Suggested Citation:
Ojha, Aaditya, Shadi Saadeh, Shams Tanvir, Louay N. Mohammad, Ali A. Butt, John T. Harvey (2025)

Employing Life Cycle Assessment in Asphalt Mixture Design Using Reclaimed Asphalt Pavement

The increasing demand for sustainable and cost-effective materials has led to significant research on incorporating Reclaimed Asphalt Pavement (RAP) into asphalt mixtures. While high RAP content without rejuvenators can compromise pavement performance, the addition of Ferric Chloride (FeCl₃), a Lewis acid catalyst, offers a potential solution. This study evaluated mixtures with 0%, 30%, and 50% RAP content, with and without FeCl₃, using a California-specific life cycle assessment tool and compared it to the Federal Highway Association (FHWA)’s Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) Pave tool. LCA was conducted to assess environmental impacts, focusing on cradle-to-gate Global Warming Potential (GWP). The results showed that incorporating 30% and 50% RAP reduced GWP by 25.7% and 36.8%, respectively, compared to conventional mixtures. Comparisons with a similar Louisiana study revealed regional variations in GWP values due to differences in transportation practices, production equipment, and material sourcing. This study anticipates improvements in performance, durability, and sustainability using FeCl3 in RAP asphalt mixtures.