| Date | Thursday 6 August |
|---|---|
| Title | Warm Mix Asphalt, RAP and Moisture: Why Lower Temperature Mixes Need a Different Approach |
| Speaker | Simon Banbury Zydex |
| Event Type | Online - using Zoom |
| Time | 12:00-13:00 |
| Register to Attend | Members Log In to Register |
| More details | Warm mix asphalt offers clear benefits: lower fuel consumption, reduced CO₂ emissions, lower fumes and reduced short-term ageing of the bitumen. The practical challenge is that asphalt produced at lower temperatures must still behave like the material paving crews trust. This session will explore why hot mix asphalt is often preferred on site: bitumen viscosity is lower, the aggregate and fines are drier, and the mix is easier to coat, place and compact. Reduce the production temperature and those advantages can be lost. Add RAP and the challenge grows, since reclaimed material can introduce moisture, fine material and aged binder. Polymer modified bitumen (PMB) adds a further complication, increasing binder viscosity still further. We'll look at the mechanisms behind these issues and why a successful warm mix technology has to do more than reduce temperature — it needs to support coating, compaction, moisture resistance and reliable performance in real production conditions. By the end of the session, attendees should have a clearer view of: - why WMA behaves differently from HMA at a chemical level - the specific risks RAP and PMB introduce, and why - what a genuinely fit-for-purpose WMA technology needs to deliver beyond temperature reduction alone |
