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Pavements 2026

Pavement Innovation & Sustainability

POSTER RECEPTION (View list of posters here)

Moving Towards Sustainable Pavement Practices in Oklahoma: Full-Scale Field Implementation of Reduced Temperature Chemical Warm Mix Asphalt

Tuesday, June 30, 2026
4:45 PM - 6:00 PM East Coast USA Time
Abstract: This study presents a case study on real-world implementation of warm mix asphalt (WMA) produced with a chemical additive and assesses its performance relative to conventional hot mix asphalt (HMA). The project involved producing and laying more than 2,600 tonnes of asphalt, with advanced instrumentation used throughout the asphalt plant and paving site to capture data on thermal behavior, fuel consumption, particulate matter (PM) emissions, and construction logistics. By incorporating a chemical additive, WMA was produced at temperatures roughly 26 °C (47 °F) lower than HMA. Despite the reduced temperature, WMA retained heat more efficiently during transport, attained similar in-place density as HMA, and required much less fuel – cutting consumption by 16.83%. Statistical analysis was used to establish that significant reductions in PM concentrations occurred with WMA production compared to HMA. To evaluate environmental impacts, a cradle-to-laid life cycle assessment (LCA) was conducted. Results showed that substituting HMA with WMA could eliminate approximately 2,280 kg of CO₂-equivalent emissions per lane-kilometer. Scaled to the national level, such a shift could reduce annual emissions by 456,000 tonnes CO₂-eq – corresponding to emissions from 1.87 billion km driven by gasoline-powered passenger vehicles. Overall, the findings identify WMA as a technically viable and environmentally advantageous option for sustainable pavement construction.

Learning Objectives:

Attendees can expect to learn the following from this session:
  • Recognize the benefits of reduced temperature chemical warm-mix asphalt production and paving.
  • Identify different stages during asphalt mix production and paving where heat loss can happen.
  • Quantify the financial and environmental benefits associated with reduced temperature chemical warm-,mix asphalt production and paving.