Sustainable zoab from KWS receives first certificate from asphalt quality lab

On June 12, the Asphalt Quality Laboratory awarded the first certificate to KWS for their asphalt innovation DZOAB 16 50% PR. This sustainable very open asphalt concrete (zoab) is made with 50 percent old zoab. A sustainable solution because of the high-quality reuse of old zoab in new zoab. The award has independently confirmed that, based on laboratory research, this material is just as good as zoab made from new material.

Asphalt quality desk
The Asphalt Quality Counter was set up last year to accelerate innovations in the field of asphalt. The desk is hosted by CROW and operates under the responsibility of a steering committee consisting of representatives of road authorities, contractors and knowledge institutions. The counter validates claimed properties of innovative asphalt products in order to accelerate their introduction to the market. Both suppliers of innovative products and customers benefit from the Asphalt Quality Counter. Suppliers of innovative products can have the claims regarding the properties of their product validated by an independent team of experts including staff from TNO, Rijkswaterstaat and TU Delft.

Accelerating innovation
Innovative asphalt mixtures often have to pass a long series of tests and validation. Municipalities and counties are willing to engage with road builders, but lack an independent opinion of the asphalt's claimed properties.

As a result, they often fall back on old, tried-and-true mixtures, leaving innovation behind. "There are great ambitions in terms of sustainability and circularity. So now is the time to take smart steps in this area," says Marc Eijbersen of CROW. "The counter can give a boost to the actual application of innovative products."

First certificate a fact
Just under a year after the counter opened, KWS was the first to knock on the door with their asphalt innovation DZOAB 16 50% PR. They submitted this with the claim that their zoab with 50 percent recycled zoab is just as good as new zoab. After review by the counter, this has now been confirmed and they are the first to receive the certificate.

Commitment government and market participants
What is unique about the cooperation in the Asphalt Quality Counter is that market and government parties (including 11 provinces) have committed to the statements of the counter. As potential buyers of the products, government parties have a reliable overview of innovative products and their properties through the counter.

KWS has now submitted a second asphalt innovation to the counter. And BAM has also submitted an innovative underlayment for validation.

More information about the Asphalt Quality Counter and the products validated by the counter can be found at www.crow.nl/asfaltkwaliteitsloket