SLIM SOLUTION

This article shows how high tech asphalt solved the problems of worn-out road surfaces on the heavily-trafficked A20 extension to the M20 motorway between Cheriton and Dover in Kent, England. Two sets of traffic signals and a steep incline caused heavy lorries leaving Dover to impose maximum stress on the road, and wear it out very quickly, with both wearing course and base course being damaged. Its materials had been designed to conventional BS4987 and BS594 standards. The emergency repairs conducted in Summer 1994 were inadequate, despite the high-quality methods used. Laying concrete pavements would have required three days' road closure, and the high temperatures during Summer 1995 showed that both wearing courses and base course could be liable to rutting. Therefore, a high tech asphalt solution was chosen, using: (1) an extremely hard-wearing thin UL-M surfacing; and (2) an exceptionally dense base course of DBM50 Dense Bitumen Macadam. The article describes both these materials, whose combination seems to be working well. Kent County Council's adoption of this combination for the A20 emphasises that the Highways Agency is rapidly increasing its encouragement of innovation.

• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/oclc/3831968
• Corporate Authors:

  HIGHWAYS (CROYDON, LONDON, ENGLAND).

  ,    
• Authors:
  • BYRD, T
• Publication Date: 1996

Language

• English

Media Info

• Pagination: p. 24-5
• Serial:
  • Highways
  • Publisher: Alad Limited
  • ISSN: 0142-6168
  • Serial URL: http://www.highways-mag.co.uk

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Axle load force; Bituminous mixtures; Durability; Freeways; Local government agencies; Loss and damage; Polymerization; Standards; Surfacing; Wear; Wearing course (Pavements)
• Geographic Terms: United Kingdom
• ITRD Terms: 3067: Axle load; 4967: Bituminous mixture; 1614: Damage; 5910: Durability; 192: Local authority; 2752: Motorway; 7481: Polymerization; 187: Specification (standard); 2972: Surfacing; 8119: United Kingdom; 5293: Wear; 2980: Wearing course
• Subject Areas: Data and Information Technology; Highways; Materials;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00723192
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: Transport Research Laboratory
• Files: ITRD
• Created Date: Jul 26 1996 12:00AM