SEEDING AND EMULSIFIED-ASPHALT MULCHING ON ROAD IN NORTH CAROLINA

A REPORT IS GIVEN OF EXPERIMENTAL SPRAYING OF ROADSIDE SAND WITH EMULSIFIED ASPHALT MULCH TO STOP WIND AND WATER EROSION. FOR SEEDING A HYDRAULIC DEVICE WAS USED THAT MIXES SEED AND FERTILIZER WITH WATER AND SPRAYS IT OVER THE AREA TO BE SEEDED UNDER HIGH PRESSURE. THE EQUIPMENT USED FOR SPRAYING, SMOOTHING, AND SEED COVERING IS DESCRIBED, ALONG WITH THE METHOD CHOSEN FOR MIXING ASPHALT WITH WATER. WORK WAS STARTED IN MAY AND PERIODIC CHECKS WERE MADE THROUGHOUT THE SUMMER. THE SHOULDERS, FILLS, AND UNMULCHED FLAT AREAS HAD GOOD GERMINATION, WHILE THE MULCHED SLOPED EXHIBITED POOR GERMINATION BECAUSE THE LAYER OF ASPHALT ON THE CUTS ABSORBED AND RETAINED HEAT, CREATING A TEMPERATURE DIFFERENTIAL OF 10--15 DEG WITH THE NO-MULCH AREAS. CHANGES MADE FOR THE FALL SEEDING ARE DESCRIBED. IT WAS DISCOVERED LATER THAT WHEN APPLIED BY THE HYDRAULIC SEEDER THE FERTILIZER DISSOLVED; WHEN HARROWED IN, OR DRIVEN IN BY RAIN, IT EXCEEDED THE DEPTH OF THE SEED ROOTS, SO THAT THE PLANTS STARVED. THESE AREAS WERE REFERTILIZED AND WITHIN A YEAR HAD ALMOST 100% COVER. IT WAS NOTED THAT ON MULCHED AREAS THE GRASS WAS GREENER AND GREW FASTER THAN ON UNMULCHED ONES. NO EROSION OCCURRED ON MULCHED AREAS, REGARDLESS OF WHETHER GRASS PROSPERED OR NOT.

• Record URL:
  https://onlinepubs.trb.org/Onlinepubs/hrbroadsidedevcomrpts/1955/1955-004.pdf
• Supplemental Notes:
  • No 356, pp 19-23, 7 PHOT. Distribution, posting, or copying of this PDF is strictly prohibited without written permission of the Transportation Research Board of the National Academy of Sciences. Unless otherwise indicated, all materials in this PDF are copyrighted by the National Academy of Sciences. Copyright © National Academy of Sciences. All rights reserved.
• Authors:
  • Saunders, J A
• Publication Date: 1955

Media Info

• Media Type: Digital/other
• Serial:
  • Highway Research Board Roadside Development Committee Reports
  • Publisher: Highway Research Board

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Emulsified asphalt; Erosion control; Fertilization (Horticulture); Grasses; Mulches; Planting; Sand; Slopes; Sprayers
• Uncontrolled Terms: Spraying
• Old TRIS Terms: Fertilization
• Subject Areas: Design; Environment; Highways;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00205063
• Record Type: Publication
• Files: TRIS, TRB
• Created Date: Nov 22 1971 12:00AM