CIRCULARITY IN TRANSPORT MAXIMISING THE REUSE OF BITUMINOUS MIXTURES WITH POLYMERS (PMB)
CPP2021-008654
Funded by MICIU/AEI/10.13039/501100011033 and the European Union Next Generation EU/PRTR
Nowadays, the circularity of the bituminous mixtures in the European area, especially of those of high capability, is limited by the maximum percentages of reuse that legislation allows. Although the recycling of these materials is allowed in lower quality layers or applications, in developed countries such as Spain or the rest of those of the European Union with a consolidated network of roads, the main demand of bituminous mixtures is for the wearing course.This situation promotes the existence of two fundamental problems that damage the circularity of the sector:
In allignment with the current environmental policies, the minimisation of the environmental impact is crucial in the development of initiatives that help to reuse the milling recovering or to improve the initial properties, achieving in this way the real/total circularity of the sector.
As a result of that idea, the project CIRPOL is born with the aim to trigger the reuse of the asphalt mixtures modified with polymers (PMB), restoring the value of these materials at the end of their useful life with the purpose to contribute to the sustainable mobility favouring the transition from a linear economy to a circular one and advancing in the decarbonisation of the sector.
Comprehensive mechanical, chemical, rheological and morphological analyses will be carried out of the different bitumens with virgin and aged PMB, by the application of different analytical techniques.
The results will be statistically analysed to establish correlations between the mechanical and rheological performance of the bitumens, their structure and composition and their aging degree.
The new rejuvenating bitumen will include a new experimental polymer of low viscosity and improved properties. The development will consist in the study of new formulations based on this new polymer and the incorporation of commercial rejuvenating materials.
The different formulations bitumen-rejuvenator will be combined with PMBs of different aging degree, analysing the improvement achieved in the properties and the aging degree of the bitumen.
The bitumen-rejuvenator will be employed to increase the reuse rates of the milling materials, with or without PMB.
The mixtures will be mechanically characterised and the bitumen of the rejuvenated mixtures will be extracted to assess their final aging level. The results will be compared with the mechanical properties of virgin mixtures and mixtures without rejuvenation and the properties of the virgin bitumens.
A guide will be developed for the use of the rejuvenating bitumen in asphalt mixtures with or without PMB. This guide will define the fabrication method of the mixture and the quantity of rejuvenating bitumen in relation to the type of remaining bitumen (with and without polymer) and their aging degree.
For the scaled up of the technology the rejuvenated bitumen will be manufactured at industrial scale by CEPSA and the mixtures will be tested by traffic load simulation at pilot scale. The objective is, on the one hand, to detect and propose solutions to the possible technical barriers that may arise during the production and implementation at real scale of the rejuvenating bitumen and, on the other hand, assess the mechanical performance and durability of the new mixtures in comparison with material that is virgin or without treatment.
The methodologies LCA and LCCA will be applied to several case studies with the aim to compare the environmental footprint of the solution proposed with conventional alternatives that include the preparation of new asphalt mixtures with virgin material and the use of milling material.
Diverse communication and dissemination actions will be performed, as well as other activities more focused on the actors interested in the defined technology. Besides, a guide with instructions will be developed with instructions and protocols for the use of the bitumen-rejuvenator and the efficient and safe reuse of the bituminous mixtures.
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