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The future seems bleak for Canada’s oilsands. But given the world’s ongoing need for smooth, safe roads, there is hope for the industry. Asphalt binder made from oilsands bitumen is the ideal glue to hold the world’s 40 million kilometres of roads together—and it can be done sustainably, economically and environmentally.
Our research group has investigated the life-cycle performance of asphalt roads for the past 30 years, providing some remarkable insights on the relative benefits of straight Alberta binder, produced with minimal refining and without upgrading. Producing asphalt binder from Alberta crude bitumen can realistically reduce combustion and life cycle greenhouse gas emissions from the oilsands by anywhere from 40 to 60 per cent.
Government transportation agencies aren’t incentivized to use stronger binders. Yet pavement cracking can be reduced by as much as 30 to 50 per cent by building roads that maximize the use of straight, unadulterated Alberta binder. The binder is a mixture of solid asphaltenes and waxes in an oily material. When the wax content is high, asphaltenes tend to separate from the oils and pack together more tightly. A high-wax binder is stiffer at cold temperatures, which reduces adhesion and promotes cracking. An optimal binder has minimal wax and has a more-or-less uniform composition.
For example, a 12-year-old test section of asphalt in northern Ontario, constructed with top-quality binder from Alberta, and modified with 0.3 per cent of recycled PET fibre shows virtually no distress today. It is expected to have an ultimate service life of about 38 years; a significant improvement compared to historical 15- to 25-year performance cycles.
The world has nearly 40 million kilometres of roads, of which 65 per cent are paved. Asphalt-paved roads are safer than unpaved roads, and are more economical for a greater volume of traffic.