Bitumen binder may delay road surface deterioration
Contents |
[edit] Introduction
A bitumen binder made from a blend of materials may help increase the life of road surfaces. The product, Styrelf Long Life, is made by TOTAL UK. It is being mixed with asphalt in a trial being conducted on a section of the A43 near Silverstone in Northamptonshire. The test is being overseen by Highways England with support from Tarmac. The trial began in April 2021 and is expected to last up to 15 years.
[edit] Product information
Styrelf Long Life is formulated to make road surfaces more resistant to the elements. Roads made from Styrelf oxidise at a slower rate and so should stay flexible and crack-free for longer periods of time. It offers high elastic recovery and withstands repeated loading to provide resistance from wear.
It is a polymer-modified binder (PMB) bitumen that is produced by cross linking bitumen and thermoplastic elastomers. This results in an in-situ, three-dimensional polymer bitumen matrix with a homogenous microstructure suitable for extreme environments.
Styrelf has been tested in the laboratories of TOTAL, at Tarmac’s site in Elstow in Bedfordshire and on sections of road in The Netherlands and Germany. The A43 trial is the first time it has been used with high traffic levels in the UK.
[edit] Environmental aspects
By helping to slow the need for frequent repairs and maintenance, the Styrelf treated surfaces could help cut carbon emissions by reducing the demand for replacement materials - as well as the disruption of traffic. TOTAL estimates that getting the asphalt required to resurface a mile of single lane carriageway - not including transport to site and working with it - can produce up to 26.5 tonnes of CO2.
Technical experts from TOTAL will regularly measure the performance of the material against an equivalent control section put in place at the same time on the A43. Test results will be evaluated before its use is considered elsewhere in the country.
[edit] Related articles on Designing Buildings Wiki
Featured articles and news
Industry Competence Steering Group restructure
ICSG transitions to the Industry Competence Committee (ICC) under the Building Safety Regulator (BSR).
Principal Contractor Competency Certification Scheme
CIOB PCCCS competence framework for Principal Contractors.
The CIAT Principal Designer register
Issues explained via a series of FAQs.
Conservation in the age of the fourth (digital) industrial revolution.
Shaping the future of heritage
Embracing the evolution of economic thinking.
Ministers to unleash biggest building boom in half a century
50 major infrastructure projects, 5 billion for housing and 1.5 million homes.
RIBA Principal Designer Practice Note published
With key descriptions, best practice examples and FAQs, with supporting template resources.
Electrical businesses brace for project delays in 2025
BEB survey reveals over half worried about impact of delays.
Accelerating the remediation of buildings with unsafe cladding in England
The government publishes its Remediation Acceleration Plan.
Airtightness in raised access plenum floors
New testing guidance from BSRIA out now.
Picking up the hard hat on site or not
Common factors preventing workers using head protection and how to solve them.
Building trust with customers through endorsed trades
Commitment to quality demonstrated through government endorsed scheme.
New guidance for preparing structural submissions for Gateways 2 and 3
Published by the The Institution of Structural Engineers.
CIOB launches global mental health survey
To address the silent mental health crisis in construction.
New categories in sustainability, health and safety, and emerging talent.
Key takeaways from the BSRIA Briefing 2024
Not just waiting for Net Zero, but driving it.