COLD IN-PLACE RECYCLING
Asphalt pavement is a sustainable and environmentally friendly material. As natural resources are being depleted, the urban quarry (existing structural sections of our roadways) can be recycled and reused. This renewable technology that MCK utilizes is called Cold In-Place Recycling (CIR), also known as Partial-Depth Recycling (PDR) with the California Department of Transportation.
CIR is a technology that recycles the existing (visually distressed) asphalt pavement and transforms it into a new base layer that is less susceptible to reflective cracking. There are two types of CIR technology (Foamed Asphalt and Emulsified Asphalt). At MCK, we utilize the foamed asphalt technology. This process recycles the existing asphalt in place and uses a small amount of cement and foamed asphalt to provide a new structurally sound base layer for a wearing course to be placed on top.
Once the CIR layer is compacted, it can be open to living traffic after it has been fog-sealed and sand covered. The wearing course for foamed asphalt is typically placed the next day. Unlike emulsified asphalt, foamed asphalt does not have water in the asphalt binder that would need to be “baked out” in order for the layer to cure. This is one of the many reasons why we have embraced the foamed asphalt technology.
CIR is a preventative maintenance technique that can help extend the life of a pavement and reduce the need for more costly repairs. It has been used on various road maintenance and rehabilitation projects. The City of San Jose has been using the foamed asphalt technology since 2013 and has highly praised this technology. The video below highlights the history and benefits of this technology within the City of San Jose, California.
Benefits that the CIR with Foamed Asphalt Technology provide includes:
- The new CIR base layer gives you greater resistance to reflective cracking
- This technology can save from 20 to 40 percent of your roadway maintenance cost
- This innovative technology can reduce the construction time by 50 percent when compared to the conventional remove and replace or base repair and overlay methods
- Construction truck traffic is reduced by 80 to 90 percent
- The road can be opened to live traffic after it has been compacted, fog-sealed, and sand covered
- Greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions can be reduced by up to 80 percent
- Reusing the existing roadway by 100 percent
For more information about Cold In-Place Recycling please do not hesitate to contact our office. Our project managers and engineers can help you coordinate your next recycling project.