project - Trademax Publications

Easy, Basic & Road-worthy Equipment
Polymer technology has been commercially available in various
forms and industries (aerospace, clothing, shipping, motor,
medical, housing, etc.) for more than 100 years. The US
Defence Force use a polymer called Envirotac II which reduces
brownout helicopter accidents. This sticky substance was quite
appropriately named Rhino Snot!
We are surrounded by polymers in all aspect of our lives: food
packaging, paints, rubber, foams, adhesive-sealants, varnishes,
bullet proof vests, etc. The use of polymers for road stabilization
is a relatively new technology and has only been under
development for the past fifteen years or so. Polymer paving
does not require special equipment and uses the same
equipments applied in traditional paving namely a grader, a
roller (compacter) and a water tank.
The process of application is quite basic when one has
established the kind of soil the road will be built on.
Cost & Time Effectiveness
Polymer paving guarantees that the cost of road construction
will come down by close to 30%. The practicality, speed of
construction and cost effectiveness is a major benefit to using
polymers. One of the key elements is that with there is no need
to construct several layers of compacted aggregate before
stabilization and sealing, only one layer (150 mm deep) is
needed to stabilize the soil.
Going Green with Great Advantages
Polymer paving is a proven high-tech method of road
construction that can accommodate very low grade materials
that traditional paving
methods would consider
unusable. Roads built with
polymer will not require
any maintenance for 5 to
10 years. Polymers tend
to migrate downward and
the stabilized layers grow
thicker with time as
compaction caused by
traffic makes the layers
harder.
• Polymer concrete has
a higher strength and
faster curing rate than
regular concrete.
• Polymer provides a
safe, fast and clean
method of sealing
joints of various types
of paving. The end
product is a joint that
becomes an integral
part of the paving
(roads) structure which
withstands with ease
the pressure from
heavy vehicles.
Road construction takes
•
place
approximately
paving
four times quicker than traditional methods and reduces the
need for skilled labour to joint/seal a pavement.
• Permeability to water and gases, allowing sub-layers and
tree roots etc. to receive adequate water and ventilation.
• Resistance to weeds (albeit negligible compared with mortar
or pitch) and resistant to ‘mining’ of ants and other
invertebrates.
• Non-polluting once in place, with low carbon.
Polymer Pavements Materials
• SoilTech Mk.III – Soil stabilizer ideal for road stabilization,
hard stands, container depots, airstrip, etc.
• Asphaltech – Polymer based “asphalt” – Cold application
• PotTech – Pre-packaged cold application used to repair
potholes
• DusTech – Dust control product (eliminates dust). Ideal for
dirt roads, mines, etc.
• ClearTech – Spray onto stabilized dirt roads and forms a
clear protective layer with a natural look. Ideal for game
parks and nature reserves
• SealTech – To seal cracks in pools, as well as sealing of
canals and dams
No sticky ends
Polymer Technology speaks the language of the future and
it offers South Africa a strong practical solution of durability
and cost-effectiveness. As we stand in the doorway of a
shaky economical climate, on the brink of the 2010 World
Cup, here we have a solution for our disastrous roads. Polymer
Technology guarantees smoother roads without ditches, cracks
and water-clogged potholes, big enough to plant a tree
or two.
Stabilised road
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SA Affordable Housing November/December 2009