De la técnica a la práctica el rap como solución innovadora en recuperación de vías urbanas en Colombia

Abstract

In the field of pavement engineering, today, pavement recycling (RAP) becomes a technically and environmentally favorable road alternative because it offers the option of reusing non-renewable natural resources and aggregate materials and at the same time reduces the amount of cubic meters (m3) of debris that are disposed of in municipal dumps or landfills. In addition to the above, it is important to highlight that the use of RAP also acquires economic importance because its recycling and use reduce the amount of sub-base or base material and at the same time reduce the distances for transporting granular material. All of the above has a direct impact on the economic interests of the construction contractor and the direct and indirect users of the road. Now, contextualizing the topic of this article, which is the use of RAP (Reclaimed Asphalt Pavement) for paving urban roads, after carrying out an important bibliographic review, it was determined that RAP is one of the successful technologies and is a very convenient option for the rehabilitation of this type of roads since it generates a lower cost, due to the use of existing material at the construction site; it can be built adjusting to the levels already existing at the construction site, which are determined by the sidewalks and the houses and an economic benefit is generated. However, despite the above, in Colombia the paving of urban roads with the use of RAP is a new technique that is just entering the field of engineering, but despite this, existing experiences have shown that pavements in urban roads with the implementation of RAP generate greater efficiency in several aspects and also longer useful life. In this article, it was also considered important to mention the importance of carrying out adequate quality control to determine compliance with the mechanical and physical properties of these materials. In addition, the RAP implemented in an urban road rehabilitation project must conform to a specific mix design for each pavement; in this way, the asphalt content and the granulometry of the mix must be previously defined since it must comply with the specifications of the standard for the use of stabilized milling. It is important to note that the use of RAP for the rehabilitation of urban roads is an innovative process, for which the responsible professionals have the obligation and responsibility to investigate each of its benefits, understanding the pros and cons that the rehabilitation of urban roads with RAP entails.