Gaining Momentum: Warm Mix Asphalt

Warm mix asphalt (WMA) is the latest high impact innovation in the asphalt industry. Surprisingly, WMA is not a new mix or materials system. At the most basic level, it is a means of producing an asphalt mix without heating the aggregate to the normal hot mix asphalt (HMA) levels. This article provides an overview of WMA technology, which allows mixing and placement at temperatures significantly lower than those used for HMA. Using one of the WMA processes, asphalt mixes can be produced as much as 100 deg F lower than by conventional HMA means.