Tuesday, December 22, 2020 / 1:30 – 2:45 PM ET
Missed the Webinar? Find it in the RMC Webinar Library
Presenter: J. Richard Willis, Ph.D., V.P., Engineering Research and Technology, National Asphalt Paving Association (NAPA)
While most people think of glass, paper, aluminum and steel when they hear the word recycle, all of those materials only account for 75% of what the asphalt industry recycles on an annual basis.
For the past 60 years, the asphalt industry has been researching and implementing technology, standards, and materials which allow it to advance its recycling efforts. The webinar will update the audience on the current state of the knowledge regarding its three most recycled materials: reclaimed asphalt pavement (RAP), recycled asphalt shingles (RAS), and recycled tire rubber (RTR). Additionally, the audience will briefly hear about recent efforts to incorporate waste plastics into asphalt mixtures.
J. Richard Willis, Ph.D.
Presenter Biography
J. Richard Willis, NAPA’s Vice President for Engineering Research and Technology, serves as their expert on mix design, recycled materials, life-cycle cost analysis, and pavement design.
Richard serves as the staff liaison for NAPA’s Committee for Asphalt Research and Technology; Council for Engineering, Research, and Sustainability; Workforce Development Committee; and Pavement Economics Committee Life-Cycle Cost Analysis Task Force. He is also a co-host of NAPA’s “Pave It Black” podcast. Richard has a passion for teaching and regularly travels throughout the country to educate people on NAPA’s initiatives and priorities.
Before joining NAPA, Richard worked as an associate research professor at the National Center for Asphalt Technology at Auburn University (NCAT). While at NCAT, he conducted research on topics related to recycled materials, sustainability, laboratory mixture characterization, and life-cycle assessment. He served as the principal investigator on National Cooperative Highway Research Program project 9-55 on the use of recycled asphalt shingles in asphalt mixtures with warm mix and led many asphalt industry research projects on pavement vehicle interaction.
Richard holds B.S. degrees in Physical Science from Freed-Hardeman University and Civil Engineering from Auburn University. He also holds M.S. and Ph.D degrees from Auburn University.