MODIFIED BINDERS AND THEIR USE IN SURFACE DRESSING IN NORTHERN IRELAND --BITUMEN, FLEXIBLE AND DURABLE. 3RD EUROBITUME SYMPOSIUM 1985, THE HAGUE, NETHERLANDS, SEPTEMBER 11-13, 1985

"surface dressing provides the road engineer with a minimum cost method of maintaining high standards of skid resistance on an established road system with a minimum downtime on the road, and maximum utilisation of maintenance funds." Nowhere else in Europe is this description more applicable than in northern Ireland, where the largest mileage of roads per head of population ratio, coupled with ever tightening budget controls have seriously restricted the engineer's ability to maintain and improve the highway network. Surface dressing has progressed from its original function as a surface sealing dust suppressant, to become the most widely used road maintenance process in n Ireland, commanding an expenditure of some 4 million annually, a figure which is indeed likely to be increased in coming years should current economic trends continue, due to the reduction in overlay expenditure. Current recommendations for the provision of surface dressing (road note no 39) states that, "road surfaces where vehicles brake or turn sharply present additional problems because conventional binders lack the cohesive strength necessary to retain chippings under the extra shear stress imposed". Highway engineers as a consequence, have become instrumental in placing growing emphasis upon the discovery of a super binder or modified binder, supposedly to offset these "additional problems". This paper sets out to question the integrity of present guidelines in relation to problem assessment and deals with current research and industrial attitudes to the purpose of the surface dressing process. Recent road trials are evaluated and constituent materials and techniques discussed. Based on a survey of local government engineers, the authors discuss the role of supervision and ask whether present forms of contract allocation are suitable in this age of cost-effectiveness.(a) for the covering abstract of the symposium see IRRD 815173.

• Corporate Authors:

  EUROBITUME

  BD EMILE BOCKSTAEL 351
  Bruxelles, ZZ Belgique   
• Authors:
  • WOODSIDE, A R
  • PEDEN, R A
• Publication Date: 1985

Language

• Undetermined

Media Info

• Pagination: p. 424-7
• Serial:
  • Publication of: EUROBITUME
  • Publisher: EUROBITUME

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Binders; Conferences; Contracts; Maintenance; Pavement grooving; Seal coats; Skid resistance; Specifications; Surveillance
• Uncontrolled Terms: Modifications
• Geographic Terms: Northern Ireland
• Subject Areas: Administration and Management; Highways; Maintenance and Preservation;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00482129
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: Transport and Road Research Laboratory (TRRL)
• Files: ITRD, TRIS
• Created Date: Apr 30 1989 12:00AM