Comparison of the Environmental Benefits of Cold Mix Asphalt and Its Application in Pavement Layers

Grazietti, Francesco

First

;Rombi, James

Second

;Maltinti, Francesca

Penultimate

;Coni, Mauro

Last

2023-01-01

---

Abstract

Increasing CO2 emissions and the importance of reducing the carbon footprint in transportation infrastructure are topics of growing interest in civil engineering. This paper examines the use of asphalt mix designs alternative to classic Hot Mix Asphalt (HMA) such as Warm Mix Asphalt (WMA) and Cold Mix Asphalt CMA) as sustainable solutions to mitigate environmental impacts and promote material reuse. The introduction stresses the importance of use in the transportation sector and highlights the potential for reducing CO2 emissions and energy consumption by lowering processing temperatures [10]. The following paper analyzes asphalt technologies, exploring the merits and demerits of different solutions and assessing the suitability of recycled materials. It proceeds by quantifying the use of HMA, WMA and CMA at global, European, and Italian levels, highlighting the evolution of production techniques and their diffusion in different contexts. In the conclusions, considerations aremade on the environmental benefits and technical feasibility ofWMAandCMA,emphasizing the importance of promoting the adoption of these solutions in transportation infrastructure for sustainable resource management and climate impact reduction. The paper contributes to the debate on the use of sustainable materials in the construction industry by encouraging research and innovation in the design and implementation of greener transportation infrastructure.