A Protection of the Environment Through the Prevention of Surface Cracking

Abstract

One of the main objectives of the top asphalt layer is to provide a protective surface against water penetration and other harmful liquids such as chemicals. However, current construction equipments do not provide finished asphalt surfaces that meet this quality and therefore, allowing the intrusion of several liquids through the asphalt layers and deeper into the underlying soils. Subsequently, the result is often polluted soils and possibly seepage of the chemicals to rivers and underground water endangering the environment, plants, animals and ultimately humans. Results of recent research proved that current steel drum rollers induce surface cracks that provide path for surface water to intrude into the pavement layer. The development of a new compactor, asphalt multi-integrated roller (AMIR), produces asphalt layers with tight surface texture which demonstrate very low values of permeability when compared with similar asphalt compactor using current rollers. The results of field measurements of permeability on four asphalt sections compactor using AMIR and steel rollers showed that AMIR compacted surfaces will significantly improve the tightness of the surface and will reduce the permeability by a factor of up to 10 to 1, when compared with measured permeability on surfaces compacted using steel rollers. The results are used to discuss the role of better compaction in the protection of the environment and reduction of possible harmful pollution of water and soils.