Stanislaus County and CalRecycle are partnering to construct test sections of pavement using pelletized recycled rubber as a way to potentially increase the use of recycled rubber in pavement mixes. The $500,000 project is currently out to bid until March 7. Details are HERE.

According to the California Department of Resources, Recycling and Recovery (CalRecycle), the goal of the pilot project is to address the expense and logistical challenges associated with field-blended asphalt-rubber, particularly in rural areas or for smaller projects, by evaluating a potential new way to incorporate recycled rubber in asphalt mixes and enhance pavement performance.

Pelletized rubber binder eliminates the expensive equipment and mobilization that is needed for blending asphalt rubber binder at the hot mix plant site. Pelletized rubber is manufactured off-site and shipped to the hot plant. The test sections will include PelletPAVE AR from Phoenix Industries, SmartMIX from Liberty Tire Recycling, and Ecorphalt from Full Circle Technologies. The PelletPAVE and SmartMIX products are metered into the hot plant recycle collar during mix production, while Ecorphalt is blended with the asphalt binder prior to delivery to the hot plant. The goal is to achieve at least 15% rubber content in the binder so the materials will potentially be eligible for the CalRecycle grant program in the future.

The test sections will include a comparative conventional dense grade section, CalRecycle says. Evaluation of the test sections is intended to demonstrate compliance with typical requirements and identify potential performance benefits provided by the pelletized products, but not to select the “best” one. Ideally, all will meet typical requirements and thus offer several options for future projects.

The location of the project will be on Keyes Road between Ceres, Hughson and Turlock. The estimated working days for the project, which includes placement of construction zone signs, patching, pavement markings and other elements common to paving projects, is about 35 working days. The three pelletized sections are about 500 tons each.

"The Stanislaus County Public Works Department embraces exploring new technologies and techniques," Public Works Director David Leamon told Asphalt Insider. "Our organization values innovation and experimentation." The county also recognized the project's potential to advance knowledge to support various climate and sustainability initiatives.

Nichols Consulting Engineers, Chico State University, Interwest Consulting and Mike Robinson, LLC have collaborated to prepare the plans and specifications for the project and will provide sampling, acceptance testing, and long-term monitoring and evaluation. Contract award is expected to take place sometime in April.

CalRecycle has an active program to find new markets for end-of-life tires, and over the past few years the equivalent of 10 million waste tires have been used in asphalt pavements., CalRecycle says. To learn more about the program, click HERE.

CalAPA held a technical workshop in Sacramento last year devoted exclusively to the use of recycled rubber in asphalt pavements. An article about that event appeared on Page 28 of a recent issue of the CalAPA magazine and can be accessed on-line HERE.

The very active Women of Asphalt California Branch will be holding a virtual "Lunch and Learn" on Wednesday, Feb. 21 at 11:30 a.m. on the subject of roadway/pavement recycling. The event is free but advanced registration is required. Contact Sydney Johnson with Earth Systems at sjohnson@earthsystems.com to receive log-in information.

The session is sponsored by the Women of Asphalt California Branch Technical Committee. The presenter will be Christina Pang representing the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans).

To learn more about the Women of Asphalt California Branch chapter, click HERE.

The annual forecast issue of CalAPA's official association magazine, "California Asphalt," will be arriving in mailboxes this week. A special interactive digital version of the issue can be accessed HERE.

The magazine includes a profile of the specialized asphalt mix that was utilized to pave a race course in downtown Las Vegas in preparation for the Formula 1 Las Vegas Grand Prix, and the CalAPA members, including All States Materials Group, who were instrumental in making that happen.

The issue also features the UCLA economic forecast for California and the nation, and includes a report on the results of CalAPA's exclusive "Better-Worse" survey. A story and photos from the CalPA Annual Dinner and awards gala at the Jonathan Club in downtown Los Angeles also are featured.

"California Asphalt" is published six times per year and includes in-depth insight on the issues and trends that impact the asphalt pavement industry in California. An archive of past issues of the magazine can be found HERE. For advertising inquiries, contact Kerry Hoover with Construction Marketing Services at (909) 772-3121. Information on advertising in the magazine can be found HERE.

The National Asphalt Pavement Association, a CalAPA partner, is seeking participation in a special study to inform the asphalt industry's initiative on establishing benchmarks on Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs). There is no cost to participate, and information will remain confidential. The more plants that participate the more representative the data will be to help establish the benchmarks, NAPA says. The deadline to participate has been extended to March 15.

The goal of the benchmarking study is two-fold: To define relevant industry averages to facilitate participation in the Federal Highway Administration's $2 billion Low Carbon Transportation Materials Grants Program; and to develop the Energy Performance Indicator, which services as the basis for ENERGY STAR Plant Certification. The estimated time it will take per plant to provide the information, if the plant has already developed an EPD, is about 1 hour. For those plants without an EPD, it should take about 2.5 hours. With more public and private owners requesting EPDs, gathering this information will soon become standard for the industry so identifying the sources of this information, and streamlining how that information is gathered will be essential. A recent CalAPA "California Asphalt" magazine issue devoted to the "ABCs of EPDs is HERE.

For more information on EPDs and how they relate to the overall asphalt industry climate goals, , click HERE. A fact sheet with frequently asked questions about the benchmarking initiative is HERE.

"Asphalt Week" in Ontario has been expanded to include a Topgolf networking event and a popular CalAPA technical training class. The CalAPA Spring Asphalt Pavement Conference & Equipment Expo, scheduled for Thursday and Friday, March 7-8 in Ontario, boasts its most diverse agenda ever, with presentations from nationally recognized experts on a wide range of technical and practical topics of interest to industry and agency personnel alike. Details and on-line registration for the conference can be found HERE.

Some of the hottest topics in the world of asphalt pavements today will be on the program, including the use (and potential misuse) of Environmental Product Declarations, the use of reclaimed tire rubber in asphalt mixes, as well as fibers and plastic.

Breathtaking advances in technology also will be highlighted, including eTicketing and the use of Artificial Intelligence technology, which is already starting to impact the industry. The event is the only one of its kind in California that brings together industry, agency and academia professionals to learn, network and have fun.

Back this year is the tradeshow floor, outdoor equipment displays and a gala reception. There are ample sponsor opportunities. Special group discount pricing is available, as well as an early-bird rate exclusively for agency personnel who register before Feb. 23.

Issues of interest to agency personnel also will be prominently featured at the conference, with presentations by Dr. John Harvey with the University of California Pavement Research Center, and Erik Updyke with the SB1-supported City & County Pavement Improvement Center. Those presentations, in particular, are geared toward helping agency personnel stretch their pavement maintenance dollars. The timed agenda of topics and presenters is HERE. A special public agency discount rate ends Feb. 23.

In conjunction with the conference, a networking event has been added on Wednesday, March 6 from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. at the fabulous Topgolf Sports & Entertainment Complex in Ontario. A separate registration is required to attend the Topgolf event, and space is extremely limited so early registration is strongly encouraged. Details and a sign-up page for the Topgolf event is HERE.

In addition, CalAPA will hold one of its most popular technical training classes, "Asphalt Pavement 101," on Wednesday, March 6 from 8 a.m. to noon at the DoubleTree Hotel in Ontario, site of the conference. The class is a good overview of all things asphalt, and is continuously updated, so it is good for those new to asphalt as well as experienced personnel seeking a refresher. A separate registration is also required for this class. Many people who attend the conference also sign up for this class to give them a good working knowledge of topics to be discussed in-depth at the conference later in the week. Details and registration on the "Asphalt Pavement 101" class is HERE.

For information on registration, as well as the many sponsorship and exhibitor opportunities, contact Sophie You of CalAPA at (916) 791-5044.

CalAPA offices will be closed on Monday, Feb. 19 in observance of the Presidents' Day holiday. The offices will reopen during normal business hours on Tuesday, Feb. 20.

Each week we highlight a word, acronym or other term commonly used in the asphalt pavement industry in California.

ENVIRONMENTAL LIFE CYCLE ASSESSMENT (LCA): A method of characterizing and quantifying environmental sustainability of pavements for specific performance criteria. This analysis utilizes a “cradle to grave” methodology, factoring in the cost of acquiring and transporting material, construction, maintenance and ultimately end-of-life disposition of the pavement (recycling or disposal). 

Each week we highlight a key point or best practice of interest to asphalt paving crews, inspectors and others working in the field. We welcome suggestions. More tips can be found in our "Asphalt Parking Lot Construction Checklist" HERE. Information on the CalAPA "Quality Paving Certificate" program is HERE.

ASPHALT MIXTURE: Ask yourself: Is this the correct mix type for the project and the layer you are constructing? Verify that the truck delivery ticket matches the approved mix design.

Each week we highlight a term that is specific to climate-change issues related to the asphalt pavement industry. This feature is intended to raise awareness of the asphalt industry's climate-change initiatives and the specialized terminology that goes with them. More information on "The Road Forward" asphalt industry climate initiative can be found HERE.

UNITED NATIONS SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOALS: Call for countries to tackle climate action, life and justice issues. 

"I hope I shall possess firmness and virtue enough to maintain what I consider the most enviable of all titles, the character of an honest man."

– George Washington

We hope you enjoy CalAPA's Asphalt Insider newsletter. We are committed to providing you with the most up-to-date information on technical issues, regulation, news, analysis, events and trends in California that is of interest to the asphalt pavement industry and our various agency partners. To subscribe to the newsletter, click HERE. For comments, questions or to suggest a story idea, click HERE.

Sincerely,

Russell W. Snyder, CAE

Executive Director

The California Asphalt Pavement Association (CalAPA)®