Innovative Low Energy Asphalt Technique for Minimizing Impacts from Asphalt Plants to Road Works

Abstract

Different proprietary low-energy asphalt (LEA) techniques at 90°C (194°F) have been recently developed by LEA-CO (low energy asphalt company) on standard asphalt plants as a real alternative to HMA (hot mix asphalt) which are usually produced at 150-190°C (302-374°F). LEA can be used as a relatively cheap way to minimize impacts during the manufacturing, transport, paving and compacting stages. In plant, this innovative ecoprocess enables a reduced binder ageing and a reduction of both energy consumption and greenhouse gases ranging from 30 to 50%. At the job site, fumes are overwhelmingly reduced and the release to traffic is immediate after compaction. This illustrative article proposes practical examples and case studies that deal with how building owners, prime contractors, asphalt producers and even equipment manufacturers can seek to realize sustainable environmental, economic and social policies and solutions for roads by turning to fostering and using LEA as a new asphalt generation for roadway construction and maintenance. Various examples of asphalt formulas validated both in laboratory and on road site, are presented in details. Both the preliminary laboratory studies and the follow-up of the on-site behavior since their startup are presented.