Transport for London (TfL) has successfully run a nine-year trial mixing 50 per cent of Reclaimed Asphalt Pavement (RAP) into the top layer of new road surfaces. This approach reduced construction waste and the need for importing new raw materials, as well as helping to lower carbon emissions.
Carried out with supplier FM Conway, the trial monitored the performance and durability of RAP (which is recycled carriageway material) in road surfaces on the A1 at Mill Hill, a strategic road into and out of London. It found that the material can endure frequent, heavy traffic and matches the performance of traditional asphalt in terms of quality, texture, safety, and maintenance.
Laboratory testing on the material’s structural behaviour and response to force and load showed it maintained its firmness and integrity over the trial period.
