RAP Benefits for

Pavement Owners
WHAT IS RAP? HOW AND WHERE IS RAP RECYCLED?
Reclaimed asphalt pavement (RAP) is the 89.2 million tons of RAP are used annually in
terminology used for materials generated new asphalt pavement construction in the United
when asphalt pavements are removed for States. As a fully recyclable product, RAP has
reconstruction, resurfacing, or other construction many applications, and can be used over and
activities. RAP consists of high-quality, graded over again, reducing the need for costly virgin
aggregates that are coated with durable materials. More than 94% of RAP is used in
asphalt binder. new asphalt mixtures, while a small percentage
is incorporated into other civil engineering
applications like unbound aggregate bases.
AVERAGE PERCENTAGE OF RAP USED IN Nationally, RAP is utilized at an average rate
EACH STATE, 2019 (NAPA IS-138, 2020) of 21.1% in new asphalt mixtures.

23
24
26 21 17 16
24 29
13 21
19
23 21 32 20
28 20 18 28
19 27 16 30
24 24
9 19 13 22
20 25
16 23

31

19

AVERAGE RAP %
< 3 Co. Reporting 20–29
0–9 > 30
–
23
10–19
26 24
24 NCR 21 17 16
29
19 13 21
32 20
28 23 21
20 18 28 NCR
16 27 16 30
24
24
9 19 13 22
17 25
20
23
16
31

Photo by Caterpillar
Benefits of recycling asphalt pavements
SUSTAINABILITY PERFORMANCE
The net reduction of greenhouse gas emissions Asphalt mixtures containing
from the use of RAP in new asphalt mixtures high levels of RAP have ON AVERAGE,
from 2009 to 2019 was estimated at 21.2 million been in place and USING RAP
tonne CO2e, equivalent to the annual emissions performing for many INSTEAD OF NEW
from approximately 460,000 passenger decades. Researchers MATERIALS SAVES
vehicles. In 2019, more than 97 million tons of have conducted laboratory $7.80 PER TON.
RAP were recycled in new asphalt pavements and field evaluations on
and other civil engineering applications, saving mixtures containing high
58.9 million cubic yards of landfill space. levels of RAP and have indicated
that the structural performance of recycled mixes
is equal and, in some instances, better than that
COST SAVINGS
of the conventional mixes1. Additionally, several
$3.3 billion are saved every year by using RAP – studies have found that RAP stockpiles had
making asphalt pavement both environmentally less variability than virgin aggregate stockpiles
and economically sustainable. Nationally, the and that using higher percentages of RAP did
average 21.1% RAP used not lead to increased variability of the asphalt
in new asphalt mixtures mixtures produced 2,3,4. The completed research
ASPHALT saved $7.80 per has also generated several
PAVEMENTS ton, compared to best management practices
CAN HELP PROJECT mixtures using all to assist producers in
OWNERS EARN virgin materials. STUDIES SHOW supplying high-quality
CREDITS UNDER THAT OVERLAYS WITH
THE LEED RATING asphalt mixtures
ENGINEERED MIXES
SYSTEM. containing RAP.
CONTAINING 30%
RAP PERFORM JUST
AS WELL AS VIRGIN
ASPHALT MIXES5.

Do your part to recycle and

reap the benefits at the same
time! Click or scan to learn
more about the benefits of
recycling asphalt pavements.

¹ Kandhal, P., et al. Performance of Recycled Hot Mix Asphalt Mixtures, NCAT Report 95-01. National Center for Asphalt Technology, May 1995.
2
Estakhri, C., et al., Recycled Hot-Mix Asphalt Concrete in Florida: A Variability Study, ICAR-401-/98. International Center for Aggregate Research, 1998.
3
National Cooperative Highway Research Program. Improved Mix Design, Evaluation, and Materials Management Practices for Hot Mix Asphalt with
High Reclaimed Asphalt Pavement Content. NCHRP Report 752. The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, 2013.
4
Nady, R. The Quality of Random RAP, Separating Fact from Supposition. Hot Mix Asphalt Technology, Vol. 2, No. 2. National Asphalt Pavement
Association, 1997.
5
West, R., et al. Use of Data from Specific Pavement Studies Experiment 5 in the Long-Term Pavement Performance Program to Compare Virgin and
Recycled Asphalt Pavements. Transportation Research Record: Journal of the Transportation Research Board, January 2011.