Development of an innovative technology for activating recycled asphalt pavement materials for the production of durable asphalt mixtures

Project title: Development of an innovative technology for activating recycled asphalt pavement materials for the production of durable asphalt mixtures

Agreement number: FENG.02.03-IP.05-0027/25

Name of the competition: TEAM NET

Priority: Priority 2: An environment conducive to innovation

As part of a consortium comprising: Lublin University of Technology (Leader), Gdańsk University of Technology (Partner), and Poznań University of Technology (Partner)

Project implementation period: 01.10.2026 - 30.09.2029

Principal Investigator: prof. dr hab. inż. Wojciech Franus

Project value: 11 521 368,09 PLN

Funds granted for Lublin University of Technology: 3 349 570,57 PLN

Abstract: The project aims to increase the efficiency of utilizing recycled materials derived from deteriorated road pavements while simultaneously reducing the consumption of virgin raw materials and the carbon footprint associated with the production of asphalt mixtures (AM) for road construction.

The research hypothesis is that improved recycling efficiency can be achieved through the chemical activation of aged binder contained in reclaimed asphalt pavement (RAP). Under currently applied technologies and legal regulations, such material can only be incorporated into the production of new asphalt mixtures to a limited extent or may not qualify for recycling at all.

The research will focus on the development of a novel, globally innovative technology combining a reduction in the production temperature of asphalt mixtures through zeolite-assisted asphalt foaming with the application of newly developed rejuvenating agents. A key technological challenge will be to achieve a high binder replacement ratio (BR > 40%) when using low-quality reclaimed asphalt pavement while maintaining the required functional properties of the resulting asphalt mixtures.

To restore the original properties of the aged binder contained in RAP, novel rejuvenating additives will be developed based on vegetable oils activated with prepolymers. As these materials exhibit limited compatibility with the asphalt matrix in their unmodified form, a series of chemical modifications and cross-linking processes will be carried out to tailor their molecular structure and improve their compatibility with the binder.

To assess the degree of binder blending and the activation of aged asphalt, the asphalt mortar testing method will be further developed and refined. The planned research will culminate in laboratory- and industrial-scale testing of multiple variants of asphalt mixtures containing high proportions of RAP with different material characteristics, using the components developed within the project.

The expected outcome of the project is the development of an environmentally sustainable technology for the production of asphalt mixtures, ready for implementation by road construction companies. The proposed technology is expected to contribute to increased utilization of recycled pavement materials, reduced consumption of virgin resources, and a lower carbon footprint of asphalt mixture production.