Funded by the National Science Foundation, Abdelrahman’s research could help bring more rubberized asphalt to the market. The largest consumers of rubberized asphalt are California, Arizona and Florida, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Texas, Nebraska, South Carolina, New York, Washington and New Mexico also use the technology.
Rubberized asphalt is generally more expensive to produce than regular asphalt, but it tends to last longer when used for roadways, and can also reduce traffic noise.
Advances in rubberized asphalt could help reduce the number of tires that rot in landfills, while also providing utility to governments and the general public. Abdelrahman is experimenting with various additives to rubberized asphalt compounds. He also is checking to ensure that these additives do not lead to harmful chemicals that would be released from the asphalt when exposed to inclement weather.
"We already know that the technology is proven to work,” Abdelrahman told Phys.org, “but we want to make it work much, much better."
