In an trade usually outlined by incremental enhancements, VSS Macropaver has taken a daring step: combining a production-grade slurry / micro surfacing paver with totally recycled asphalt (RAP) to ship high-performance pavement preservation options.
In a latest interview, Jeff Roberts, President of VSS Worldwide, walked me by way of how their Macropaver gear works in a slurry seal utility, the challenges and payoff of 100 % RAP use, and what this might imply for the way forward for pavement preservation.
VSS Macropaver
Once I requested how the Macropaver features in a typical slurry seal utility and the way it measures as much as trade requirements, Roberts did not maintain again reward for his product.
“The Macropaver is probably the most sturdy and environment friendly micro surfacing machine on the earth. It has been engineered by operators for operators and has been examined across the globe.”
The machine was acknowledged earlier this 12 months in Asphalt Contractor’s Prime 30 Merchandise for 2025.
Roberts factors to the 12-EX mannequin’s mounted gate design, which, “Not solely accelerates the calibration course of but in addition ensures exact materials stream management and enhanced consistency of the completed product being positioned on the street.”
In different phrases, the gating ensures that the mixture, water, and emulsion are metered strictly, decreasing variation within the combine and rising consistency throughout the pavement floor.
VSS Macropaver
Importantly, the Macropaver is totally appropriate with RAP aggregates in slurry seal and micro surfacing mixtures. It does not require any retrofits or in depth machine conversions. This implies crews aware of conventional Macropaver operation can undertake RAP formulations with minimal extra coaching or value.
Supplemental supplies from VSS reinforce Macropaver’s status as a rugged, quick, and versatile piece of apparatus suited to excessive manufacturing slurry and micro surfacing work. My actual curiosity, nonetheless, grew to become fixated on this environment friendly use of previous millings.
Why Undertake 100 % RAP in Slurry Mixes?
Switching from standard virgin aggregates to 100% RAP in slurry or micro surfacing just isn’t a trivial shift. Once I requested what motivated VSS to experiment and implement 100% RAP mixes (and what obstacles the workforce encountered), Roberts mentioned, “What initially led us to utilizing RAP in our mixes was that we had a number of company clients who had mountains of RAP supplies that weren’t being utilized. We acknowledged that there might be potential value financial savings to all stakeholders if we might make the most of these supplies since RAP is considerably cheaper than virgin aggregates and asphalt binder.”
That is one thing I hear fairly steadily from contractors and DOTs across the nation. There’s greater than sufficient RAP laying round, and by no means sufficient efficient makes use of to go round.
VSS Macropaver
He cites a twin profit: value financial savings on supplies and hauling, and conservation of pure sources. In lots of instances, businesses already personal the RAP materials however lack methods to place it to make use of. Nonetheless, the change just isn’t totally plug-and-play.
“The most important problem with getting the combo proper is ensuring that we isolate constant piles of RAP supplies that we will use for combine design functions and make it possible for the supplies getting used on web site are consultant of the supplies we designed round for our job combine formulation. As soon as that’s carried out it is very important make it possible for all machines have been correctly calibrated with these identical supplies.”
In observe, this implies tight high quality management on stockpiling, sampling, and making certain that the on-site RAP matches the laboratory feedstock. With out that match, the danger of off-spec efficiency rises. This is not too totally different from what we have heard from our mates at Inexperienced Asphalt, who produce batches of 100% RAP asphalt to be used on public roads in New York Metropolis.
Efficiency, Sturdiness, and Trip High quality: How RAP Slurry Measures Up
One pure concern, and one I raised, is whether or not a 100% RAP slurry seal can match or exceed the efficiency of standard mixes. Roberts’s response is cautiously assured:
“The efficiency of a RAP slurry seal ought to be the identical as a standard slurry combination with virgin aggregates so long as the bottom RAP supplies are correctly examined to make sure that the completed RAP product being utilized in per the job combine formulation supplied for the job.”
VSS Macropaver
He additional added,“If correctly processed and integrated, RAP can contribute to improved combine sturdiness and efficiency.”
In impact, the important thing caveat is “if managed properly.” Correct testing, constant stockpiles, and strict adherence to combine design are nonnegotiable. If these controls are in place, he contends that journey high quality, curing occasions, and long-term integrity needn’t endure.
Environmental and Value Advantages: Turning Waste Into Worth
Past the technical efficiency, Roberts emphasised that sustainability and value effectivity are core to VSS’s pitch to shoppers.
“We like to speak to venture homeowners that reusing RAP reduces the environmental footprint by conserving pure sources utilizing an asset that, normally, they already personal and most probably are underutilizing,” He mentioned. “RAP use additionally decreases the necessity for landfill disposal of previous asphalt and reduces greenhouse fuel emissions from manufacturing and transport of latest supplies.”
It is a robust message. Many businesses wrestle with stockpiled RAP or restricted landfill capability. By changing that “waste” right into a purposeful therapy layer, businesses achieve not simply value avoidance but in addition a story benefit in lifecycle stewardship.
Troubleshooting: Operational and Technical Challenges
I pressed on whether or not the VSS workforce bumped into sudden issues throughout manufacturing or placement. Had been there any points associated to materials dealing with, moisture sensitivity, calibration points, or machine limitations.
Roberts acknowledged that RAP is extra generally utilized in sizzling combine functions however mentioned that the Macropaver handles slurry mixes simply tremendous.
“RAP is extra generally utilized in sizzling combine asphalt (HMA) than slurry seals and micro surfacing now as a consequence of a number of elements,” he mentioned. “When using RAP in chilly mixes, you don’t essentially obtain the identical advantages because of the lack of warmth within the system. In any other case, we have now had only a few issues with slurry mixtures so long as the stockpiles are managed to restrict inconsistencies and blend design sensitivity. The Macropavers themselves deal with the RAP aggregates simply tremendous and require no modifications to provide a high-quality combination utilizing RAP supplies.”
One operational greatest observe, nonetheless, stands out. For RAP slurry seal mixes, they require the usage of a pneumatic curler after placement which isn’t essential for all slurry seal or micro surfacing mixtures. That pneumatic curler step helps place the mixture earlier than preliminary remedy, and it is notably helpful when working with less-than-perfect RAP gradations or moisture fluctuations.
VSS Macropaver
Market Reception and Rising Demand
Given the novelty of 100% RAP slurry, I requested how consumer businesses and DOTs react to it, and whether or not curiosity in it’s rising.
“The ideas of sustainability and financial financial savings have been obtained very properly by native businesses. Pavement preservation is a quickly rising trade. Sustainability is and at all times has been a significant benefit for getting businesses and personal shoppers in that preservation strategies sometimes require much less supplies, warmth and power to provide, transport and place on the street.”
He predicts a pure evolution in the best way issues are carried out.
“Using RAP mixtures will naturally evolve over time and people who have entry to giant RAP piles will naturally use them to hunt monetary benefits so long as trade efficiency requirements may be met and maintained.”
He additionally sees the broader context: pavement preservation supplies a robust life-cycle value argument in opposition to extra capital-intensive overlays or reconstruction. Used judiciously, preservation with recycled supplies can strengthen that argument.
Scaling Up: Towards a New Commonplace in Preservation
Lastly, I requested whether or not Roberts believes that recycled slurry or micro surfacing therapies might turn into normal—and what it could take to scale adoption throughout the trade.
“I consider that recycled therapies will turn into a regular in pavement preservation functions sooner or later. The gear required to do that work is already working available in the market. The secret is stockpile availability and the right administration of these stockpiles.”
For higher-volume roadways or state DOT work, he expects {that a} mix of RAP and virgin materials could also be required to clean variability.
“We could discover that we have to make the most of an mixture supply that accommodates extra of a mix of RAP and virgin supplies to make sure higher consistency in our stockpile sources. This may increasingly require higher curiosity from native mixture suppliers to supply these merchandise.”
Roberts underscored the continued want for information, requirements, and coaching going ahead.
“There’s nonetheless lots that our trade must study utilizing RAP in these strategies however a lot of this work is being carried out at this time all through america. Business Associations just like the Worldwide Slurry Surfacing Affiliation (ISSA) have made RAP use a part of their strategic plan and they’re working arduous to gather the information from its members and ‘join the dots’ for the good thing about your complete trade and the businesses they serve. This may assist develop higher requirements and coaching for all.”
By aligning innovation with affiliation efforts and real-world trials, he envisioned a future the place recycled slurry just isn’t area of interest however routine. The VSS Macropaver and the usage of a 100% RAP slurry technique represents one of many extra aggressive sustainability pivots in pavement preservation.
With that boldness comes actionable classes and cautions, particularly because it considerations high quality management, stockpile administration, and efficiency verification. However it represents an incredible use for recycled materials, whereas stretching DOT and municipal budgets.
