CALIFORNIA PUTS FOAMED ASPHALT TO THE TEST

The rural roads in California's Delta region are built on alluvium that is always shifting, making it prohibitively expensive to repair them with conventional means. The California Department of Transportation (Caltrans)is experimenting with foamed or expanded asphalt used along with in-place base recycling. One stretch of road was near complete failure in late 2002, so it became a testing ground for the new method. Conventional reconstruction would have meant very limited life, but cold foaming gives another 10 years of operability. The expanded asphalt forms a mortar or glue that bonds particles. The technology sidesteps several aspects of conventional asphalt such as the use of solvents and the time waiting for the break for emulsions. The road was treated in two passes with the initial foamed surface compacted then rough-graded, compacted again and find graded. A rubberized chip seal was to be placed as a driving surface. It can carry traffic immediately. The project has served to introduce local agencies to the process.

• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/oclc/1519687
• Supplemental Notes:
  • Special Recycling Section
• Corporate Authors:

  James Informational Media, Incorporated

  2720 South River Road, Suite 126
  Des Plaines, IL  United States  60018-
• Authors:
  • Kuennen, T
• Publication Date: 2003-7

Language

• English

Media Info

• Features: Photos;
• Pagination: p. 16-19
• Serial:
  • Better Roads
  • Volume: 73
  • Issue Number: 7
  • Publisher: James Informational Media, Incorporated
  • ISSN: 0006-0208
  • Serial URL: http://www.betterroads.com

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Asphalt pavements; Cost effectiveness; Expanded materials; Foamed asphalt; In-place recycling; Recycled materials
• Geographic Terms: California
• Subject Areas: Highways; Materials;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00961160
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: UC Berkeley Transportation Library
• Files: BTRIS, TRIS
• Created Date: Aug 4 2003 12:00AM