Kent highway resurfaced with reclaimed asphalt
Binder course containing 60% recycled material is used to resurface a section of the A20 in Kent, UK.
Building materials company Heidelberg Materials has worked with GW Highways to design the lower-carbon asphalt, which reduces the need for primary aggregates.
On the A20 section, a special additive has been included in the 20mm binder course of the asphalt to soften residual bitumen content, allowing increased recycled content while improving workability of the 60mm-thick material.
The 60% reclaimed asphalt in the binder course is a departure from standard specifications.
Kent doesn’t naturally produce any suitable aggregates for asphalt production, so all material must be imported from other counties, which increases the carbon footprint of highway projects and makes the county vulnerable to market fluctuations.
Using locally sourced recycled materials provides supply security while improving sustainability credentials.
The asphalt, supplied by Heidelberg Materials’ Allington plant, contains the highest level of recycled content in the county to date.
The project also supports both Heidelberg Materials’ and GW Highways’ carbon reduction targets.
Herbert Micallef, Technical Director at GW Highways, says, ‘We are now looking to build on its success by trialling a higher reclaimed asphalt content in surface course asphalt laid in the county.’
