RAP There has been a dramatic increase in asphalt production in Ireland in recent years. As a result of this increase in production, the consumption of materials has obviously also increased, however these materials, like aggregates, tend not to be renewable. The increased consumption of non-renewable resources will inevitably need to be addressed and one way to address this issue is the use of reclaimed asphalt pavement (RAP). The use of reclaimed asphalt is one of the most economical and environmentally friendly methods of pavement construction. RAP is the term given to materials from asphalt pavements that must be removed. They are then crushed to produce high-quality, well-graded aggregates. Much research has been conducted to evaluate the use of this material. Mix Design Similar mixes to those currently in practice in Ireland were used when carrying out the material design tests. This is to give, as faithfully as possible, a representation of the results of the performance fatigue of Irish flooring. To achieve this, a standard mix of 20 mm bond layer was used. For a more complete result, variable quantities of RAP were added. Control samples were used to compare results and RAP was added at levels of 10, 20 and 30%. Samples had to be taken to ensure that the material that would be produced conformed to British Standard BS 812: Part 103.1 (BSI 1985). It was necessary to calculate the surface area of the aggregate to find out if any changes needed to be made to the amount of binder required a simple formula was used to provide this information (Shell Bitumen 1991): T= b/(100-b) x 1/Db x 1/SAFT= thickness of bitumen (m)Db= density of bitumen (kg/m3)SAF= surface area......half of paper......Deflection testThe previous test also produced results for deflection permanent of insole. As a result of simulating weak foundations, the initial deflection was quite pronounced when viewed alongside the deflection present in later stages of the test. The reported results from this test showed that the samples had deflected considerably more than those including RAP and there was a direct link between an increase in RAD and a decrease in the level of deflection. The above test results have demonstrated on several occasions that reclaimed asphalt pavement is a suitable source of material for pavement production. It has become so well accepted that provisions have been made in both British and Irish design standards to incorporate information gathered on such materials. Information on RAP and other similar recycled materials is present in the Series 900.
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