Perspectives on the utilization of reclaimed asphalt pavement in concrete pavement construction: A critical review

Abstract

Since the last decennium, there is an expanding interest to assess the possibility of recycling materials from the construction sector. The increasing interest to recycle materials is due to the environmental advantages such as conserving existing pristine natural resources and minimizing the overall quantity of materials destined to end up in landfills. One such material which has recently gained importance is the Reclaimed Asphalt Pavement from the demolished flexible pavement, referred to as RAP. The RAP material has been widely experimented with as a potential replacement for pristine aggregates (both Coarse and fine aggregate) in the construction of concrete pavements. Its strength and durability parameters are assessed in comparison to conventional concrete. However, is RAP a promising alternate material for pristine aggregates as it seems to be? With this question, this review paper aims to understand the feasibility and constraints of RAP usage in concrete pavements. The review attempted to refer all possible research materials available online and offline. Conference materials, technical reports, IRC code books, books and book chapters, etc were studied to understand the RAP concrete for future research. The literature reviews are based on the growth phases that the RAP material has taken in the construction industry. Furthermore, it was observed that very few efforts were taken by the researchers to improve the strength of RAP-concrete and there is a need for more attempts to enhance and enrich the potential usage of RAP in concrete pavements. This review is expected to expose the new dimensions required by academicians and researchers to effectively utilize RAP for sustainable concrete pavements in India.