Reconstructing and Recycling Reconstruction is the most invasive rehabilitation option, however in many cases it is the most cost-effective. It is used for pavements with many cracked slabs, subgrade and support instability, serious material distresses and roadway safety needs. Restoration and resurfacing of pavements in these conditions is usually less effective. Reconstruction may involve removal and replacement of parts of the pavement, like one lane, or complete removal of the entire pavement, including support layers. When only one or two lanes are removed the replacement pavement is termed an inlay. Recycling Concrete Pavement Recycling eliminates the need for disposal by using the readily available pavement as an aggregate source for new concrete or subbase layers. Recycling of concrete pavement is a relatively simple process. It involves breaking, removing and crushing concrete from an existing pavement into a material with a specified size and quality. Crushed concrete may be reused as an aggregate in new portland cement concrete or any other structural layer. Generally it is combined with a virgin aggregate when used in new concrete. However, recycled concrete is more often used as aggregate in a subbase layer. Several advances have made recycling more economical for all types of concrete pavements in recent years. These include: Development of equipment for breaking concrete pavements be they plain, mesh and dowel or continuously reinforced. Development of methods to remove steel that minimizes hand labor. Use and application of crushing equipment that can accommodate steel reinforcement. There are no restrictions on the types of concrete pavements that can be recycled. Successful and economical recycling projects have included jointed plain pavement, jointed reinforced pavement, continuously reinforced pavement and even airport pavement over 17 inches thick.