Comparative economic analysis of the implementation of recycled pavements and hot mix asphalt on a highway section.
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.19136/hitos.a32n94.6411Keywords:
comparative advantage, pavement rahabilitation, direct cost, budget, resource breakdown structure.Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To demonstrate the economic and environmental advantages by determining the direct costs of recycled pavements compared to hot mix asphalt.
MATERIAL AND METHOD: A desk study was conducted on the technical specifications of two typical tangent sections, each measuring one kilometer in length with a crown width of 10.5 meters. One section was modeled using rehabilitation with recycled pavement, while the other utilized hot mix asphalt.
RESULTS: The recycling system proved more economical, yielding a 16.56% cost reduction compared to virgin asphalt mix. Furthermore, the most significant economic impact was observed in raw materials: despite higher equipment expenses, a 78.38% savings in materials was achieved relative to virgin asphalt mix.
CONCLUSIONS: This comparative direct-cost budget analysis between plant-produced hot mix asphalt rehabilitation and on-site recycling demonstrates that, while equipment costs increase, material savings are substantial—aligning closely with Mexico’s General Circular Economy Law (Ley General de Economía Circular).
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