Warm Mix Asphalt --The Future of Flexible Pavements

WMA - What is it?

Plant mix asphalt produced at lower temperatures while maintaining the workability required to be successfully placed Warm Mix may be a misnomer - its still quite hot!

How does it work?

Although there are several different WMA technologies and products, the basic function is to change the binder properties at lower temperatures to allow for sufficient coating of the aggregates, while maintaining good workability and durability

Warm Mix Asphalt Definition:

a work in progress (Feb. 23, 2011).
Warm Mix Asphalt (WMA) technologies generally allow a reduction in the temperature at which asphalt mixes are produced and placed thus helping the environment and workers health and safety. WMA technologies can also be used as a compaction aid extending the paving season in colder climates when produced at normal temperatures at which the hot mix asphalt mixes are produced.
WMA When ambient temperatures are consistently above 50 Degrees F, the asphalt mix temperatures are typically reduced by 25 Degrees F to 80 Degrees F (depending on technology used, mix plant configuration, %RAP used, and construction conditions). Cold Weather WMA Application When ambient temperatures are consistently below 50 Degrees F, the asphalt mixes are typically produced at near normal or slightly reduced temperatures of hot mix asphalt (depending on technology used, %RAP used and construction conditions) and is intended to facilitate field placement and compaction at colder temperatures. Authored by many Members of the WMA Task Force

Northeast Asphalt User/ Producer Group

Warm Mix Asphalt Re-Definedition

Warm Mix Asphalt (WMA) technologies generally allow a reduction in the temperature at which asphalt mixes are produced and placed thus helping the environment and workers health and safety., WMA technologies can also be used as a compaction aidand also allow extending the paving season in colder climates when produced at normal temperatures at which the hot mix asphalt mixes are produced. WMA technologies can also be used act as a compaction aid and are typically used for the following applications:
WMA (Wwhen ambient temperatures are consistently above 50 Degrees F, the asphalt mix temperatures is typically are typically reduced by 25 Degrees F to 80 Degrees F (depending on technology used, mix plant configuration, %RAP used, and construction conditions). Cold Weather WMA Application W(when ambient temperatures isare consistently below 50 Degrees F, the asphalt mix ismixes are typically produced at near normal or slightly reduced temperature temperatures of hot mix asphalt (depending on technology used, %RAP used and construction conditions) and is intended to facilitate field placement and compaction at colder temperatures.

Classification by Temperature
9 8 7 5 4 3 2 1 0 100 200 Temperature, F 300 400
BTU/Ton

HMA WMA Cold Mix

0

Heating Vaporization

HalfWarm Asphalt

Drying

connecting people

Brief History

1997 German Bitumen Forum 2000 Second Euroasphalt & Eurobitume Congress (Barcelona) NAPA 2002 European Scan Tour Germany and Norway NAPA 2003-2008 Annual Meetings World of Asphalt 2004 2005-2007 Many U.S. Field Trials 2007 FHWA/AASHTO Scan Tour 2008 Permissive Specifications 2010 FHWA Promotes as Focus Technology
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Potential Advantages of Lower Temperatures

Lower fumes and emissions (~30-90%) Lower energy consumption (~30%) Lower plant wear Decreased binder aging Early site opening Cool weather paving Compaction aid for stiff mixes Cooler working conditions Less Asphalt Absorption
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National Warm Mix Asphalt Technical Working Group

Members: FHWA, NAPA, SAPA, AASHTO, State DOTs, NCAT, Contractors, Labor, NIOSH Mission: Evaluate and validate WMA and share information Purpose: Guidance for research and implementation of WMA
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Jan 2007

Includes local, city, and county projects

10 Mobile Asphalt Mixture Testing Laboratory (MAMTL)

Jan 2008

Includes local, city, and county projects

11 Mobile Asphalt Mixture Testing Laboratory (MAMTL)

Jan 2009

Includes local, city, and county projects

12 Mobile Asphalt Mixture Testing Laboratory (MAMTL)

Jan 2010

Over 140 documented WMA projects constructed to date.

Includes local, city, and county projects

13 Mobile Asphalt Mixture Testing Laboratory (MAMTL)

How Many WMA Technologies are Available in the U.S.?

Currently Twenty One (21) Technologies Marketed and Available in the U.S.

There are three categories (types) of WMA Technologies:

Chemical

Organic

Foaming

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Typical Mixing Temperature Ranges

HMA Plant Foaming Water Carriers (Chemical) Water Carriers (Non-Chemical) Chemical Additives Rheological Modifiers

200

220

240

260

280

300

320

340

Mixing Temperature ( F)

Plant Foaming Techniques

Small amount of moisture introduced to binder ahead of mixing
Steam causes volume expansion Expansion allows for coating at lower temperatures

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Material Foaming Processes

Use water-bearing zeolite which releases moisture at high temperatures. Use a carefully controlled amount of moisture in sand added to hot coarse aggregate and asphalt.

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Plant modifications for foaming

Maxam AQUABlack

Terex Warm Mix Asphalt StanSteel Accu-Shear

Gencor Green Machine

Astec Double Barrel Green

Plant Foaming Process

Foaming systems add too much water to the mix

 300 ton of mix x 6.0% ac 18 liquid ton x ~1.25 (to 2.5)% Equals 450 (900) lbs. water Or54 (108) gallons

Allowable moisture in completed mix = < 0.5%. 300 ton of mix x 0.5% = 3000 Lbs. of water Or360 gallons. Almost of these.

Additives
Long-chain paraffin
Viscosity reduced at high temperatures Harden at service temperatures

Surfactant based
Reduce surface tension of binder Coating at lower temperatures

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Chattanooga - Loadout
Control Temp = 320oF WMA Temp = 270oF

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Yellowstone Paving
Control Temp = 320oF

Warm Mix Temp = 245oF

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Emission test results

Reduction in some key components are obvious.
(The Maxam reheat system for exhaust gases on our plant may have skewed some results.)

Done with In-house equipment

Reduced Emissions
Data provided by suppliers Aspha-min North Carolina 265oF
17.6% decrease in SO2 3.2% decrease in CO2 35.3% decrease in total hydrocarbons 6.1% decrease in NOx 45.8% decrease in CO2 63.1% decrease in CO 41.2% decrease in SO2 58% decrease in NOx

Evotherm Canada 140oF

Direct comparisons are discouraged different plants, different weather, different temperatures
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Asphalt consists of two main fractions: asphalteneswhich are the hard brittle component, insoluble and not affected by oxidation and the highly reactive subfractions: maltenes These maltenes are oily and resinous in appearance

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Decreased binder aging, light oils never reach boiling point (285 F)

WMA Lanes

This Lane: HMA Control

Pavement stays blacker, longer

Reduced Oxidation
140 120 100 Pen 80 60 40 20 0
Virgin AC Recovered AC 2 years

Hot Mix Evotherm

TxDOT Hamburg Rut Specimens HMA vs. WMA after 1 year of service

Crack Resistance Overlay Tester

Texas Transportation Institute Overlay Test Results

Crack Resistance Overlay Tester

600

HMA LIMESTONE EVOTHERM LIMESTONE

490 419

500

CYCLES TO FAILURE

400 345 300 334

397.0

200

100 31 0 1 2 3 4 MEAN 21 20 30 25.5

SAMPLE

Improved RAP Binder with WMA

Source: Dale Williams Missouri DOT

Makes obtaining proper roadway compaction easier

Most specifications heavily weight Density, e.g. AASHTO R 42

Combined Pay Factor = 0.20PFBINDER + 0.35PFVOIDS + 0.10PFVMA + 0.35PFDENSITY

Workability vs. Temperature

Absorption
Warm Mix Hot Mix

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NCAT WMA Results

From the NCAT Web Site: To date, some of the most significant findings . . . include: WMA placed into service immediately after construction has not exhibited susceptibility to early rutting. The long-term durability and rutting performance of WMA has been found to be comparable to hot-mix.

RAP and WMA

Will RAP and New Binders Mix at WMA Process Temperatures? Interfacial Mixing Study
Atomic Force Microscope

Lab Mixing Studies

Dynamic Modulus Evaluation
Courtesy AAT

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Extended paving season ~ night paving / longer hauls

In November 2010 GOH produced and placed over 145,000 ton of Warm Mixes, for PennDOT roads affected by the heavy traffic related to the Marcellus Shale Gas Well Industry.

November 9, 2010 paving 42 degrees.

November 9, 2010 paving 42 degrees.

Extended Season Compaction Results

Spread of results of 233 cores
25mm Base 25% Rap
80 70 F r e q u e n c y 60 50 40 30 20 10 0 90.5 91.4 91.5 92.4 92.5 93.4 93.5 94.4 94.5 95.4 95.5 96.4 96.5 97.4 0 89.5 - 90.5 - 91.5 - 92.5 - 93.5 - 94.5 - 95.5 - 96.5 90.4 91.4 92.4 93.4 94.4 95.4 96.4 97.4 Percent of Theoretical (Spec is >90 - <97) F r e q u e n c y 20 25

Spread of results of 65 cores

9.5mm Wearing 15% RAP

15

10

Percent of Theoretical (Spec is >88 - <97)

January 2011

Golden Eagle Construction Fayette County

SR 3019 sec 03M Tioga Co

Placed 2,588 tons 9.5mm scratch and 12,243 tons of 19mm Leveling as a final course

Eastern IndustriesDistrict 3-0

Astec Gencor Terex Maxam Meeker Stansteel Eastern Ind

Sasobit Evotherm Advera Rediset WMX LEA

Timeline of Warm-Mix in PA
11/30/07 Letter to Districts soliciting WMA pilot projects 12/17/08 SOL 421-08-09 PennDOT expands WMA use to nonfederal aid projects 6/17/09 SOL 423-09-01 WMA expanded to federal aid projects with work plan 6/29/10 SOL 423-10-01 Internal Target of 20% Warm mix asphalt for 2010

2008

2009

2010

2011

April 2008 First WMA pilot projects let

3 Pilot projects constructed

15 WMA projects constructed

Slide provided by Garth Bridenbaugh, P. E.

23 WMA projects constructed + additional Dept. force paving and www.dot.state.pa.us gas well paving

PennDOT County Maintenance/paving crews.

SR 3012 Columbia County

SR 414 Tioga County

Issues / Concerns
Long-term durability Moisture sensitivity (NCHRP study) High RAP usage Construction season extension

Issues / Concerns
(Continued) No formalized mix design procedure Lack of technology specific standard guidelines No formalized process to handle evaluation and approval of new technologies

Answers to Concerns
Evaluation of performance (Europe, Test Tracks, APT) NCHRP 9-43 Ramon Bonaquist W.O. #32 Penn State University Acceptance protocols for new technologies NEAUPG WMA Task Force QCP

PAPA Warm Mix Subcommittee

Goal:
Develop and promote protocols of best available technology and practices for specifying and advancing the use of Warm Mix Asphalt to promote the success of WMA for all stakeholders.

PAPA Warm Mix Subcommittee

Action Items:
Distribute benefits brochure
Implement training for producers, contractors and owners Synthesize long-term performance data Develop acceptance protocols Develop mix design/production QC/QA

Why we need Warm Mix

Better air quality

Better energy efficiency Better performance Better compaction Better working conditions
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States that have or will have

Permissive WMA Specifications

AK

WA MT OR ID WY NE NV UT CA AZ CO KS MO KY TN AR MS TX LA HI FL AL GA IA IL IN OH WV VA NC SC SD MI PA ND MN WI

VT ME NH MA RI CT NJ DE MD DC

NY

OK NM

Guam

VI

PR

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Just Released
Upcoming Event

Conclusions
Warm Mix is the Future of Asphalt Mixtures. Technology providers coming forward. Industry and agencies must work together to make it happen. Advantages outweigh concerns. Will add to versatility of the material.
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Comments / Questions?