Effect of filler percentage of recycled asphalt pavement (RAP) materials on CBR performance and cost analysis

Recycled asphalt pavement (RAP) materials are an alternative to natural aggregate (NA) because they reduce environmental pollution and provide energy and cost savings. In many countries abroad, the usage of RAP materials in road pavement layers are permissible at certain rates. However, the mechanical properties of RAP materials are dependent on; the materials are derived from the in which pavement layer, the service life and construction characteristics of the road it is milled, the properties of the materials used (bitumen and aggregate) in the layer and the characteristics of the milling machine. In this study, two types of RAP materials (RAP(1) and RAP(2)) obtained from the degraded wearing layers of two different roadway using milling machine were mixed with NA in different rates (0%, 15%, 30%, 45%, 60%, 100%). Some of the characteristics of the mixtures were examined with reference to 100% NA mixture values by performing laboratory tests such as bitumen ratio, sieve analysis, modified proctor and California bearing ratio (CBR) on the mixtures obtained. According to the results, maximum rates of RAP(1) and RAP(2) which can be used in plant-mix base type-1 layer as an alternative material to NA is determined according to Turkey Highway Technical Specification. In addition, in the case of using RAP materials, the profit rates of material costs to be reduced by the reduction of the need for NA material are also determined by cost analysis.