Structural Evaluation of Asphalt Pavements with Full-Depth Reclaimed Base
Principal Investigator:
Joseph Labuz, Professor, Civil Engineering
Project Summary:
Currently, the Minnesota Department of Transportation pavement design recommends granular equivalency value (GE) = 1 for non-stabilized full depth reclamation material (FDR), which is equivalent to class-5 material. For stabilized FDR, there is no guideline for GE. Some local engineers believe that the GE of FDR material should be greater than 1, especially for stabilized FDR. Very little information is available on seasonal effects on FDR base, especially on stabilized FDR base, and since stabilized FDR contains less moisture and has higher stiffness (modulus) than aggregate base, it is believed that stabilized FDR should be less susceptible to springtime thawing. Research is needed to verify and quantify contributions of FDR to the overall strength of pavement and to study seasonal effects on FDR, especially stabilized FDR. For example, if GE of stabilized FDR is greater than 1, then the asphalt pavement thickness can be reduced, which could result in a significant savings given the current the binder price.