Short-Term Guidelines to Improve Crumb Rubber Modified Asphalt Concrete Pavements (1332-2F)

The objective of this study was to optimize the performance of crumb rubber modified (CRM) asphalt-concrete pavements through the development of materials and construction specifications, mixture design and testing procedures, binder testing procedures, and quality control and construction guidelines. These objectives were accomplished through an extensive laboratory investigation and somewhat limited field investigation.|This report presents guidelines, draft material specifications, and test protocol regarding the use of crumb rubber modifier in asphalt concrete pavements. Researchers found that CRM has the potential to improve the fatigue and thermal cracking performance of asphalt concrete pavements. Performance of crumb rubber modified asphalt concrete pavements is predicted using the Texas Flexible Pavement System (TFPS). Pavements were analyzed under a variety of climatic and structural conditions.|Although state DOT's must comply with the existing legislative requirements, tire rubber, as any additive, should be used whenever possible to address a given mixture deficiency or expected deficiency in a given situation.