description
- Main objective of the project is the demonstration and validation of an eco-innovative design of asphalt pavements based on the integration of more sustainable materials into its production cycle. This goal will be achieved by working on two asphalt mixtures’ main components, binders and aggregates. On the binder side, the aim is to replace almost the 100% of the bitumen by greener materials from renewable raw sources, e.g. vegetable oils, by-products of bioethanol production. On the aggregates’ side, efforts will be made on the valorization of Construction and Demolition Waste and in the use of reclaimed asphalt for asphalt mixtures. Abstract: Road transport is the most important mode of surface transport in Europe- the EU-27 disposes of 5.000.000 km of paved roads- and it is fundamental to its social and economic development. The asphalt industry is one of the largest consumers of energy and raw materials, and highest contributor to the emission of greenhouses gases. Developing novel technologies to integrate waste and recycled materials into the production cycle of asphalt mixtures is a solution that improves both sustainability and cost-efficiency of the asphalt pavement industry reducing the CO2 footprint of these pavements and the environmental impact and associated costs related to the waste generation and disposal. In this context, a new concept of eco-asphalt is presented combining greener binders, recycling aggregates from C&DW and reclaimed asphalt within an integrated solution for asphalt pavements.