Current Pavement Technologies in Taiwan

This paper, from the Fourth US-Taiwan Bridge Engineering Workshop, reviews current pavement technologies being used in Taiwan. The author notes that flexible pavements are used on most highway systems in Taiwan, and approximately 13 million metric tons of hot mix asphalt is consumed every year. Since most road maintenance projects must retain the original elevation restrictions, the mill and repave method is used most often. The recycling of asphalt pavements has been promoted all over the island since 1998, and about 2/3 of hot mix plants have been certified to produce recycled hot mix. Modified asphalt, color asphalt, drainage (porous) asphalt, stone matrix asphalt, Gussasphalt, as well as asphalt rubber have been investigated in laboratories and tested in the field. The author concludes with a brief discussion of some of the goals for the immediate future, including adequately using recycled materials, developing sound pavement management system, and using innovative procuring processes such as Performance Based Contracting.