Cold In-Place Recycling
Contract-Ready Construction Specification Guidelines
Download GuidelinesLearn about the benefits of Cold In-Place Recycling Treatments
The reach of recycling goes much further than just aluminum cans. Roadways can, and should, also be recycled. Cold In-Place Recycling (CIR) allows for 3-5 inches of the existing pavement to be pulverized into aggregate and mixed with a rejuvenating asphalt emulsion then reused in the resurfacing of the road.
CIR can extend the life of a roadway upwards of 10-15 years at 20 to 50 percent less than conventional maintenance and reconstruction methods, making it one of the most cost-effective ways to completely resurface a road. The entire CIR process only takes a few hours, making it both cost effective and time efficient, as well as easier on the traveling public.
CIR should only be used on pavement that requires a major structural upgrade due to severe cracking, shoving or rutting.
When sourcing materials, Cold In-Place Recycling can be found under the nomenclature CIR-EE.
Best Practices
- Create a sample of the mixture and process it for verification testing.
- Verify pavement depth.
- Confirm that sub grade issues do not cause pavement distresses. If they do, those issues must be addressed.
- Use equipment that is functioning properly and is accurately calibrated.
- A fog seal is typically required after the CIR process to maintain the integrity of the surface until a wearing course can be applied.
Pavement Preservation Success
Success Story: Cold In-Place Recycling
DownloadFaced with a severely cracked State Highway 191 and limited funding, the Utah Department of Transportation (UDOT) needed a progressive roadway solution. UDOT looked to double/double cold in-place recycling (CIR) as the answer.