Effect of temperature and curing time on the structural capacity of cold-recycled pavements

Cold recycling technologies enable reducing atmospheric emissions and energy consumption in pavement construction and rehabilitation. However, their sustainability closely depends on the long-term performance of the recycled pavement. Curing time and temperature play a critical role in determining the structural capacity of cold recycled layers, particularly in the short term. This study evaluates their impact on a cold recycled highway pavement in an urban area using three Falling Weight Deflectometer (FWD) surveys conducted during the first year of service. On each survey day, four FWD tests were performed at different temperatures, which were monitored by sensors embedded in the recycled layer during construction. Results show that the temperature sensitivity of the recycled pavement was slightly lower than that of traditional asphalt pavements, likely due to the dominant effect of the asphalt concrete surfacing. Additionally, the curing process was nearly complete within three weeks of construction, due to site-specific temperature and moisture conditions.