LIFE10 ENV/ES/516
POLYMER WASTES IN ASPHALT MIXES: A WAY TO INCREASE SUSTAINABILITY OF ROADS INFRASTRUCTURES
Pilot Site

The real scale application (prototype) is a 500m long stretch for each mix type. The Consortium estimated the length of 500m suitable to verify the good performance of the mix. In addition, this length is also the adequate to obtainan optimal performance from the machines. The total length of the demonstrator is 2000 metres in a specific trial section in the road called “Acondicionamiento de la M-300 Alcalá de Henares (Madrid)”. The features of the four sections are:

          - Two-lane, two-way traffic.
          - Mix type: AC 22 surf 50/70 S in surface layer.
          - Aprox. length: 2000m. Four sections of 500m with different Polymer type.
          - Width: 9m for one way traffic.
          - Layer thickness: 6cm.

The road sections were inaugurated on Tuesday 4th September 2012 by the President of the Community of Madrid, Esperanza Aguirre. This prototype will serve to study the performance of the new developed asphalt mixtures. So far, test results have shown that, in addition to the environmental benefits, Polymix mixtures have better mechanical properties and are more durable than conventional mixes, so it is expected that maintenance operations will be reduced and cost savings will be achieved.

During the next 18 months, the measurement and assessment of the performance of the surface layer through a series of quality control tests and monitoring conducted by the “Centro de Experimentación de Obras Públicas (CEDEX)” will be carried out. In relation to structural performance, the following deterioration mechanisms will be studied: top-down fatigue, permanent deformation, deterioration due to water effects, evolution of elastic stiffness modulus and resilient modulus and rutting formation. Concerning the functional point of view, the following deterioration mechanisms will be studied: loss of longitudinal evenness, loss of macrotexture and loss of skid resistance.


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