Researchers at the Texas A&M Transportation Institute (TTI) are working with the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) to identify and advance cost-effective pavement rehabilitation strategies through cold in-place recycling (CIR).

CIR is a roadway rehabilitation process that mills distressed asphalt pavement to a prescribed depth, mixes the existing material with a stabilizing agent, and places the recycled mixture back on the roadway the same day to serve a durable base layer. With production rates that can exceed one lane-mile per day, CIR helps accelerate project delivery while reducing the need for new raw materials.

Through this research, TTI has supported CIR solutions for roadways in TxDOT’s Amarillo and Fort Worth Districts. One project is currently under construction on US 380 in the Fort Worth District, where researchers estimate that using CIR saved approximately $1.5 million to $1.8 million compared to traditional mill-and-inlay strategies. A second CIR project in the Amarillo District was completed last year and provided a similar level of savings, with researchers currently monitoring its performance. Together, the two projects represent an estimated $3 million to $3.6 million in cost savings.

Because not every distressed pavement is a good candidate for CIR, TTI researchers developed a guideline document to help TxDOT and other transportation professionals identify appropriate projects and apply the technique effectively.

This work demonstrates how applied research can help agencies deliver roadway improvements more efficiently, reduce costs and make better use of existing infrastructure resources across Texas.