New Generation of high performance asphalts set to significantly reduce frequency of motorway resurfacing
Tarmac uses EME2 for the first time in the Midlands
Tarmac is marking a first in the Midlands by resurfacing the M69 in Leicestershire for the Highways Agency (HA), with an innovative, EME2 asphalt construction incorporating the latest thinking on enhanced durability.
TThe £6 million M69 project is one of the first full-scale commercial uses of the product in the UK, and is being carried out by Tarmac as part of their Midlands Framework 3 contract with the HA.
EME (Enrobé a Module Élevé) was first developed in France and is becoming the preferred base and binder course material on the trunk road network because of the high strength and long life it offers. Tarmac has built up a standalone design capability for EME at their Technical Centre, after a five year development programme in conjunction with their binder supplier, Nynas.
EME2 uses a high content of hard bitumen binder combined with carefully graded aggregate to give stiffness and exceptional deformation resistance. The high content of binder delivers good resistance to fatigue and cracking, with the added benefits of workability and laying quality.
Another unique element of this project was that by working closely with the Highways Agency and Optima, Tarmac was able to have full occupation of the carriageway, allowing three pavers to work side by side laying the pavement in echelon. This ensured an essentially joint free construction with consistent compaction across the full width of the 11.1m carriageway, minimising the chance of water ingress into the pavement structure to deliver a more durable road.
Commenting on the project, Colin Loveday, director of technology and quality at Tarmac said: "Our roads should be built to last longer and we are putting in a lot of effort to extend the lifespan of asphalt. Longer-lasting pavement solutions and more durable design are clearly the way forward, and will pay dividends by reducing the frequency of road resurfacing in years to come."
He adds: "This is good on sustainability grounds and, by minimising the need for future interventions, it reduces congestion for the road user. This project is particularly significant as it brings together two separate strands we have been working on with the HA as both Tarmac and the wider industry. It combines EME2 with the positive guidance on laying techniques which came out of our TRL project which has just been published as Road Note 42."
The EME2 material was produced at Tarmac's Cliffe Hill and Whitwick sites in Leicestershire and laid by Tarmac National Contracting.
See Tarmac National Contracting for details of our services
For further information please Contact PR.
28 May 2008
