A Laboratory Study on the Durability of Plant-Produced Recycled Hot Mixtures in New Brunswick

The province of New Brunswick actively uses reclaimed asphalt pavement (RAP) in asphalt mixtures for its highway rehabilitation program. Overall, the perceived performance of the mixes in the field is satisfactory; however, limited testing has been conducted to understand the susceptibility to cracking and stripping of these mixtures compared to asphalt mixtures without RAP. Three plants were selected to sample at least one recycled and one conventional mix with no RAP. Mixes were collected in the field, reheated, and compacted in the laboratory and testing was conducted to compare their performance. The results of this study evidenced that the durability of the mixes was not compromised by the proper use of RAP.