264
Evaluation of Reclaimed Asphalt Pavement
Aggregate in Road Bases and Subbases
RAMZI TAHA, GALAL ALI, ADNAN BASMA, AND OMAR AL-TURK
Recycling of pavement materials has become a viable alternative to be
considered in road maintenance and rehabilitation. Conservation of re-
sources, preservation of the environment, and retention of existing high-
way geometrics are some of the benefits obtained by reusing pavement
materials. In the United States of America, more than 50 million tons
(45.36 million Mg) of asphalt paving material are milled annually; re-
cycling into new asphalt paving mixtures is the predominant application.
However, large quantities of reclaimed asphalt pavement (RAP) aggregate
remain unutilized and further uses should be explored. In the Sultanate of
Oman, recycling of pavement materials is not practiced; this study presents
a first attempt at evaluating RAP aggregate. The reuse of RAP aggregate
could be economically attractive in Oman because certain regions of the
country experience virgin aggregate shortage. Furthermore, rehabilitation
of the road network would provide a valuable resource to be considered
in highway construction. A laboratory evaluation of RAP and RAP-virgin
aggregate mixtures as road base and subbase materials is described here.
Physical, compaction, and California bearing ratio tests were conducted
on the following RAP/virgin aggregate blends: 100/0, 80/20, 60/40, 40/60,
20/80, and 0/100 percent. Initial results indicate that RAP could be ex-
pected to replace virgin aggregate in the pavement subbase structure with
satisfactory results if the RAP material were mixed with virgin aggregate.
Best results were obtained for the 60/40, 40/60, 20/80, and 0/100 per-
cent RAP/virgin aggregate blends. Higher dry density and CBR values
are obtained as virgin aggregate content is increased. Based on a compar-
ison with standard paving materials used in the Sultanate of Oman roads,
the stabilized RAP material appears to be able to function as well as a con-
ventional subbase material. However, only minimal use of RAP (about
10 percent) can be expected in road bases.
Reclaimed asphalt pavement (RAP) is a bituminous pavement that
has been recovered, usually by milling, and is to be used in part or as
a whole in a new pavement by mixing it with other virgin aggregate
or asphalt, cement, lime, or other materials.
The use of RAP has been on the increase throughout the world
because of conservation of resources as well as the reduction in funds
available for highway construction. Pavement recycling can be cate-
gorized according to the construction procedure used, the types of
materials to be recycled, and the structural benefits to be gained. The
main forms of asphalt pavement recycling are surface recycling, cen-
tral plant recycling, and in-place base and subbase recycling. Most
of the operations involved in each of these recycling techniques can
be done with either hot-mix or cold-mix recycling.
With cold in-place recycling, an asphalt or chemically stabilized
base course is manufactured. First, the existing pavement is pul-
verized to the required depth by using a cold milling machine.
Then, RAP size is reduced by using screeners and crushers and a
recycling agent is added to the pugmill for mixing. Finally, the mix-
ture is spread by a self-propelled paving machine and compacted
with steel-wheel rollers (1).
Department of Civil Engineering, College of Engineering, Sultan Qaboos
University, P. O. Box 33, Al-Khoud, Muscat-123, Sultanate of Oman.
TRANSPORTATION RESEARCH RECORD 1652
The Michigan Department of Transportation studied the use of
RAP as a bituminous stabilized base (2). The study indicated that
cold in-place recycling of an existing bituminous pavement could
be structurally equivalent to a roadway reconstructed with a new
separate base course. An evaluation in Ontario, Canada, showed that
the usage of RAP as a replacement for a separate course in a base
and subbase pavement performed most satisfactorily and appeared
to perform slightly better than standard materials (3).
The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign studied the poten-
tial use of RAP as a pavement base material (4). Laboratory results
and field construction data indicated that RAP can be successfully
used as a conventional flexible pavement base material. Both RAP
and dense-graded aggregate base sections performed satisfactorily.
Laboratory and field evaluations of the use of RAP in road base and
subbase applications were also conducted by Rutgers University (5).
Results of this study showed that RAP has a slightly higher resilient
modulus and field elastic modulus than the dense-graded aggregate
used in the state of New Jersey.
Recycling of RAP in Oman and neighboring countries could be
economically attractive because of aggregate shortage in certain
regions and because of major road rehabilitation, which would
provide the RAP aggregate for reuse.
OBJECTIVE
The main objective here is to present the results of a laboratory eval-
uation of RAP and virgin aggregate blends and to make recommen-
dations about its potential use as road base and subbase materials for
highway construction in the Sultanate of Oman.
MATERIALS
RAP
RAP aggregate was collected in six 55-gal (208.2-L) drums from an
old section of the Batinah highway that was under major rehabilita-
tion. A cold milling machine was used to remove RAP. Rotary
extraction of the milled RAP (AASHTO T164, Method A) indicated
an average bitumen content of 5.5 percent by weight of the mix.
Recovered asphalt type was penetration grade 60 to 70.
Virgin Aggregate
Virgin aggregate was collected in four 55-gal (208.2-L) drums from
the Batinah highway project.
Taha et al.
EXPERIMENTAL INVESTIGATION
The main testing program included physical characterization of
both RAP and virgin aggregates, compaction testing with modified
Proctor, and strength evaluation with the California bearing ratio
(CBR) test.
Physical Properties
Various laboratory tests were performed to determine the physical
properties of RAP and virgin aggregates. These tests included gra-
dation, Atterberg limits, moisture content, specific gravity, water
absorption, sand equivalent, and toughness.
Gradation
Sieve analyses were performed on RAP and virgin aggregates in
accordance with AASHTO T27 (Figure 1). The data showed that
RAP was classified as well-graded gravel (GW). The uniformity
coefficient (Cu) was 6 and the coefficient of curvature (Cc) was 1.5.
The virgin aggregate was a mixture of well-graded sands and grav-
elly sands with little or no fines (SW ). The uniformity coefficient
was 15 and the coefficient of curvature was 1.
Atterberg Limits
The liquid limit test was performed in accordance with AASHTO
T89 (cup method). The liquid limit of RAP aggregate was 8 and it
FIGURE 1 Particle size distribution of RAP and virgin aggregates.
265
was essentially nonplastic. The Omani specifications for a base
course are a maximum liquid limit of 25 percent and a maximum
plasticity index of 6 percent. Similarly, the virgin aggregate was
characterized as being nonplastic.
Other Physical Properties
Table 1 presents a summary of the moisture content, specific grav-
ity, water absorption, sand equivalent, and toughness data obtained
on RAP and virgin aggregates.
A temperature of 110°C was used to determine the free moisture in
RAP. The water content was <0.5 percent, indicating the presence
of little or no moisture. Because of the asphalt cement present in the
RAP aggregate, the material appeared to adhere to the drying pan.
No moisture was detected in the RAP aggregate after it was dried at
room temperature for 48 h. Thus, the best method is to air dry the RAP
aggregate for 24 h, and then short intervals of oven drying should
be applied.
The sand equivalent test (AASHTO T176) values for RAP and
virgin aggregates were 97 and 67 percent, respectively. Such val-
ues met the Omani standard specification requirement of a mini-
mum of 50 percent. The Los Angeles abrasion test (AASHTO T96)
values for RAP and virgin aggregates were 33.6 and 18.8 percent,
respectively.
Compaction Testing
Various blends were prepared using 100/0, 80/20, 60/40, 20/80, and
0/100 percent RAP to virgin aggregates. Initially, gradation tests
266 TRANSPORTATION RESEARCH RECORD 1652

TABLE 1 Physical Properties of RAP and Virgin Aggregates

were performed on those blends before compaction. As expected, as
the percentage of virgin aggregate increases (percentage of RAP
aggregate decreases), the particle size distribution of the blend tends
to become more close to the virgin aggregate gradation. This indi-
cates that better field performance should be expected if RAP and
virgin aggregates are blended together.
The compaction test was performed by the modified Proctor test-
ing procedure (AASHTO T180). The mold dimensions were 155 mm
in diameter by 130 mm in height. The hammer weight was 4.5 kg and
it had a free-fall distance of 457 mm. All particle sizes greater than
19 mm were rejected from the mix and replaced by an equivalent
weight of particle sizes less than 19 mm. Each blend was compacted
in five layers with 56 blows per layer.
Figure 2 indicates the relationships between dry density and
moisture content for all mixes. As more RAP aggregate is added
to a blend, the maximum dry density tends to decrease (Figure 3).
The maximum dry density of 100 percent RAP aggregate was
about 83 percent of the maximum density of 100 percent virgin
aggregate.
During compaction, the larger RAP aggregate sizes were broken
up. Also, the higher RAP aggregate content samples that were com-
pacted at lower moisture contents would not remain intact upon
removal from the mold. The addition of more virgin aggregate made
compaction and handling much easier.
Because RAP aggregate is highly permeable, the water was drain-
ing out at the bottom of the mold while the fifth layer was being

FIGURE 2 Moisture content versus dry density for various RAP and virgin aggregate blends.
Taha et al.
FIGURE 3 Maximum dry density values of various RAP and virgin aggregate blends.
compacted. This could be partially attributed to the open-graded
nature of the RAP aggregate. The moisture-holding capability of
RAP is negligible because there is little minus No. 200 fraction and
most RAP aggregates are coated with asphalt. Thus, in field appli-
cations, the addition of virgin aggregate would make it much easier
to compact RAP as a base and subbase material.
CBR Testing
The objective of this test is to determine the bearing value of soils
and soil-aggregate mixtures when they are compacted in the labora-
tory at their optimum moisture contents. The test is useful for evalu-
ating subgrade soils and some base and subbase materials containing
only a small amount of material retained on the 19-mm sieve.
The test was performed in accordance with AASHTO T193.
However, the test was conducted on unsoaked specimens and CBR
values were calculated based on the standard virgin aggregate used
in the testing program. Figure 4 indicates the penetration versus load
results obtained from the CBR test. CBR values obtained on all
blends are presented in Figure 5.
A low CBR value of 11 percent was determined for 100 percent
RAP aggregate. As the percentage of virgin aggregate in the mix
increases, the CBR value increases. When 20 percent virgin aggre-
gate is added to RAP, the CBR value increases to 26. Possible rea-
sons for this increase in CBR may be due to better load transfer
between particles of the virgin aggregate and the slip surfaces devel-
oped between the asphalt-coated particles of the RAP. Furthermore,
as virgin aggregate content in the blend increases, better interlocking
between aggregate particles will develop. This will lead to further
increases in the shear strength of the blend.
Omani specifications require a minimum CBR value of 30 percent
for road subbase materials. The Omani Ministry of Communication
267
does not specify a minimum CBR value for road bases (generally
high-quality crushed rock or gravel is specified). However, other
agencies (for example, Petroleum Development Oman) require a
minimum CBR value of 80 percent for road bases. Thus, all RAP
and virgin aggregate mixtures could be used in road subbases with
the exception of the 100/0 and 80/20 percent RAP and virgin aggre-
gate blends. Only minimal use of RAP (about 10 percent) would be
expected in road bases (based on interpolation of data presented in
Figure 5).
Table 2 presents a comparison between the results of our study
and previous research on RAP aggregate.
PAVEMENT DESIGN CONSIDERATIONS
Table 3 presents a summary of the resilient modulus (Mr) and layer
coefficient (ai) values for all mixtures. The 1993 AASHTO Guide for
Design of Pavement Structures (6) was used as a reference in obtain-
ing these values. The data indicate that, as more RAP aggregate is
used as a base or subbase material, higher layer thicknesses will be
needed for structural support. However, detailed design and cost
analyses were beyond the scope of this study.
CONCLUSIONS
Physical characterization, compaction, and CBR tests were con-
ducted on the following RAP and virgin aggregate mixtures: 100/0,
80/20, 60/40, 40/60, 20/80, and 0/100 percent. Laboratory results
indicate that RAP aggregate could be expected to replace virgin
aggregate in road subbases if the RAP material is mixed with other
virgin aggregates. All RAP and virgin aggregate mixtures, with the
exception of the 100/0 and 80/20 blends, will be qualified for use in
FIGURE 4 Penetration versus load relationships obtained from a CBR test.

FIGURE 5 CBR values of various RAP and virgin aggregate blends.

Taha et al. 269

TABLE 2 Comparison of Compaction and CBR Results Obtained in Various

Studies on 100 Percent RAP

TABLE 3 Resilient Modulus and Layer Coefficient Values of Various RAP and Virgin
Aggregate Blends [Based on AASHTO Guide for Design of Pavement Structures (6)]

road subbases in Oman. However, only 10 percent RAP could be
utilized in road base construction.
The stabilized RAP material could function as well as conven-
tional subbase materials used in the Sultanate of Oman. Generally,
higher dry density and CBR values are obtained as virgin aggregate
content is increased.
REFERENCES
1. Pavement Recycling Guidelines for Local Governments. Report FHWA-
TS-87-230. FHWA, U.S. Department of Transportation, 1987.
2. Defoe, J. H. Use of Recycled Asphalt Material in the Construction of a
Bituminous Stabilized Base. Final Report. Michigan Department of
Transportation, 1982.
3. Hank, A. J., and E. R. Magni. The Use of Recovered Bituminous and Con-
crete Material in Granular and Earth. Final Report. Ministry of Trans-
portation, Ontario, Canada, 1984.
4. Garg, N., and M. R. Thompson. Lincoln Avenue Reclaimed Asphalt
Pavement Base Project. In Transportation Research Record 1547, TRB,
National Research Council, Washington, D.C., 1996, pp. 89–95.
5. Maher, M. H., and W. Popp Jr. Recycled Asphalt Pavement as a Base and
Subbase Material. ASTM STP 1275. American Society of Testing and
Materials, New Orleans, 1997.
6. AASHTO Guide for Design of Pavement Structures. Washington, D.C.,
1993.