Tuesday, 3 December 2024
A demonstration project led by Austroads has successfully shown that roads can be paved with asphalt incorporating crumb rubber from sources other than truck tyres, without compromising asphalt performance.
The initiative used crumb rubber from three types of end-of-life tyres – truck, passenger car, and off-the-road (OTR) tyres – to resurface a section of road in Tasmania. Preliminary tests on the rubber-modified binder and asphalt showed no significant differences in performance. In addition, in-situ properties like air void content and rutting were consistent across all three asphalt mixes.
Results from the field project have been summarised in the Passenger Cars and Other Non-Truck Tyres Crumb Rubber in Asphalt: Demonstration Project report, which also assesses the asphalt application from an operational and constructability standpoint. This is the second report produced as part of this work. The first report, published in December 2022, assessed the market-readiness of Australia and New Zealand to use recycled crumb rubber in asphalt.
The latest report comes at a time when the recycling industry is looking for ways to improve the use, recovery, and recycling of Australia’s rubber products. According to Tyre Stewardship Australia, up to 245,000 tonnes of OTR waste are generated annually, with around 80% of this coming from the mining sector.
Using crumb rubber from end-of-life truck tyres to produce asphalt mixes has become common in the pavement industry. However, rubber from passenger car tyres and OTR products – including OTR tyres, conveyor belts, and tracks – remains largely underutilised.
The demonstration project has clearly shown that paving with crumb rubber from sources other than truck tyres is not only feasible, but effective,” said Austroads Transport Infrastructure Program Manager, Ross Guppy.
“While the demonstration project has yielded promising results, further field monitoring is recommended to fully assess long-term performance, particularly in terms of pavement condition over time. This initiative marks an important step toward more sustainable and resource-efficient asphalt production.”
Download Passenger Cars and Other Non-Truck Tyres Crumb Rubber in Asphalt: Demonstration Project.
Webinar
Join us for a webinar on Thursday 5 December at 1 pm AEDT with Robert Nucifora and Tony Aloisio, who will provide a detailed overview of the demonstration project in Tasmania and its findings.
No charge but registration is essential. Can’t make the live session? Register and we’ll send you a link to the recording.