RAP among asphalt producers in the coming
months? Photo courtesy of Rockster Recycler
The use of recycled materials in asphalt pavement mixtures continues to drive opportunities for contractors utilizing portable processing equipment across the nation.
Still, asphalt producers may just be scratching the surface in terms of the percentage of recycled materials that can be added to mixes.
“Although we are seeing continued increases in the use of recycled materials in asphalt pavement mixtures, there is still room to improve,” says Dan Gallagher, COO at Gallagher Asphalt Corp. who served the National Asphalt Pavement Association (NAPA) a year ago as chairman. “Through engineering, performance-based specifications, education and improved RAP (reclaimed asphalt pavement) processing, production equipment and procedures, we can continue to make greater use of recycled materials in long-lasting, high-performing asphalt pavements.”
The overwhelming majority of RAP (76.9 million tons) is used these days in hot-mix asphalt (HMA) and warm-mix asphalt (WMA). That figure is up nearly 50 percent compared with the tons utilized in HMA and WMA nine years ago.
“The use of warm-mix asphalt technologies is becoming commonplace,” says NAPA president Mike Acott. “In 14 states, more than half of all asphalt pavement mixtures were produced as warm-mix asphalt, and in three of them, more than 75 percent was produced as warm mix. This said, there remains room to increase its use, and we expect road owners to continue to embrace these technologies for their construction and performance benefits, as well as the energy savings they bring.”
Some states, of course, are friendlier than others when it comes to the percentage of RAP utilized in HMA and WMA mixtures. According to NAPA’s latest survey of the U.S. asphalt pavement mixture production industry, Florida and Michigan are paving the way with the use of RAP. Thirty-two percent of HMA and WMA mixtures in these states are made up of RAP. RAP represents at least 20 percent of HMA and WMA mixtures in 23 states.
Only 18 states incorporated at least 20 percent RAP in mixtures six years ago.
“In states like New York [RAP] is a little slower to take hold,” says Bill Royce, a regional sales manager at KPI-JCI & Astec Mobile Screens. “Pennsylvania, as an example, is getting better at it.”
According to Royce, some asphalt plant operators get nervous putting RAP into their mixes because of consistency concerns.
“If you’re an operator in the asphalt plant, you’re punching buttons and a little more involved,” says Royce, referring to scenarios when RAP is involved. “There’s always been some pushback from asphalt plant operators.”
Yet, the concept of recycling asphalt pavement isn’t going anywhere.
“We see a lot of the guys who have multiple yards where they can bring material in,” Royce says. “They can bring in that material, have it tipped at their yard and from there they can process it.”
One potential area to track this summer is the price of oil. Analysts warn that oil may approach or pass $100 per barrel. That could drive more use of RAP in asphalt pavement mixtures.
“That will be very interesting, not just for the domestic use of fuel and gasoline but for our producers as well,” Royce says.
As a whole, the asphalt recycling market remains quite active.
“The concrete and asphalt recycling market is very promising,” says Geoffrey Faber, West territory manager at Rubble Master. “As the world grows we need to put our resources back to use.”