At the end of the 90s of the last century, a relatively new method of road repair appeared in Russia – cold recycling or, in Russian, cold regeneration. As with everything new, it was not easy to take root, also because of the cost of equipment. However, today many regions can already afford to use this technology, and the Yaroslavl region is just one of them.
From the regional center to Moscow about three hundred kilometers. An important part of the M8 Kholmogory federal highway passes through its territory. This means that heavy trucks are on their way from north to south to the capital 24 hours a day, which is a serious test for any highway. And regional roads account for a significant share of transport, especially in recent years.
The problem is that most of the highways in the Yaroslavl region – as everywhere else, by the way – were designed and built during Soviet times. And since the traffic flow in those years was much less, the roads were calculated for completely different loads. This circumstance mainly affects the lifespan of asphalt: under the wheels of multi-ton trucks, even a new coating will not last for a relatively long time if the surface is not reinforced.
And to do this, just enable the method of cold regeneration. In the Yaroslavl region, it began to spread six years ago. In 2021, approximately 85 kilometers will have been repaired with this technology. In 2022, the figure will be twice as high: about 190 kilometers, the regional road service told the AvtoVzglyad portal. And she added that recycling really extends the life of asphalt.
— We made one of the first roads using this method in 2017. It was the Danilov-Poshekhonye highway: 1.5 kilometers of new asphalt were laid. 5 years have passed – the road is worth it. Now we give a guarantee on the work carried out from 4 to 6 years. And the coating withstands this period, despite the fact that every year there is more transport and its tonnage, compared to Soviet times, has grown significantly, – said the head of a large road rehabilitation organization Yuri Salikhov.
In a literal sense, a recycler extends the life of asphalt – a special machine that strengthens the track surface. At the same time, serious “intervention” in the “clothes” on the road is not required. A “mill” passes in front of the recycler: a layer of old asphalt 5-7 cm thick is removed, and part of the road surface remains. The recycler itself deepens by 22 cm – the cutter reaches sand and gravel.
The remaining asphalt is removed and – together with the same sand and gravel – enters the drum, where everything is thoroughly mixed. This substance is placed on the road and compacted with rollers. “Pie” lies for several days, and then the operation is repeated. True, this time “binders” are added to the mixture – as a rule, portland cement. Then the rollers go over the new surface and the final stage is the laying of fresh asphalt.
There are many advantages to this technology. The thickness of the road surface when using a recycler is about 30 – 50 centimeters. This is a homogeneous mass, which has high strength, tear resistance and frost resistance. The method allows not only to restore the load on the road, but also to actually increase it,” says Denis Gerasimov, a lecturer at the Institute of Construction and Transport Engineers of the Yaroslavl State Technical University.
It is also curious that cold recycling, although a less labour-intensive method, has the same requirements for the strength of the pavement as the traditional technology of laying the road foundation. There are no climate restrictions, and this is also a plus. However, it is not recommended to use regeneration on top technical category tracks, especially federal tracks.
— These are roads with greater responsibility, with high traffic intensity and axial loads. They try not to use this method because of the proliferation of technical and operational features, the probability of which cannot be controlled, says Denis Gerasimov.
They don’t use technology, even though the road is in swampy areas. Also, this method does not strengthen the base of the route, which includes very wet, very heaving bottoms. Most likely, the recycler will also not be launched on city roads – the machine can easily damage underground utilities.
Of course, it will take longer to repair the road with the strengthening of the base. With a lane width of 7 meters, road workers manage to walk about 800 meters per shift on a recycler. The repair of a stretch of 10 kilometers takes an average of one week. And the cost of work is rising by about 40%, experts say. However, this is compensated by the strength of the roadway.
Why is this technology used? Cold regeneration actually replaces the overhaul, where the worn top layers of the pavement are dismantled and new ones are applied. And as part of the repair, we get the same quality as with a major overhaul. And, of course, the cost of the work is lower, and the deadlines for its implementation are lower,” explains Denis Zamaraev, deputy director of the Department of Road Facilities of the Yaroslavl Region.
Let’s summarize. In the Yaroslavl region, cold recycling has proven to be good. This means that there is hope that in other parts of the road, during the reconstruction of which this method will be used, they will significantly improve in quality. True, only if the repairmen strictly follow the technology and approach the work as responsibly as possible. And, of course, if bureaucratic greed does not intervene in the process …
At the end of the 90s of the last century, a relatively new method of road repair appeared in Russia – cold recycling or, in Russian, cold regeneration. As with everything new, it was not easy to take root, also because of the cost of equipment. However, today many regions can already afford to use this technology, and the Yaroslavl region is just one of them.
From the regional center to Moscow about three hundred kilometers. An important part of the M8 Kholmogory federal highway passes through its territory. This means that heavy trucks are on their way from north to south to the capital 24 hours a day, which is a serious test for any highway. And regional roads account for a significant share of transport, especially in recent years.
The problem is that most of the highways in the Yaroslavl region – as everywhere else, by the way – were designed and built during Soviet times. And since the traffic flow in those years was much less, the roads were calculated for completely different loads. This circumstance mainly affects the lifespan of asphalt: under the wheels of multi-ton trucks, even a new coating will not last for a relatively long time if the surface is not reinforced.
And to do this, just enable the method of cold regeneration. In the Yaroslavl region, it began to spread six years ago. In 2021, approximately 85 kilometers will have been repaired with this technology. In 2022, the figure will be twice as high: about 190 kilometers, the regional road service told the AvtoVzglyad portal. And she added that recycling really extends the life of asphalt.
— We made one of the first roads using this method in 2017. It was the Danilov-Poshekhonye highway: 1.5 kilometers of new asphalt were laid. 5 years have passed – the road is worth it. Now we give a guarantee on the work carried out from 4 to 6 years. And the coating withstands this period, despite the fact that every year there is more transport and its tonnage, compared to Soviet times, has grown significantly, – said the head of a large road rehabilitation organization Yuri Salikhov.
In a literal sense, a recycler extends the life of asphalt – a special machine that strengthens the track surface. At the same time, serious “intervention” in the “clothes” on the road is not required. A “mill” passes in front of the recycler: a layer of old asphalt 5-7 cm thick is removed, and part of the road surface remains. The recycler itself deepens by 22 cm – the cutter reaches sand and gravel.
The remaining asphalt is removed and – together with the same sand and gravel – enters the drum, where everything is thoroughly mixed. This substance is placed on the road and compacted with rollers. “Pie” lies for several days, and then the operation is repeated. True, this time “binders” are added to the mixture – as a rule, portland cement. Then the rollers go over the new surface and the final stage is the laying of fresh asphalt.
There are many advantages to this technology. The thickness of the road surface when using a recycler is about 30 – 50 centimeters. This is a homogeneous mass, which has high strength, tear resistance and frost resistance. The method allows not only to restore the load on the road, but also to actually increase it,” says Denis Gerasimov, a lecturer at the Institute of Construction and Transport Engineers of the Yaroslavl State Technical University.
It is also curious that cold recycling, although a less labour-intensive method, has the same requirements for the strength of the pavement as the traditional technology of laying the road foundation. There are no climate restrictions, and this is also a plus. However, it is not recommended to use regeneration on top technical category tracks, especially federal tracks.
— These are roads with greater responsibility, with high traffic intensity and axial loads. They try not to use this method because of the proliferation of technical and operational features, the probability of which cannot be controlled, says Denis Gerasimov.
They don’t use technology, even though the road is in swampy areas. Also, this method does not strengthen the base of the route, which includes very wet, very heaving bottoms. Most likely, the recycler will also not be launched on city roads – the machine can easily damage underground utilities.
Of course, it will take longer to repair the road with the strengthening of the base. With a lane width of 7 meters, road workers manage to walk about 800 meters per shift on a recycler. The repair of a stretch of 10 kilometers takes an average of one week. And the cost of work is rising by about 40%, experts say. However, this is compensated by the strength of the roadway.
Why is this technology used? Cold regeneration actually replaces the overhaul, where the worn top layers of the pavement are dismantled and new ones are applied. And as part of the repair, we get the same quality as with a major overhaul. And, of course, the cost of the work is lower, and the deadlines for its implementation are lower,” explains Denis Zamaraev, deputy director of the Department of Road Facilities of the Yaroslavl Region.
Let’s summarize. In the Yaroslavl region, cold recycling has proven its worth. This means that there is hope that in other parts of the road, during the reconstruction of which this method will be used, they will significantly improve in quality. True, only if the repairmen strictly follow the technology and approach the work as responsibly as possible. And, of course, if bureaucratic greed does not intervene in the process …
Source: Avto Vzglyad
Donald Salinas is an experienced automobile journalist and writer for Div Bracket. He brings his readers the latest news and developments from the world of automobiles, offering a unique and knowledgeable perspective on the latest trends and innovations in the automotive industry.