Epoxy Asphalt’s most common applications are: 1) as a thin overlay (3/4 to 2 inch [18mm-50mm] thickness) lightweight wear course for repair, replacement or new construction and 2) as a paving surface for orthotropic steel decks* where toughness and elastic composite behavior are critical. Several bridges have used Epoxy Asphalt chip seals as temporary wear surfaces during in-service bridge deck replacements such as the new deck segments recently installed on the Macdonald Bridge in Halifax, Nova Scotia.
A newer use of Epoxy Asphalt is as an extremely durable binder for open graded permeable pavements, also called OGFC. This use of Epoxy Asphalt is now common for New Zealand motorways and is under multiyear investigations in the UK, Netherlands and U.S. Following is the link for a new video for the open graded use in NZ: NZ video. Epoxy Asphalt pavements are recyclable and the binder is highly resistant to oxidation which promotes significant lifespan improvements over standard or polymer modified binders.
Epoxy Asphalt can be installed with standard paving equipment and produced with both batch and drum plants.
Other benefits include:
- Low porosity prevents deck corrosion
- Superior substrate adhesion (pavement stays bonded at high ambient temperatures)
- Extreme durability and flexibility
- Can be installed as thin overlay (3/4″) if added weight is critical
- Roadway open after 2-4 hours (light traffic)
- 3-6 times stronger than conventional asphalt concrete
- Non-melting binder; pavement won’t rut or shove, even with heavily overloaded trucks
- Binder won’t oxidize and harden upon aging like regular asphalt
- Lightweight aggregate OK in mix design if very low pavement weight is needed
- Negligible cure shrinkage
- Bond (tack) coat and binder will not melt and are extremely chemical resistant
- Installed with conventional asphalt paving equipment