Asphalt milling, also known as cold milling or cold planing, is a process used to remove a portion of the surface of an asphalt pavement. During milling, specialized equipment called milling machines with rotating cutting drums remove the top layer of the asphalt pavement to a specified depth. This process effectively levels and smoothens the surface, removes imperfections, and prepares the pavement for resurfacing or overlaying with new asphalt.
The removed asphalt material, also known as millings or reclaimed asphalt pavement (RAP), can be recycled and reused in new asphalt mixtures, reducing the need for new raw materials and minimizing waste. Asphalt milling is commonly used for pavement maintenance, rehabilitation, and repair projects to improve the ride quality, drainage, and overall condition of roadways, parking lots, and other asphalt surfaces.