CHAPTER 6: SUSTAINABILITY

IN ROAD CONSTRUCTION
DEFINITION OF SUSTAINABILITY
Cambridge English Dictionary define Sustainability as :-
“able to continued/maintained over a period of time” and
‘”causing little or no damage to the environment and therefore able to
continue for a long time”

Sustainability focuses on meeting the needs of the present without

compromising the ability of future generations to meet their needs.
The concept of sustainability is composed of three pillars: economic,
environmental, and social—also known informally as profits, planet,
and people.
SUSTAINABILITY IN HIGHWAY ENGINEERING
▪ A sustainable highway should satisfy lifecycle functional requirements
of societal development and economic growth while reducing
negative impacts to the environment and consumption of natural
resources. (U.S DoT)
▪ FHWA views sustainable highways as an integral part of sustainable
development. A sustainable highway should satisfy lifecycle functional
requirements of societal development and economic growth while
striving to enhance the natural environment and reduce consumption
of natural resources.
SUSTAINABLE HIGHWAY-
TRIPLE BOTTOM LINE FRAMEWORK
Tr iple Bottom Line framework is to guide planning, policy decisions, and
implementation can speed up process toward developing a sustainable outcome.

The main practice for measuring road sustainability of highways is by assess a program
or
project against existing best practices.

1. Economy:- Support economic vitality while developing infrastructure in a cost-

efficient manner. Costs of infrastructure must be within a society’s ability and willingness
to pay. User costs, including private costs, need to be within the ability of people and
households to pay for success.

2. Social:- Meet social needs by making highway accessible, safe, and secure; include
provision of mobility choices for all people (including people with economic
disadvantages); and develop infrastructure that is an asset to communities.

3. Environment: Create solutions that are compatible with - and that can be an
enhancement to the natural environment, reduce emissions and pollution from the
transportation system, and reduce the material resources required to support
transportation.
WASTE HIERARCHY

▪ Waste hierarchy is a tool used in the

evaluation of processes that protect
the environment alongside resource
and energy consumption from most
favourable to least favourable actions.
▪ The hierarchy establishes preferred
program priorities based on
sustainability.
▪ To be sustainable, waste management
cannot be solved only with technical
end-of-pipe solutions and an integrated
approach is necessary
WASTE HIERARCHY (2)

The European waste hierarchy refers to the 5 steps included in the article 4 of the Waste Framework Directive

(1) Prevention
preventing and reducing waste generation.
(2) Reuse and preparation for reuse
giving the products a second life before they become waste.
(3) Recycle
any recovery operation by which waste materials are reprocessed into products, materials or substances whether for the original or
other purposes. It includes composting and it does not include incineration.
(4) Recovery
some waste incineration based on a political non-scientific formula that upgrades the less inefficient incinerators.
(5) Disposal
▪ processes to dispose of waste be it landfilling, incineration, pyrolisis, gasification and other finalist solutions.
EXAMPLE:
IDEAL SUSTAINABLE HIGHWAY
What is LID?
SUSTAINABLE MATERIALS IN ROAD
CONSTRUCTION
SUSTAINABLE MATERIALS IN ROAD
CONSTRUCTION (2)
SUSTAINABLE MATERIALS IN ROAD
CONSTRUCTION (3)
SUSTAINABILITY
PRACTICES IN
HIGHWAY
CONSTRUCTION
PROCESS
SUSTAINABLE PRACTICES IN
ROAD CONSTRUCTION (2)
SUSTAINABLE PRACTICES IN
ROAD CONSTRUCTION (3)
 BFC 31802 HIGHWAY ENGINEERING

Rehabilitation of existing pavement

Conventional Method Recycling Method

Surface Treatment

Hot in Place Recycling

Thin Overlay
Hot In-Plant Recycling
Mill and Pave Functional Defects

Structural Defects
Thick Overlay
Cold in Plant
§ Cement
Recycling
Reconstruction (Partial § Foam Bitumen
and Full) Cold in Place § Emulsion
Recycling § Lime
 Premix Plant
• Batching Plant
• Drum mix plant
 BFC 31802 HIGHWAY ENGINEERING

2. RECYCLING

Generally there are three types of recycling techniques:

• Hot Plant Mix Recycling

• Hot In-Place Recycling
• Cold In-Place Recycling

• The main advantage of recycling is that it gives the opportunity to use the materials that have been laid
down.

• Studies have indicated that a saving of nearly 50% of total cost is possible when compared to structural
resurfacing.

• Recycling is suitable for countries experiencing scarcity of road building

• materials.
 BFC 31802 HIGHWAY ENGINEERING

• Hot plant mix recycling is a process in which all or some portion of the pavement structure is removed,
reduced to a desired size, and mixed hot with additional asphalt cement at a central plant.

• The process normally includes the addition of new aggregates and may include the addition of a recycling
agent.

• The finished product meets the requirement of the standard material and mix specifications of a hot mix
asphalt, base, and binder or surface courses.

• It can correct mix deficiencies and functional distress and improve structural strength.
 BFC 31802 HIGHWAY ENGINEERING

Construction Sequence & Procedure

Material Removal and Reducing size of Aggregate Testing

Stockpile aggregates

Mix Design

Hot Mix Production at

Plant

Process & Quality Control

Placement
 BFC 31802 HIGHWAY ENGINEERING

• HIPR is currently defined as recycling works to a depth of about 1 to 2 inches (25.4 mm – 50.8 mm). The process involves
heating, scarifying, reshaping the materials and compacting the surface.

• Additional aggregate or an asphalt rejuvenator may be added to the existing materials.

• Recycling of the surface is to improve the top layer where rapid aging of the asphalt takes place.

• Here, the asphalt increases in viscosity, decrease in penetration and ductility more rapidly than the underlying layers. It will
only correct surface distress.

Merits:

• There is significant cost saving through the reuse of the materials, lower processing cost and energy saving.
• Machines that will be able to utilize the process are plenty.

Limitations:

• However, if the presence of the following materials are detected, recycling is unsuitable:
• 10% seal coat, slurry seal or cold patch
• cutback asphalts
• coal tars
 BFC 31802 HIGHWAY ENGINEERING

Construction Sequence &

Procedure

Heating and Scarifying Spraying of Rejuvenating Adding of new aggregates

agent (optional) (optional)

Mixing

Compacting

Application of Overlay or
Seal Coat
 BFC 31802 HIGHWAY ENGINEERING

Merits:

• HIPR rectifies surface problems by reusing the material with or without the addition of new materials
and new binders or recycling agent. Hence, the initial investment for these materials remains useful.
Furthermore, scarce material can be conserved.

• Roads can be opened to light traffic soon after construction and the original road profile can be
maintained.

• No hauling and central plant processing costs.

Limitation:

• However, this method does not correct structural problems, the equipment is expensive and requires
curing time for strength gain.
Video HIPR

1) https://youtu.be/PLVI3M865Dg
2) https://youtu.be/0nxYEjl30RA
3) https://youtu.be/0GLWpcT4Odc - animation hot
recycling
 BFC 31802 HIGHWAY ENGINEERING

CIPR is the process when in-place recycling of more than 2 inches (> 50.8 mm) of the pavement and with no application
of heat is done.

There are 3 distinct types of CIPR:

(i) Type I : Rip/Pulverize and Compact

Pulverizing equipment is used to produce reclaimed asphalt pavement that may be used as a base course material, with
the addition of emulsion of recycling agent.

(ii) Type II : Single Unit Recycler

A single unit mills the pavement, mixes the milled material with the recycling agent and produces a material suitable for
a stabilized base course or wearing course.

(iii) Type III : Recycling Train

Multiple unit train with milling, crushing, screening and pugmill parts to rework the material suitable for a base course
 BFC 31802 HIGHWAY ENGINEERING

Construction Sequence &

Procedure
Type I CIPR (Rip/Pulverize & Compact)

Rip existing pavement Pulverize ripped material Windrow the material

Apply rejuvenating agent Mix with existing or new base aggregate

material

Spread base to required thickness Compact, seal and cure Apply wearing course
 BFC 31802 HIGHWAY ENGINEERING

Construction Sequence &

Procedure

Type II CIPR (Single Unit Recyler)

1 2

The unit rips and pulverizes the pavement material, A grader or paver spreads and levels the material.
adds new aggregates, asphalt binding agent, and
thoroughly mixes all the materials

3 4

A roller compactor is used to compact the material. Surface treatment or overlay

 BFC 31802 HIGHWAY ENGINEERING

Construction Sequence &

Procedure

Type III CIPR (Recyling Train)

Usually additive tanks are first, followed by the milling machine, crusher, pugmill mixer, asphalt
paver and rollers
 BFC 31802 HIGHWAY ENGINEERING

Merits:

• The procedure can be used to any depth of the pavement.

• It can be adopted to overcome both structural and functional problems as well as rectifying functional problems only.
• The original road profile can be maintained.
• No hauling or central plant processing cost.
• Materials can be conserved.

Limitations:

• However, thin CIPR does not correct structural problems of poorer quality, unlike in plant mix.
• There is no standard specification.
• It requires curing time for strength gain.
 BFC 31802 HIGHWAY ENGINEERING

Construction Sequence &

Procedure

Type III CIPR (Recyling Train)

2 1

1
The recycling process starts at the milling unit, which grinds off the
existing pavement.

2
From the milling machine the materials move by conveyor to a
screening unit with larger material crushed and returned to
conveyor for screening
 BFC 31802 HIGHWAY ENGINEERING

Construction Sequence &

Procedure

Type III CIPR (Recyling Train)

2 1
3
4

3
Screened materials are transported to the mixing unit or pugmill. It
is weighed, mixed with measured quantities of aggregate, water
and emulsion.

4
After mixing, the new mix is placed in a windrow.
 BFC 31802 HIGHWAY ENGINEERING

Construction Sequence &

Procedure

Type III CIPR (Recyling Train)

5 A paver then picks the mix up and spreads it.

6
After the emulsion has set, the mix is compacted with a pneumatic
roller to be followed by a steel wheeled roller.
Video CIPR

1) https://youtu.be/E2i0t1q28zs
2) https://youtu.be/NIdSWB0pJz8
3) https://youtu.be/wB7Y3nrqNgA