State to pilot reclaimed asphalt pavement technology in road construction

The Public Works department (PWD) has decided to pilot reclaimed asphalt pavement (RAP) technology in road construction.

RAP is a technology that involves milling the top surface of existing roads and reusing it to create a new surface. The work is planned to be carried out on the Killipalam-Pravachambalam road in Thiruvananthapuram on a trial basis.

This decision was taken at a meeting chaired by PWD Minister P.A. Mohamed Riyas and attended by experts from IIT Madras, Chief Engineers of the PWD, Kerala Highway Research Institute (KHRI) officials and others.

The department had earlier announced that it would try its best to bring new technologies for road renovation in the State. Several researches are being conducted under the aegis of the KHRI. As part of this, studies were also conducted on the RAP technology by the KHRI in collaboration with the IIT Madras.

Following the studies, it was concluded that the technology would be suitable for Kerala as well, said a statement from the office of the Minister.

This technology also promotes the reuse of construction materials. This will help reduce consumption of raw materials during the construction of roads. Additionally, environmental issues are relatively less significant compared to current practices. It is expected that long-lasting roads can be constructed through this without additional financial burden, said the statement.