Sustainability of  Road Materials

The State of Utah recently celebrated the birth of its 3 millionth citizen.  Such growth, not unique to Utah, has forced the development of a transportation infrastructure that serves as an economic and social engine for a growing society.  Amidst all of this growth, society has become increasingly aware that development need not results in a compromise and depleted environment.  Sustainability of materials used to construct the transportation infrastructure is not an unattainable ideal but a practical goal.  While road construction will continue to exists, new sustainable materials, less harmful to the environment, and recyclable are currently being developed and implemented on road surfaces.  Specifically, the use of Recycled Asphalt Pavements (RAP), Warm Mix Asphalt (WMA), and Cold In-place Recycling (CIR) will continue to increase as we learn more and more about the characteristics of these materials.  This presentation will discuss the use of RAP, WMA, and CIR on the roads along with their performance and impact on the environment and on the transportation infrastructure.