Cost-Effective Asphalt Road Reinforcement with Neoloy® Tough-Cells
Neoloy Tough-Cells are a sustainable stabilization technology for asphalt roads that stiffens structural layers for more resilient long-term performance.
The Challenge of Asphalt Road Construction
Asphalt road pavements are critical infrastructure assets, but they often suffer premature deterioration due to inadequate subgrade strength, poor construction materials, and heavier-than-anticipated traffic. These issues lead to frequent maintenance and increased costs. To address these challenges and extend the lifespan of asphalt road construction layers, engineers have traditionally relied on two primary strategies: increasing the thickness of asphalt road layers and enhancing their rigidity. While both methods can be effective, research has shown that enhancing layer rigidity is generally more efficient and sustainable. A stiffer pavement structure reduces stress transfer to lower asphalt layers in road construction, minimizing the need for excessive materials and reducing environmental impact.
Neoloy® Tough-Cells: Asphalt Reinforcement Solution
Neoloy Tough-Cells offer an innovative solution for asphalt reinforcement, providing increased rigidity and durability for sustainable road construction. Unlike traditional HDPE geocells, which are less rigid, Neoloy Tough-Cells can be used in the upper base layers of heavy-duty pavements, offering unique benefits for asphalt soil stabilization. Engineered with Novel Polymeric Alloys (NPA), Neoloy Tough-Cells deliver superior performance, enhancing the strength, stability, and longevity of asphalt road layers.
Key NPA-Based Properties:
- High Dynamic Stiffness: Neoloy Tough-Cells have exceptional load-bearing capacity, making them ideal for heavily trafficked roads and highways. This ensures that the asphalt layers in road construction can withstand the repeated loads of heavy vehicles without excessive deformation or failure.
- Tensile Strength: Neoloy Tough-Cells exhibit superior tensile strength, preventing volumetric changes within the geocell confinement. This ensures long-term integrity of the reinforced pavement structure and helps avoid costly repairs.
- Resistance to Deformation: Neoloy Tough-Cells maintain their structural integrity under continuous loads, preventing rutting and ensuring a smooth road surface. This resistance is crucial for high-traffic areas, where excessive deformation can lead to safety hazards and increased maintenance costs.
Why Neoloy® Tough-Cells for Asphalt Road Construction
Neoloy Tough-Cell used in asphalt road construction projects stiffens the pavement structural infill material for higher traffic loads, lower deformation and reduced maintenance. Neoloy also provides the following benefits:
- Increased lifespan: By stiffening the pavement structural infill material through a beam effect and apparent cohesion, Neoloy significantly extends the design life of asphalt pavements.
- Reduced layer thickness: Neoloy’s modulus improvement factor enables a reduction in pavement thickness, leading to cost savings and reduced construction time.
- Prevented fatigue: Neoloy mechanically reinforces the base layer, spreading loads laterally and reducing vertical deformation. This helps prevent fatigue and cracking in the asphalt.
- Reduced costs: Neoloy allows for the use of locally available marginal soils or recycled materials for structural infill, reducing the need for imported high-quality aggregate and promoting sustainability.
In conclusion, Neoloy Tough-Cells offer a sustainable and innovative solution for addressing the challenges of asphalt road construction. By enhancing pavement rigidity, reducing material costs, and extending pavement lifespan, Neoloy Tough-Cells contribute to more resilient, durable, and environmentally friendly road infrastructure.
Benefits
Less maintenance and fewer repairs.
Can be cheaper than using high-quality materials for the entire road base.
Sustainable road solution that uses locally available soils and recycled materials instead of importing virgin quarry aggregate.
Validated by Standards and Testing
Neoloy Tough-Cells are engineered to meet or exceed the stringent requirements of ASTM, ISO, and other relevant geocell standards. This ensures their compatibility with various asphalt pavement construction practices and provides confidence in their performance and durability. By incorporating Neoloy Tough-Cells into asphalt pavement construction, engineers can enhance pavement stability, extend service life, and reduce maintenance costs while promoting sustainability.
Extensive field and laboratory testing has demonstrated the remarkable effectiveness of Neoloy Tough-Cells in improving pavement strength and stiffness. When incorporated into the base layer, Neoloy geocells significantly increase the modulus, effectively spreading the wheel load of heavy vehicles over a larger area. This results in a stronger and more durable pavement structure, reducing the risk of fatigue and premature failure.
By enhancing the modulus of the base layer, Neoloy Tough-Cells enable engineers to replace costly high-grade aggregate with locally available, lower-cost materials such as sand or recycled asphalt. This not only reduces material costs but also promotes sustainability by minimizing the need for imported materials. Furthermore, the Neoloy Tough-Cell Modulus Improvement Factor (MIF) allows for a reduction in pavement thickness or a significant increase in road design life. This translates into substantial cost savings and environmental benefits.