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"Showing people that this process will be able to save them money and build better roads in the long run doesn't just happen overnight," he continues. "With recycling, you can show your customers how they can stretch their dollar to go a little further, which opens up the ability to do more projects."

Clearing the Confusion

There is often confusion between Full Depth Reclamation (FDR) and Cold In-Place Recycling (CIPR). People will use the terms interchangeably, but there is a significant difference.

"These two techniques are strictly dependent upon the depth of material to be recycled," explains John Irvine, vice president of sales and marketing for Roadtec. "Up to 6 in. is usually termed 'partial-depth' recycling and is best accomplished with a milling machine and grade controls to accurately control the depth of the material being processed. Beyond 6 in. is typically reserved for reclaimer/stabilizers and is usually referred to as FDR. This can go up to 20 in."

"FDR consists of going below the asphalt layer into the base material and combining this material back together using foamed asphalt, emulsion, cement, fly ash or [combinations of these materials]," elaborates Tim Kowalski, Wirtgen America. The process actually allows roads to be re-engineered to meet current and future traffic requirements.

Reclaimer/stabilizers actually can't be used for partial-depth reclamation. One reason is the teeth need to be cooled. "What cools them is going into the base material. So you have to go through that asphalt," explains Jim Holland Jr., product manager, Terex Roadbuilding. "The other reason you can't do it is these machines are mounted on rubber tires. They do not hold grade when they start bouncing."