Integrating recycled asphalt pavement and warm mix additives for enhanced performance and reduced emissions in asphalt mixtures

• Integration of RAP and WMA Additives: Demonstrates the effectiveness of combining Recycled Asphalt Pavement (RAP) with Warm Mix Asphalt (WMA) additives to enhance asphalt mixture performance. • Environmental Benefits: Highlights significant reductions in production temperature and harmful emissions, notably carbon monoxide, by 20–40 %. • Improved Mechanical Properties: Reports enhancements in density, compressive strength, water resistance, and moisture durability through the use of specific WMA additives like Evotherm J-1 and CCBit 113 CE. • Field Validation: Confirms laboratory findings with successful field application at a test section on Yegoryevskoye Highway, demonstrating the feasibility of low-temperature production. • Sustainable Road Construction: Proposes a practical approach for eco-friendly and cost-effective asphalt production, contributing to sustainable road construction practices. This research explores the effects of integrating recycled asphalt pavement (RAP) with various warm mix asphalt (WMA) additives on the production and performance of asphalt concrete mixtures. The main goal is to improve these mixtures' mechanical properties and environmental sustainability by decreasing the production temperature and reducing harmful emissions. The WMA additives tested—CCBit 113 CE, Rediset WMX 8017, Evotherm J-1, Sylvaroad RP1000, ZycoTherm, Amphoteric type DAD-1, and Adgezol 3-TD—vary in composition, including wax-based, amide-based, polyol ether, and surfactant additives, each influencing asphalt properties differently. Laboratory experiments evaluated enhancements in density, compressive strength, water resistance coefficient, and water saturation. The findings show that these additives significantly boost the mechanical properties of asphalt concrete and lower production temperatures by 40–50 C, reducing it from 145 to 155 C to 100–110 °C and consequently decreasing emissions of harmful substances like carbon monoxide. Furthermore, the study features a field performance evaluation in partnership with industry collaborators at a pilot section on Yegoryevskoye Highway, Moscow, Russia. This thorough assessment confirms the practicality and advantages of combining RAP and WMA additives in asphalt concrete production, offering a sustainable approach to road construction.