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

  • TRA 2018: pavement additives can stretch a road’s lifespan
    May 9, 2018
    Glass fibre and old tyres can help reduce road wear, according to recent research. Alan Dron reports from the Transport Research Arena – TRA 2018 – event in Vienna. Environmental issues were close to the heart of many presentations at this year’s event at the Reed Exhibition Messe in the Austrian capital from April 16-19. This included decarbonisation – such as making engines more environmentally friendly – and the challenge of digitalisation to create a more efficient transport system.
  • Bitumen technology reduces maintenance costs
    April 12, 2023
    Looming net zero deadlines, and impetus from the private sector are accelerating the take up of carbon-saving technologies
  • Shell Bitumen’s new technology cuts air-polluting emissions by 40%
    May 15, 2019
    Shell Bitumen has developed molecular technology that cuts 40% of air-polluting emissions -Kristina Smith reports Shell Bitumen is launching a new technology which drastically reduces the amount of harmful air pollutants produced when asphalt mixes are manufactured and laid on the roads. Called Shell Bitumen FreshAir, it reduces six of the seven pollutants produced by at least 40%. The seventh, ozone, is produced in too small an amount to measure changes. “The World Health Organisation has said that 90%
  • Twin layer paving evolves
    November 2, 2012
    Dual layer paving offers benefits to wear life as well as major cost reductions - Mike Woof reports The concept of laying the binder course and wearing course at the same time is not new to the road construction market. Various contractors have been working on systems over a number of years, with several manufacturers helping directly with these projects. A number of firms have investigated this method but three manufacturers in particular, Dynapac and Vögele in Europe and Sumitomo in Japan, have made major