Full-Depth Reclamation (FDR): Proposal for Mechanistical-Empirical Design Parameters: Feedback from the Regina Bypass PPPs Project

The Regina Bypass Project, the largest transportation infrastructure project in Saskatchewan’s history, consists of the design and build as well as 30 years of regular maintenance of a free flow highway. It is composed of approximately 60 km—2 × 2 lanes including about 40 km of new construction (greenfield) and 20 kilometers of rehabilitated existing pavement (brownfield). The Regina Bypass brownfield section was opened to traffic in late 2017. For the rehabilitation of the existing pavement (brownfield), it was suggested full depth reclamation (FDR), a process that rebuilds damaged asphalt by recycling the existing pavement into a strong and durable base. Unlike conventional materials (hot mix asphalt), there is little information with regard to the design of pavement composed of FDR, its mechanical behavior and its durability. This is why, five years after the opening to traffic of the Regina Bypass, a major follow-up program was carried out to evaluate the quality and the mechanical performances of the FDR material. This article intends to give a detailed presentation and analysis of the results of this program.