Warm asphalt bituminous mixtures with regards to energy, emissions and performance

With the current concerns about sustainable development and greenhouse gas emissions in various fields, the road domain has also to contribute. Indeed, asphalt mixture production is a very important energy consuming phase in order to heat the aggregates and binder, and also maintain a low viscosity for a sufficient workability and level of compaction. In order to decrease this environmental load, warm asphalt mixtures produced between 60 and 140 °C have been developed. This paper presents the major developments and techniques in order to produce warm asphalt mixes. The advantages and potential are also discussed, followed by the description of a complete analysis of the performances. Based on this, a methodology for the development of a global multifunctional assessment tool of these innovative technologies is detailed. The main objective of the ongoing PhD research is finally to quantify and combine the various aspects for a global assessment and comparison of innovative processes.