INCREDIBLY
EXCELLENT IDEA
Ina Antje Schoon was presented the OLB (Oldenburgische Landesbank) Science Award. Science Award for her bachelor’s thesis, entitled “Energy Balance of an Asphalt Road”. In her thesis, she analysed whether the use of “old” and crushed asphalt – so-called asphalt granulate (AG) – would hold any energetic advantages as a recycling product for the lifecycle of a road.
EXCELLENT
RESULTS
The result? The use of 40% of asphalt granulate on a “test track” yielded energetic savings of approximately 10%. However, the 25-year-old achieved the highest energy savings in the extraction of the raw materials and their transport: Adding 80% of asphalt granulate saved energy of up to 21%. As asphalt granulate comprises “old” asphalt, which would otherwise have to be disposed of, waste is also avoided by reusing it.
EXCELLENT
PROSPECTS
Ms Schoon’s thesis marked the first time that a data chain describing the climate relevance of a realistic road construction project had been compiled – from extraction of the raw materials to their processing, the transport of the finished goods and their technical application. This information is now available for sensible decision-making by governmental agencies, amongst others. The end of her thesis not only brought about a well-deserved honour, but also Ms Schoon’s conclusion that the use of asphalt granulate saves resources, energy and, ultimately, costs.
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