Industry Reports

Report No.	IP18(jot this number down to order)
Title	Construction of Rubber-Modified Asphalt Pavements
Author(s)	McQuillen, Jay L. & Hicks, Gary R.
Publisher	Granite Construction Co.
Pub. Date	May, 1987
Pages	44 pages
Keywords	rubber-modified asphalt, construction, asphalt pavements, pavements performance
Description	Public road agencies are currently evaluating hot mix applications of PlusRide TM and Arm-R-Shield TM modified asphalt pavements. The processes use reclaimed rubber from ground automotive and light truck tires to reduce reflective and thermal cracking, suppress traffic noise, increase resistance to studded tire wear, and reduce the environmental impact of tire disposal. The projects constructed to date have primarily been experimental because the capital cost for this surfacing alternative ranges from 1.5 to 2 or more times the cost of conventional asphaltic concrete. A literature review of the construction practices, a questionnaire survey of contractors and contractor interviews were used to determine why the construction costs of the modified mixes have been so high. One of the factors is the increase in financial risk perceived by contractors who bid on these types of pavements. Another cost factor, especially with the PlusRide TM system, is the unusual aggregate gradation required by the process. Still another concern is the increased mixing temperatures and times required by both rubber-modified products. For Arm-R-Shield TM, the high cost of the mix primarily reflects the cost of the asphalt-rubber binder supplied by the manufacturer. These costs could be reduced by development of specifications which limit the contractors risk, use of conventional aggregate gradings, requiring minimum increases in mixing temperature and time, and allowing competition between rubber-modified asphalt suppliers.
Postage	$ 4.00 : U.S. $ 4.20 : Canada/Mexico $ 4.40 : Rest of the World