Optimizing the Gradation of Fine Processed Reclaimed Asphalt Pavement and Aggregate Blends for Unbound Base Courses (original) (raw)
The purpose of this research was to investigate the effect of changes in grain size distribution to the permanent deformation of two different fine processed reclaimed asphalt pavement (RAP) blended with base course virgin aggregate (VA). Grain size distribution of the RAP-VA blends were created following two different approaches. The first approach was based on mixing RAP and VA to have one grain size distribution, regardless of how much RAP was added to VA (here referred to as the engineered mixture design). The second approach was based on mixing RAP and VA with as-is gradation from the plants to proportions determined by weight and not controlling the outcome of the specific grain size of the mixture. This approach resulted in various grain size distributions (here referred as the as-is mixture design). The engineered mixture design was useful to quantify the effect of adding RAP to the blends, but was not a realistic approach to create blends that may be achieved in the field. ...