FM Conway and Transport for London (TfL) have launched a ‘unique’ trial to test the use of high recycled asphalt content for the surface course on the strategic road network.
The infrastructure services company said the trial, which is intended to address the challenges created by the geological scarcity of High PSV aggregates, ‘has the potential to transform the way Britain’s strategic road network is maintained’.
Under the trial, FM Conway will lay an asphalt surface course containing 50% recycled aggregate constituents on three lanes of the A1 at Mill Hill. This will be monitored against primary aggregate asphalts for durability and retention of a skid resistant surface.
Although the base and binder layers of strategic roads can include up to 50% recycled content, concerns around skid resistance and durability traditionally limited the recycled content of surface course mixes to around 10%.
Dana Skelley, TfL’s director of asset management, said: ‘We’re really pleased to be teaming up with FM Conway and Arizona Chemical on this trial for an environmentally friendlier way of resurfacing London’s roads.
‘This unique trial will help us test how durable recycled asphalt is with a view to efficiently implementing this process across the highway network in the near future.’
FM Conway said the mix used in the trial is fully compliant with clause 942 of the Specification for Highway Works and incorporates its selected binder and aggregates, as well as Arizona Chemical’s Sylvaroad binder performance additive.
Tim Metcalf, aggregate and asphalt director at FM Conway, said: ‘This is an exciting development for the strategic road network. We’re confident that the trial will answer any doubts about the use of high recycled content asphalt for both surface courses and the base and binder courses of strategic roads.
‘High recycled content asphalt not only meets specified safety requirements, but can support the highways industry in its drive to be more resource efficient.’
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