Helps save our limited supply of natural resources

What is Cold In-Place Asphalt Recycling?

This innovative road reconstruction process is a fast, cost-effective alternative to more traditional methods of rebuilding asphalt roadways. You can use it when existing pavement has aged, cracked or deteriorated beyond the point that normal road maintenance operations are practical or cost effective.

Cold In-Place Asphalt Recycling makes use of the original aggregate and some of the old asphalt cement that bound the aggregate into binders and wearing courses. Not only is this older aggregate often high quality, re-using it eases demand for quality virgin aggregate, which is in limited supply in many areas.

Cold In-Place Recycling has been used since the early 1980´s to reconstruct nearly every type of asphalt-based roadway. These projects include "farm-to-market" roads that were constructed without a proper asphalt base, busy residential roads, urban commuter thoroughfares, and major feeder systems for industrial parks. This process can also be used to rehabilitate all types of asphalt pavement including airport taxiways/runways and parking lots for heavy industrial, commercial and institutional uses.

What is the Cold In-Place Recycling Process?

One of the major advantages of this process is its speed and simplicity:

• Our single-unit Cold In-Place Recycling Train excavates the existing asphalt pavement to a depth of 3 to 5 inches to eliminate cracks, ruts and oxidized asphalt.
• The machine´s down-cutting action sizes the material and immediately blends it with a specially formulated asphalt emulsion that rejuvenates the old pavement.
• The new mixture is re-laid and compacted as a new, more durable 4 to 5 inch asphalt base course at the proper grade and cross-slope for proper storm water runoff.
• The Multi-Unit Train is one of the most advanced processes built today. The word Train, in this case, refers to the total unit comprised of tankers, milling machines, crushing and screening units, mixers, pavers, and rollers - all designed and integrated into one comprehensive operation. The train concept is used when design specifications require the exsisting roadway asphalt to be milled screened (to a desired gradation), weighed, and mixed with liquid binder (emulsion) to create a new asphalt base course.

Following a brief curing period of approximately one - two weeks, a surface course of new hot mix asphalt 1-1/2" to 2" in depth is applied on top of the recycled base to complete the road reconstruction process. The thickness of the new surface mix placed over the recycled base will depend upon the use and traffic loading of the area being reconstructed.

Cold In-Place Recycling is one of the fastest growing road reconstruction techniques available. It is fast, cost-effective, and can produce a strong base course using existing road material and is one of the most “green” highway technologies used today.

For more information refer to the links below:

What are the benefits of Cold In-Place Asphalt Recycling?

Environmentally Superior Construction

• No Asphalt is Wasted - 100% is efficiently reused
• A small amount of the underlying aggregates may also be incorporated into the mix
• Natural resources are preserved
• Landfill space is not taken up by a recyclable resource
• Almost no trucks will import or export materials from project site, saving on diesel fuel

Minimal User Impact

• Faster reconstruction
• Road that could have taken weeks to rebuild can be recycled in just a few days or less.
• Less commuter delay
• In most cases, the recycled road remains open to traffic throughout the reconstruction. Residents are minimally affected
• Businesses remain open and deliveries can be maintained
• Emergency services and bus transportation continue with minimal delay

Lower Cost

• A typical Cold In-Place Recycling project is one-half to one-third the cost of traditional total reconstruction methods
• In-Place Recycling saves taxpayers over $300 million each year

Stronger Roads

• Recycling builds thicker asphalt bases, providing roads with a stronger foundation and renewing their lifespan to that of their original construction

Related Links

Read about the Federal Highway Administration Recycled Materials Policy and see how our Cold In-Place Recycling process supports it...

Slide Show

View a Slide Show about EJB´s Cold In-Place Recycling Process.