Skip to main content

South Korean technology for thin overlays

South Korean company Hansoo Road Industry has developed an ultra-thin hot mix asphalt pavement layer, Recover asphalt, designed to overlay cracked pavements at a depth of between 10 and 20mm. “Our company has been studying asphalt modifiers since 1999 and has know-how on research and development of asphalt modifiers,” said Yulia Min, manager at Hansoo Road Industry. “Recover asphalt was developed through a four-year study based on the previous studies of asphalt modifier technology.” Recover asphalt has
May 15, 2019 Read time: 2 mins
Hansoo Road Industry’s Recover asphalt is a 2cm-thick overlay, which can be installed over cracked roads
South Korean company Hansoo Road Industry has developed an ultra-thin hot mix asphalt pavement layer, Recover asphalt, designed to overlay cracked pavements at a depth of between 10 and 20mm.


“Our company has been studying asphalt modifiers since 1999 and has know-how on research and development of asphalt modifiers,” said Yulia Min, manager at Hansoo Road Industry. “Recover asphalt was developed through a four-year study based on the previous studies of asphalt modifier technology.”

Recover asphalt has been used on national, local and urban roads in Korea since 2016 after the produce received its patent. It is currently undergoing tests and trials in China and Europe, says Min.

Recover asphalt is created by adding pellets containing CSM Modifier to the asphalt plant. Based on microfibres, the modifier contains additives which give elasticity and ductility to the asphalt mixtures at both low and high temperatures.

Min says that asphalt mixtures containing the modifier show “excellent plastic deformation resistance which can increase the performance of the asphalt pavement”. Because the small size of the aggregates in Recover asphalt, a maximum of 5mm, the overlay is used in downtown areas to reduce noise levels from road pavements. Hansoo said that over 8dB noise reduction is achieved, when compared to the existing, aged pavement with up to 12dB reduction observed for some roads.

Related Content

  • Asphalt paving innovation from Aggregate Industries
    October 20, 2017
    The firm developed this new surface course in a bid to match increasing traffic volumes on the UK’s road network. According to Aggregate Industries, this material can speed up road surfacing by more than 40%. There is a major need to repave many UK roads, with the country’s vehicle population having increased by 10 million in the last 10 years. This has triggered an increased need for infrastructure maintenance. But the time needed to carry out road repairs can cause major problems for motorists.
  • Getting to the heart of road noise - to eliminate disturbance
    May 20, 2016
    Traffic noise is a widespread nuisance that can impact where and how we choose to live, property prices and our quality of life. Better planning and use of mitigation factors can make a significant difference Traffic is one of the top five sources of nuisance noise – along with industry, construction, sport and leisure and general neighbourhood noise. Road traffic is also one of the most diverse sources of noise. You know where it’s going to come from, but less often what the noise will be as the volu
  • Multiple asphalt plants supply major highway construction
    July 12, 2012
    One company has produced eight asphalt plants for a major project, and others are introducing new models as Patrick Smith reports Algeria's US$11.2 billion East-West Highway development, the world's largest current highway construction project, forms part of the larger Trans-Maghreb Motorway project, and is scheduled for completion in 2010. It will run for 1,216km, ensuring the link between Annaba in the north-east and Tlemcen in the north-west, passing directly through 24 provinces and linking Algeria to T
  • Review of the research activities on the behaviour of Iterlene
    November 2, 2012
    The use of reclaimed asphalt pavement (RAP) is common practice in many countries. The aged bitumen from RAP has a lower penetration and is more viscous than it was when first mixed. The reclaimed bitumen is generally balanced by the addition of fresh binder softer than the traditional one used to produce hot mixes. However, balancing penetration and softening point or viscosity does not produce an identical bitumen to the original one. One fundamental option is the regeneration of the aged binder in order t