Environmental assessment of existing pavements asphalt layers for production of new asphalt mixtures

Abstract Road construction requires a large amount of construction materials. During asphalt pavement construction it is natural aggregate and asphalt binder in particular. Their ratio varies depending on whether they are applied in an asphalt pavement as a wearing, binder or base course. Nowadays, pressure of public opinion on responsible environmental behaviour and effective use of financial resources create an optimal space for assessment of building materials from pavement layers. According to the EAPA (European Asphalt Pavement Association) data from 2017 the wearing courses accounted for 90 % of all pavement layers in European Union. In Slovakia their representation is also dominant. While in Western Europe reassessment of existing asphalt layers by recycling technologies has been used to the maximum, in Slovakia the reassessment was out of interest of construction companies. With the arrival of new machinery, legislation amendment and social pressure on responsible environmental behaviour, the strategy of some construction companies in Slovakia is also changing. The reassessment of existing asphalt layers for production of new asphalt mixtures goes to the forefront of the interest. This article summarizes necessary steps to achieve an increase in the re-use rate of R-material by hot-mix asphalt recycling technology in asphalt mixing plants.