Since about 1995, a number of products have been developed that facilitate the reduction of the working temperature of hot mix asphalt (HMA). These products or technologies essentially reduce the viscosity of the asphalt and lower production temperatures by as much as 50 degrees Celsius. Lower plant mixing temperatures mean fuel savings which in turn lowers emissions. This results in reduced odour, fumes and greenhouse gas emissions. In Europe, the development of these products was in direct response to reducing greenhouse gases as per the targets of the Kyoto treaty. The reduction n viscosity also offers several auxiliary paving benefits such as better workability, improved compaction, the ability to increase RAP usage or recycling and permits longer hauling distances. The asphalt community has embraced this technology at an astonishing pace and from a sustainability perspective warm asphalt makes sense in every respect. This paper discusses the practical aspects of ongoing work across Canada with warm mix asphalt. The focus is on plant production and lay down and the ability to pave at lower ambient temperatures without compromising quality; emission reduction and fuel savings on various projects are also presented. For the covering abstract of this conference see ITRD number E217481.
Samenvatting