INFOBRIEF High Reclaimed Asphalt 

Pavement Use

FHWA Publication No.: FHWA-HRT-11-057

FHWA Contact: Audrey Copeland, HRDI-10, (202) 493-3097, 

audrey.copeland@dot.gov

RAP Defined

Existing asphalt materials are commonly removed during resurfacing, 

rehabilitation, and reconstruction operations. Once removed and processed, the pavement materials become reclaimed asphalt pavement 

(RAP), which contains valuable asphalt binder and aggregate. RAP is a 

valuable, high-quality material that can replace more expensive virgin 

aggregates and binders. The most economical use of RAP is in the intermediate and surface layers of flexible pavements where the less expensive binder from RAP can replace a portion of the more expensive virgin 

binder. While RAP has been used for decades, there is a current interest in 

using higher RAP contents. High RAP content mixtures have greater than 

25 percent RAP by weight of the mix.

RAP Use Today

The RAP ETG, in partnership with the American Association of State 

Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO), conducts a RAP use 

survey every 2 years. The survey was conducted in 2007, 2009, and 2011. 

In 2007, the typical hot mix asphalt (HMA) mixture contained about 

12 percent RAP. From 2007 to 2009, about 27 States increased the amount 

of RAP permitted in asphalt mixtures, and, as of 2009, 23 States have 

experience with high RAP mixtures. The results of the 2007 and 2009 

surveys are summarized in the Public Roads article “Reclaiming Roads.”(1)

As of 2011, the majority of State highway agencies (more than 40) 

allow more than 30 percent RAP; however, only 11 report actually using 

25 percent RAP or more.(2)

Providing Technical Information

Designing High RAP Mixes

The RAP ETG developed and disseminated technical information for high 

RAP use. In the first major effort, the Federal Highway Administration 

partnered with AASHTO and the National Asphalt Pavement Association to 

create Designing HMA Mixtures with High RAP Content: A Practical Guide, 

which provides guidance for designing high RAP mixtures.(3) As a follow-up 

and in conjunction with the Transportation Research Board, the RAP ETG 

conducted the webinar Design and Production of High Reclaimed Asphalt 

Pavement Mixes.(4)

Management and Production Best Practices

There are two best practices reports available.(5,6) In addition, presentations by three RAP ETG members are available, which provide a historical 

With changes in construction materials

economics, stricter environmental 

regulations, and an emphasis on “green” 

technologies (e.g., warm mix asphalt) 

and sustainable pavements, the highway 

community is reassessing the economic 

and environmental benefits of allowing

higher percentages of reclaimed asphalt 

pavement (RAP) in premium pavements 

and asphalt surfaces while maintaining 

high-quality pavement infrastructure. 

In 2007, the Federal Highway Administration created the RAP Expert Task 

Group (ETG) to advance the use of recycled materials such as RAP and recycled 

asphalt shingles in asphalt paving applications. The purpose of the ETG is to 

provide State transportation departments and the industry with information 

that emphasizes the production of highquality, high-content RAP mixtures, 

the performance of asphalt mixtures 

containing RAP, technical guidance on 

high-content RAP projects, and RAP 

research activities. Members of the RAP 

ETG consist of representatives from 

State highway agencies, industry, and 

academia. This InfoBrief summarizes the 

accomplishments of the RAP ETG and 

resources available for increased RAP 

use. More information may be found 

online at www.fhwa.dot.gov/pavement/

recycling or at www.moreRAP.us, as 

well as through the National Asphalt 

Pavement Association and the Asphalt 

Institute.

Research, Development, and Technology Turner-Fairbank Highway Research Center 6300 Georgetown Pike, McLean, VA 22101-2296

 http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/research/
perspective on HMA recycling, sources of RAP materials, 

and RAP inventory management, processing, sampling, 

and testing. It also provides information on the selection 

of virgin asphalt binder grade, the combination of warm 

mix asphalt and RAP, and the performance of high RAP 

content mixes.(7)

Performance

The long-term performance of recycled asphalt pavements, particularly when compared to conventional 

HMA performance, has not been well documented. 

The National Center for Asphalt Technology completed a study comparing virgin and recycled asphalt 

pavements using data from the Long-Term Pavement 

Performance (LTPP) program.(8) It was concluded that, 

in most cases, using 30 percent RAP in an asphalt 

pavement can provide the same overall performance as 

virgin asphalt pavement. In a separate LTPP analysis 

to determine the impact of design features on performance, 18 sites with RAP were examined. The performance data show that RAP and virgin mixes used in 

overlays of flexible pavements showed approximately 

the same performance across a range of climates, 

traffic, and existing pavement conditions over a period 

of up to 17 years.(9,10) Based on past experience, asphalt 

mixtures containing RAP designed with established 

mixture design procedures and produced with appropriate quality assurance measures perform comparably 

to conventional asphalt mixtures. 

To provide guidance for increasing RAP use while 

ensuring performance, the RAP ETG created a guide, 

How to Increase RAP Usage and Ensure Pavement 

Performance.

(11)

Moving Forward

The RAP ETG will continue to provide technical information for proper RAP use in asphalt pavements. Major efforts 

include working closely with the National Cooperative 

Highway Research Program (NCHRP) on research projects 

related to RAP use (e.g., NCHRP Project 9-43 and developing research needs statements) and providing input to 

AASHTO to update standards for RAP use.(12)

References

1. Copeland, A., Jones, C., and Bukowski, J. (2010). 

“Reclaiming Roads,” Public Roads, 73(5), Federal 

Highway Administration, Washington, DC.

2. Pappas, J. (2011). Recycling Materials Survey, 

Presented at the RAP Expert Task Group May Meeting, 

Irvine, CA. Obtained from: http://www.morerap.us/

files/meetings/05-11/pappas-recycling-materialssurvey.pdf. Site last accessed June 16, 2011.

3. Newcomb, D., Brown, E.R., and Epps J.A. 

(2007). Designing HMA Mixtures with High RAP 

Content: A Practical Guide, Quality Improvement 

Series 124, National Asphalt Pavement Association, 

Lanham, MD.

4. TRB. (2009). Design and Production of High Reclaimed 

Asphalt Pavement Mixes, Transportation Research 

Board, Washington, DC. Obtained from: http://www.

trb.org/Pavements/Blurbs/TRB_Webinar_Design_

and_Production_of_HighReclaimed_162197.aspx.

5. Copeland, A. (2011). Reclaimed Asphalt Pavement in 

Asphalt Mixtures: State of the Practice, Report No. 

FHWA-HRT-11-021, Federal Highway Administration, 

Washington, DC. 

6. West, R. (2010). Reclaimed Asphalt Pavement 

Management: Best Practices, Draft, National Center 

for Asphalt Technology, Auburn, AL.

7. West, R, Huber, G., and Sines, R. (2011). Best 

Practices for RAP Management, Federal Highway 

Administration, Washington, DC. Obtained from: 

mms://icarus.eng.auburn.edu/streams/public/ncat/

Webinars/rap-best-practices-webinar.wmv. Site last 

accessed August 17, 2011.

8. National Center for Asphalt Technology. (2009). “LTPP 

Data Shows RAP Mixes Perform as Well as Virgin 

Mixes,” Asphalt Technology News, 21, 2, National 

Center for Asphalt Technology, Auburn, AL.

9. Ayers, M., et al. (2009). Impact of Design Features 

on Pavement Response and Performance in 

Rehabilitated Flexible and Rigid Pavements, Report 

No. FHWA-HRT-10-066, Federal Highway Administration, Washington, DC.

10. Wiser, L. (2011). Statistical Analysis of Performance 

of Recycled Hot Mix Asphalt Overlays in Flexible 

Pavement Rehabilitation, TechBrief No. FHWAHRT-11-051, Federal Highway Administration, 

Washington, DC.

11. NAPA. (2009). How to Increase RAP Usage and Ensure 

Pavement Performance, PS 34, National Asphalt 

Pavement Association, Latham, MD.

12. National Cooperative Highway Research Program. 

(2008). Improved Mix Design, Evaluation, and 

Materials Management Practices for HMA with 

High RAP Content, NCHRP 9-46, Transportation 

Research Board, Washington, DC. Obtained 

from: http://apps.trb.org/cmsfeed/TRBNetProject

Display.asp?ProjectID=1624. Site last accessed 

January 4, 2011.

september 2011 FHWA-HRT-11-057

HRDI-10/09-11(200)E