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 What makes it last longer?The high carbon black content of the vulcanized rubber that retard aging and provides antioxidation effect; this prevents the pavement from becoming brittle and cracking. When rubber is blended with asphalt, it creates a flexible AR pavement that resists and reduces rutting, reflective and thermal cracking, thus not allowing water into the sub-surfaces, which create pot-holes and deteriorate the road surface.
Will AR wear more quickly than regular asphalt and add to the pollution problem? AR has twice the life span of conventional asphalt. Experts have learned that when the AR begins to deteriorate, it breaks up into pieces that are too large to become airborne and add to the air pollution problem. There is no evidence to indicate that AR will add to air pollution.
How many used tires will be recycled in AR? Waste tires are environmental problems. If buried whole in a landfill, they can float to the surface, break through the cap of the landfill, and expose once buried waste to the environment. In whole tire stockpiles, water can sit in the tires making them ideal breeding grounds for mosquitoes. The EPA estimates that over $5,000,000 USD is spent each year to combat mosquito borne diseases, such as encephalitis and yellow fever. As with whole tire stockpiles, shredded tire stockpiles are high risk fire hazards that create environmental disasters in the air and water tables. It is estimated that between 1500 and 2000 old tires are used for every lane-mile that is resurfaced at a depth of 1-inch with AR. About 300-million used tires are generated annually in the United States alone.
How much quieter can freeways be with an AR overlay? Approximately 75% of freeway noise is generated from the tire-to-road contact, and AR reduces that noise at its source. The decibel range from vehicle tires rolling across AR pavement is considerably lower than with concrete surfaces, reducing the noise levels that tend to be irritating to homeowners and freeway drivers. International studies have shown that AR pavements can reduce traffic noise up to 85% in some cases. Generally, AR will provide a 50% reduction in noise. Elimination of the construction of abatement walls can save between $200.00 to $400.00 USD per linear foot (or $1 to $2 million per mile.)
www.rubberpavements.org Do AR pavements cool faster than conventional pavements? AR pavements are more porous. Because of this and the insulating effects of the rubber crumbs, the pavement doesn't retain heat as much as conventional asphalt. AR pavements are cooler at night, but not during the day.
The cool pavement mechanism is based on the idea that by increasing the reflectance of the pavement surface, less sunlight will be absorbed, lowering the daytime temperature of the pavement. In case of hot climate places, where icing is not an issue light-colored aggregate (e.g.,limestone) is suggested to be applied, which appear very light in color. New asphalt pavements, with a black binder, are generally much less reflective. So not really the AR, but the aggregates are behind this phenomena. Can AR be used in cold climates? AR has been successfully used in some of the coldest regions of the U.S., such as Alaska and Nebraska. In the Flagstaff, Arizona area (>7,000 ft. / 2,134 m. elevation), the winters have extreme freeze/thaw conditions. AR has better temperature sustainability than conventional asphalt. The State of California has also successfully used AR in the high Sierra Mountains, where its performance has been remarkable as well. Internationally, AR is being used to pave highways in Siberia Russia, China, northern Spain, Germany, Canada, Sweden and Portugal.
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| Last Updated ( Tuesday, 30 June 2009 18:36 ) |
