OPTIMIZATION OF THE INFRARED ASPHALT REPAIR PROCESS

Abstract

Infrared asphalt repair is an alternative technology that potentially allows for year round pavement patching that can be more durable, less expensive, and longer lasting than conventional techniques. Although infrared repair has been used for over 10 years by state and local agencies and commercial property owners in several areas of the country, some continuing resistance to this technique still remains. The principal reasons for this resistance are the largely unknown engineering properties of the patch material as compared to the native in situ pavement and the lack of standardized methods, specifications and quality assurance procedures. The following is a preliminary assessment of these engineering properties and current QA/QC procedures. A proposed specification for adoption is included in addition to recommendations for improving current practice.