Asphalt-Rubber 65 Years of People, Places and Progress

Description

Asphalt-Rubber 65 Years of People, Places and Progress

George B. Way

Consulpav International

USA

wayouta@cox.net

ABSTRACT.

Since the mid 1960’s a unique asphalt binder called asphalt-rubber (AR), containing a large percentage of crumb rubber from ground scrap tires has been used in seal coat applications and hot mix paving. This unique paving asphalt material consisting of approximately 20 percent ground scrap tires and 80 percent paving grade asphalt is used to primarily reduce all types of cracking, including reflective cracking, thermal cracking, fatigue cracking and it is used as a crack and joint sealant. This paper describes and summarizes the 65 years of people, places and progress in the development of AR from both a technical and non-technical perspective. AR’s development has been helped by early inventors such as Charles McDonald and later by the Asphalt Rubber Producers Group (ARPG) and later by the Rubber Pavements Association (RPA) and presently by the Rubberized Asphalt Foundation. In 2000 the Asphalt Rubber International Conferences began in Portugal and continue into 2025. The conferences have been and continue to be a forum for the latest research, innovation and technical knowledge of AR. These AR International Conferences helped to document AR’s numerous benefits both mechanical (cracking and rutting) and environmental (noise, energy and CO₂). This report reviews the non-technical problems and breakthroughs and technical progress and development and use of AR. The report speaks to the people and organizations that have been advocates for supporting and sponsoring AR over a 65-year period in the US and in countries across the world. 

KEYWORDS: asphalt-rubber, history, RPA, RAF