MICROWAVE HEATING OF ASPHALT PAVING MATERIALS (WITH DISCUSSION)

For many years the concept of heating with microwave energy has been intriguing to highway engineers, but no commercial applications have been forthcoming. More recently, however, several patents have been issued and prototype equipment has demonstrated the feasibility of microwave heating of asphalt paving materials, with emphasis being placed on recycling. One thrust has been toward over-the-road heating applications such as for shoulders, longitudinal crack repair, rut repair, and pothole patching. The other is aimed at heating reclaimed asphalt pavement (RAP) in a microwave tunnel and competes with conventional central plant recycling, but with several added twists such as minimal air pollution and aging of the asphalt. This paper reviews over-the-road and central plant microwave heating projects, discusses the microwave heating concept and microwave principles, reviews microwave heating of pavement materials in the laboratory, and comments on strength and bonding enhancement in asphalt paving materials heated by microwaves. Concluding comments concern the implications and applications of microwave heating.

• Corporate Authors:

  Association of Asphalt Paving Technologists (AAPT)

  400 Selby Avenue, Suite I
  St Paul, MN  United States  55102
• Authors:
  • Terrel, R L
  • Al-Ohaly, A
• Conference:
  • Association of Asphalt Paving Technologists Proc
• Publication Date: 1987

Language

• English

Media Info

• Features: Figures; Photos; References; Tables;
• Pagination: p. 454-491
• Serial:
  • Volume: 56

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Aging (Materials); Air pollution; Asphalt pavements; Bond strength (Materials); Bonding; Flexible pavements; Heating (Structures); Laboratory studies; Microwaves; Patching; Paving; Recycling; Repairing; Strength of materials
• Old TRIS Terms: Microwave heating
• Subject Areas: Construction; Highways; Maintenance and Preservation; Materials; I31: Bituminous Binders and Materials; I52: Construction of Pavements and Surfacings; I61: Equipment and Maintenance Methods;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00739806
• Record Type: Publication
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Aug 29 1997 12:00AM