Preparation for implementation in industrial production of ecological mineral and asphalt mixtures using foamed asphalt technology

Project title: Preparation for implementation in industrial production of ecological mineral and asphalt mixtures using foamed asphalt technology

Agreement number: FENG.02.07-IP.05-0122/23

Name of the competition: Proof of Concept (PoC FENG)

Priority: Priority 2 Environment that fosters innovation European Funds for Smart Economy 2021-2027

Project implementation period: 01.09.2024 - 30.09.2025

Principal Investigator: dr inż. Agnieszka Woszuk

Project value: 698 577,60 PLN

Funds granted for Lublin University of Technology: 698 577,60 PLN

Abstract: The project falls within the scope of the discipline of civil engineering, geodesy and transport and concerns the development of a new technology for the production of mineral-asphalt mixtures with Reclaimed asphalt pavement (RAP) at reduced temperature. The essence of this solution is to develop a method and method of homogenizing ageing inhibitors with a selected chemical structure with asphalt binder, enabling the use of large quantities of materials from the demolition of damaged asphalt surfaces. Properly selected porous materials will enable effective foaming of asphalt and a reduction in the production temperature, which will bring additional economic and ecological benefits. The selected components will minimize the negative impact of the addition of asphalt granulate on the properties of the produced mineral-asphalt mixture by counteracting excessive stiffening of the oxidized binder and restoring its original properties. The planned research experiment consists of 4 stages and includes both laboratory tests and a technological trial in industrial conditions. In the laboratory test phase, based on the results of asphalt binder tests, the conditions for homogenizing asphalt with ageing process inhibitors will be optimized. Then, the quality parameters of the project's final product, which is a mineral-asphalt mixture with asphalt granulate, will be assessed. Next, a homogenizing device will be designed and a prototype will be made that will allow the transfer of the laboratory work results to an industrial scale. The last stage of the project will be testing the technology of producing ecological mineral-asphalt mixtures in real conditions at an asphalt plant equipped with an asphalt foaming system using porous materials.