Who
Pavement Applications Director
Where
Tennessee, Southeast Cement Association
When
July-August 2008
What
FDR Using Cement
Why
"Deteriorating roads are a constant problem for cities and counties. That's why engineers and public works officials are turning to a process called full-depth reclamation (FDR) with cement."
Author(s)
Barry Wilder, Government Engineering
Deteriorating roads are a constant problem for cities and counties. That's why engineers and public works officials are turning to a process called full-depth reclamation (FDR) with cement. This process rebuilds worn out asphalt pavements by recycling the existing roadway. The old asphalt and base materials are pulverized, mixed with cement and water, and compacted to produce a strong, durable base for either an asphalt or concrete surface. There's no need to haul in aggregate or haul out old material for disposal. Truck traffic is greatly reduced, and there is little or no waste. FDR recycles the materials from deteriorated asphalt pavement and, with the addition of cement, creates a new stabilized base. A surface consisting of a thin bituminous chip seal, hot-mix asphalt, or concrete completes the rebuilt road. The recycled base will be stronger, more uniform, and more moisture resistant than the original base, resulting in a long, low-maintenance life. And most important, recycling costs are normally 25 to 50 percent less than removal and replacement of the old pavement.
FDR with cement conserves virgin construction materials and makes smart economic and strategic sense. If old asphalt and base materials are not recycled, they must be disposed of or stockpiled, increasing transportation costs and utilizing valuable landfill space.