• Record Type: Research project
• Source Agency: Southern Plains Transportation Center
• Contract Numbers: CY2-OU-LTU-12, 69A3552348306
• Files: UTC, RIP
• Created Date: Jan 1 2025 4:15PM