Paving Fabric
A Paving fabric which is also known as a Paving geotextile is a non-woven, needle punched polypropylene Fabric. Due to its unique features, it is famous for enhancing the performance of pavements and increasing the lifespan of pavements.
Non-woven Paving Fabrics
This type of Paving Fabrics is unique in its ability to create moisture barriers in Asphalt pavements. These features with this type of fabric leads to its ability to increase the lifespan of roads and reduce reflective cracks. Some benefits of this type include;
- It has waterproof barriers that ensures subgrade foundation soil safety, etc.
- When used, it creates the right membrane of stress relieve between the current pavement as well as asphalt overlays.
- It extends the lifespan of asphalt overlays
Fiberglass Paving Mats
This type of paving fabric generally brings its Hugh performing features to the table. Due to the fiberglass material, it comes with a higher level of tensile strength but at low strain. This is unique compared to the normal non-woven paving geotextiles or fabrics.
Its strength and strain features aids in extending the life of pavements. This happens through delay of reflective cracking, even as it provides effective moisture barriers. Fiberglass mats do not change measurements or dimensions or even shrink when they come into contact with hot mix asphalt. This ensures loss of bond or premature slippage is not experienced.
Pavement Membranes
These fabric type is a high strength mostly self-adhesive peel and stick membrane. It is used ensure pavement joints and cracks are reinforced and waterproofed. Some of its other uses include to limit asphalt concrete overlay reflective cracking, for bridge deck waterproofing, as well as some other uses where there is the need for waterproofing.
Paving Geotextiles
Paving geotextiles are needed to be ideally installed to ensure overlay systems do not crack so much, to ensure that pavement system flexibility is heightened, etc. These geotextiles are known to stand out where improving and elongating the lifespan of pavements are concerned.
Applications of Fabrics for Paving
- Asphalt Pavement Overlay
- Chip Seal Surface Treatment
- Fabric Driveway Paving
- Prevents road cracks and extended use
- Used for road reconstruction and treatment.
- Low-volume roads.
How Paving Fabric Works
Paving fabrics work by strengthening asphalt bases and by creating waterproof barriers to preserve the foundation. Thus creating stress relieving layers between the current pavement system and asphalt overlays. It also lessens the movement of existing cracks into new overlays. This extends the lifespan of the new ones.
Key Paving Fabrics Specifications
- Resists chemical attacks.
- Resistant to rot and mildew.
- Has no defects or teats.
- Comes with physical properties that cannot be adversely altered.
Benefits of Paving Fabrics
- They come with unique flexibility to conform to different surfaces.
- Doubles the lifespan of roads.
- Have isotropic properties to ensure forces are resisted in every direction.
- Come with good properties of absorption. Thus, can form waterproof barriers when bitumen saturation takes place.
- Have higher level of tear and puncture properties to prevent damages that comes from stone chips.
- Resists hydrocarbons that are active in bitumen.
They have up to 265°C melting temperature. This helps to withstand high asphalt and tack coats temperatures
Paving Fabric Installation
Step 1: Tools Needed for Installation
- Blades or scissors for cutting fabric.
- Squeegees or stiff bristle brooms to make the fabric smooth.
- Brushes to apply asphalt sealants.
Step 2: Preparing the Surface
- Clean old pavement completely by getting rid of all dirt, oil, water, or alien materials.
- Fill each crack using asphalt cement slurry. Here you can also fill cracks that are large with hot mix (full depth).
Step 3: Sealing and Applying Tack Coat
Asphalt cement is the ideal tack coat for filling, sealing, and bonding paving fabrics to pavement. Uncut asphalt works perfectly here. This is because it quickly generates adhesive strength. Other considerations when sealing and applying:
- The air and temperature of pavement during installation should be 50°F in the least.
- Tack coat temperature needs not be over 300°
- Use calibrated distributor trucks to be sure of the exact tack rate.
- Ensure tack coat is applied 6 inches wider than the paving fabric rolls width.
Step 4: Paving Fabric Placement
- If you used emulsions, make sure water is evaporated before paving fabric is installed.
- Place fabric with its fuzzy side against the current pavement while tack coat is tacky.
- Make sure the fabric is straight and smooth before it is placed.
- To get sharp curves, have fabric sliced and its ends overlapped in direction of Paving operations.
- When transverse joints are needed, it is best to overlap the paving fabric 4 to 6 inches in the right direction.
- For the right bonding, apply extra tack coat to all joints.
Different surfaces like milled surfaces have similar methods.
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