Short-term bearing capacity of foam bitumen recycled mixtures using lime as active filler

Cold recycling is one of the most employed rehabilitation techniques for asphalt pavements and it is becoming more and more important as the reduction of emissions becomes a priority in the reduction of the greenhouse effect. This paper describe the preliminary results of an extensive research program aimed to investigate the effects provided by the use of lime as active filler in cold recycled mixtures. The basic idea was to analyze the bearing performance of pavement layers made with foam bitumen cold recycled mixes with different blends of active fillers (cement, lime). The short term bearing capacity of those recycled mixtures were evaluated with deflectometric tests carried out on a trial section specifically built in Italy, close to Florence. Tests have been undertaken using LWD (Light Weight Deflectometer) and FWD (Fallingweight Deflectometer) immediately after compaction and after 24 hours of curing. The obtained results, even though they need to be confirmed by the analyses of long-term behavior, positively support the use of lime as an active filler.