ALL DRESSED UP

Abstract

This article shows how a German on site road recycling machine is being used to repair damaged road surfaces at Kidderminster, Worcestershire, England. This road pavement surface recycling process is being given its first UK trial there. A small amount of bitumen emulsion is mixed into the pulverised road surface pavement to a depth of about 100mm, using a Wirtgen 2000VCR recycling machine, which has an integrated tamping-type paver screed coupled directly to its rear. One single pass of the machine replaces six operations of the retreading method, which normally involves scarifying the damaged surface, adding various materials and then remixing with a harrow before compaction and surface dressing. Between 2500 and 3000 sq m can be repaired per day, using the shallow recycling technique, compared with about 1000 sq m per day, using retread. Recycling costs between found4.25 and found4.50 per sq m, compared with an average cost of found3.60 per sq m for retread. The major benefit of recycling is the consistency of the mix, so that no material is segregated, whereas fines sink to the bottom during retread. Another advantage is that cars can be driven over the road during the repair process.