Pavement Replacement

Fast and effective pavement replacement in road construction

Pavement replacement is a standard road rehabilitation procedure. The challenge is to ensure that only the damaged layers of the road structure are removed – while simultaneously avoiding traffic disruptions. Under these conditions, cold milling is the only viable option for many construction projects.

Milling off the surface layer

The tools that cold milling machines use for removing road layers were originally developed for the mining industry. Point-attack cutting tools, also called picks, mounted to a rotating drum on the bottom of the machines drill their way into the road at exactly the required depth. No material is too hard for these picks – cold milling machines can even rehabilitate concrete roads. Regardless of whether asphalt or concrete, the material is milled and then directly loaded on trucks to be transported from the site, all in a single operation.

Front loaders completely fill large truck beds thanks to variable discharge parabola.

The large milling machine works its way through the pavement at a rapid advance rate.

Operations at night can be completed quickly thanks to excellent lighting systems.

Removal of asphalt layers up to 35 cm deep.

Cold milling machines remove the damaged surface layers during pavement replacement.

Rapid progress thanks to mobile roadworks

Because traffic often moves slowly through construction sites, many drivers mock the massive cold milling machines by saying they’re always the first vehicle in a traffic jam. However, few consider that in most cases, rehabilitation measures with cold milling machines are carried out as moving construction sites. The alternatives would be much more complex. Cold milling of roads is second to none in terms of both logistics and speed of construction.

"Profile-Perfect Milling Lays the Foundation"
WIRTGEN large milling machines

Combining Road Milling Machines

Cold milling machines not only come in the size of an apartment, but can also be as small as a car. On many job sites, machines of different sizes work together as a team, leveraging their different strengths. The large milling machine removes the surface, while the “little guy” is responsible for milling off the pavement around “nuisances” like manhole covers and curbs.

The small milling machine mills neatly and quickly around the manhole cover in a single pass.

When the support wheel is folded in, the surface layer can be removed right up to the curb.

Cost-effective rehabilitation of medium-sized surfaces, even when working in cramped conditions.

Application of the new surface layer

Typical of rehabilitation projects using cold milling machines is that the removed layers are usually replaced with asphalt – irrespective of whether the damaged pavement was originally made of asphalt or concrete. This work is performed by road pavers. A road paver is capable of paving the new layers quickly and with outstanding quality. State-of-the-art automatic leveling systems make it possible to precisely adapt the height of the new surface layer to the existing pavement.

“The right paver for every application.”
VÖGELE Pavers

Final compaction of the new asphalt layer

Rollers following directly behind the paver then carry out the final compaction of the new asphalt layer. When road pavers and rollers are busy at work on a job site, drivers also have reason to rejoice – this usually means that it won’t be long before traffic can flow freely once again.

HAMM following behind VÖGELE has proven to be a successful approach to surface layer rehabilitation and road construction in general.

Advantages of replacing the pavement with Wirtgen Group machines

Rapid execution on site, minimal preparation, simple logistics
Improved surface quality
Can be completed with standard equipment
Always stay on top of things

In this interview, Bernd Holl, Product Manager Cold Milling Machines at WIRTGEN, explains why cold milling is so important when replacing the pavement.

To the Interview

Product Presentation

Job Reports on Pavement Replacement Projects

High quality at low cost and a reliable assistant to hand – for milling machine operators, WIRTGEN’s new large milling machines are the ultimate in road rehabilitation.

W 210 Fi on the A 31 motorway in Italy

A fleet of six Wirtgen cold milling machines removed tens of thousands of tons of old asphalt at Oakland International Airport in California in less than 60 hours.

Airport in Oakland

Wirtgen’s W 150 CFi compact milling machine with new 1,800 mm milling drum assembly is the ideal machine for surface layer rehabilitation on small to medium-sized job sites.

W 150 CFi, , Torreón/Mexico

Using the state-of-the-art WIDRIVE machine control system, a milling machine operator reduces fuel consumption and noise emissions during rehabilitation work in the Brazilian highlands.

W 200 in the Brazilian uplands

Millimeter accuracy is paramount on a track where every thousandth of a second counts, which is why, when it was time to rehabilitate the pavement, the client took the opportunity to re-profile the track, too.

A fresh grip at 90

During rehabilitation work near Tokyo, a W 210 large milling machine removed the surface and binder courses on the Jōban Expressway in individual layers.

Milling layers separately, recycling economically

Concentrated power of the WIRTGEN GROUP on the job at Büchel Air Base.

New asphalt surface course for Tornado jets

Just 57 hours: Road rehabilitation at the Frankfurt interchange is similar to open-heart surgery. Wirtgen Group machines accomplished the task in less than 57 hours

Frankfurter Kreuz motorway junction
Road rehabilitation
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