In order to save energy and control air pollution in the national Capital, the Delhi Government's Public Works Department (PWD) has decided to use 'Recycled Asphalt Material' (RAP) which is largely produced during highway maintenance and construction for all the upcoming PWD road projects.
Reclaimed Asphalt Pavement (RAP) is the demolished pavement materials which contain asphalt (natural bitumen) and aggregates. These materials are generated when asphalt pavements are removed for reconstruction, resurfacing, or to obtain access to buried utilities. When properly crushed and screened, RAP consists of high-quality, well-graded aggregates coated by asphalt cement.
The step was taken after a research done by three well known researchers who said the recycling of existing asphalt pavement materials produces new pavement with considerable savings in material, money and energy. Aggregates and binder from old asphalt pavement are still valuable even though these pavements have reached the end of their service life.
Following the research result, director of PWD on September six issued a letter saying, "It is found necessary to adopt this technique on all our PWD road projects because it is environmental friendly, economical and fulfills the aspiration of sustainable development. Accordingly, use of pavement milling can be carried out preferably before pavement strengthening to avoid rise in the level of pavement."
The letter further read," Use of RAP in road construction complies with overall objective of sustainable development by careful use of natural resources as large quantities of Recycled Asphalt Pavement materials are produced during high way maintenance aggregates and tackles the issue of material storage and disposal of reclaimed asphalt material generated from pavement construction. Further energy savings can also be done through the use of RAP I roadway construction by reducing processing and transportation of virgin aggregates."
Moreover, the PWD also said, use of this milled material also complies with Construction and Demolition (C&D) waste rules, 2016 as well as meets with the goal of sustainable development apart from economical construction as these technique's saves virgin aggregates and raising of median, footpath and kerb channel.
"The Government agency, like PWD, has taken a good step by adopting the new technology, such as use of RAP for all its road projects. It will save energy and the main aim behind such technology is zero pollution and going natural with re-using the existing material. In, India only 30 per cent of RAP is used but we introduced it 15 years ago but the people are not changing their mindset to use new technology.
“The road constructed with RAP materials will go long and also helps to control traffic movement as roads will improve and other important things like drainage system and discharge of rain water will also improve," said Dr Sunil Bose, former Head of Flexible Pavement Division, Central Road Research Institute (CRRI).