Environmental and Financial Benefits of Foamed Bitumen Stabilisation as a Sustainable and Resilient Airport Pavement Rehabilitation Technology
Publication: Geo-Congress 2024
ABSTRACT
Foamed bitumen stabilisation is a technology that allows existing granular pavement structures to be strengthened and made moisture resistant, while avoiding the replacement of the existing granular material. It is believed that foamed bitumen stabilisation provides more resilient and sustainable airport pavements, but that has not been quantified. This research objectively compared foamed bitumen stabilisation of an existing pavement to other common airport pavement rehabilitation options, within the context of a case study on the design of a regional Australian airport. The stabilisation of the existing marginal gravel base course with foamed bitumen and a new asphalt surface was the most financially economical solution, the second most resilient solution, and the most environmentally sustainable solution. It was concluded that the foamed bitumen stabilisation and asphalt surface pavement design was the most sustainable and resilient pavement option. It is recommended that in the future, this comparison be extended to include a whole of life assessment of the different pavement design options.
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Published online: Feb 22, 2024
ASCE Technical Topics:
- Air transportation
- Airport and airfield pavements
- Airports and airfields
- Asphalt pavements
- Asphalts
- Business management
- Design (by type)
- Engineering fundamentals
- Engineering materials (by type)
- Financial management
- Foaming (material)
- Granular materials
- Highway and road design
- Infrastructure
- Materials engineering
- Materials processing
- Pavement design
- Pavements
- Practice and Profession
- Sight distances
- Sustainable development
- Transportation engineering
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