S p r i n g 2 0 0 8 I s s u e n o 2 2
www.modernasphal t s .com
Modern AsphaltsMA
THE MAGAZINE AND WEBSITE FOR HIGHWAYS AND AIRFIELDS ASPHALT PAVING
Inside this issue:
• Less noise draws praise• Single layer cuts time• Wembley win for asphalt• New centre helps choice• Low heat aids flexibility
T o o b t a i n m o r e d e t a i l s o f t h e p r o d u c t s a n d s e r v i c e s f e a t u r e d w i t h i n ,
p l e a s e e m a i l u s a t i n f o @ m o d e r n a s p h a l t s . c o m
2
Inside this issue:
Modern 4Ringway has gainedpublic praise for its
low noise Ultraphoneasphalt surfacing
material
6Full depth reconstructioncan be carried out in anovernight possession withCEMEX’s time savingViadeck material
10Modern Asphaltsexplains the latestchanges to affectasphalt standardsand specifications
14The mastic asphaltsector is benefittingfrom asphaltscontaining Shell’sS Grade binders
12Asphalt surfacingtechnology from
Lafarge is on display atthe firm’s new visitor
centre in the Midlands
8The high performanceof Nynas’ Nyguard HR
binder has beendemonstrated at
Wembley Stadium
18Petroplus, the newname in UK bitumensupply, is pursuing apolicy of adding valueto the supply chain
M o d e r n A s p h a l t s
3
C l i e n t S i d e
Remediation of 250ha of brownfield land
is under way in East London, a large
portion of which will become paved
areas of the London 2012 Olympic
Park. Large quantities of material will
go into the paving, including asphalts and
possibly a porous asphalt reservoir to make
the Park and its legacy as sustainable as
possible.
The Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA) and
LOCOG (London Organising Committee of
the Olympic Games) have published a
sustainability plan, entitled Towards a One
Planet 2012. This includes consideration of
the materials to be used and now the ODA’s
delivery partner CLM (CH2M Hill, Laing
O’Rourke and Mace) is using the philosophy
to design material specifications for the
Olympic Park.
Towards a One Planet 2012 is based on the
WWF/BioRegional concept One Plant Living,
which has 10 guiding principles including
‘zero waste’ and ‘local and sustainable
materials’. The ODA has set programme-wide
minimum targets of achieving 25% by weight
of recycled aggregate use in the Olympic Park
and reuse of 90% of onsite demolition
materials.
These are the key targets for a complex,
multi layered programme of pavement design
and construction. Creation of the Park
requires permanent and temporary access
roads and the Olympics venues will feature
paved surfaces that will either provide a
lasting legacy, or will be removed after the
event for further regeneration of the site.
Furthermore, plans for the Park feature ‘public
realm’ spaces, cycleways and footways –
temporary and permanent – to be designed to
the same sustainability plan.
Interest in the paving materials also cuts
across all levels of organisation of the Games.
ODA is leading on planning and construction
of the Park, LOCOG on aspects that impact
on the staging of the Games, while the
London Assembly, Development Agency and
local government will take over the legacy
and responsibility for regeneration.
According to an ODA spokesman,
pavements that will be ‘retained in legacy’ are
being designed to national adoptable
standards, whereas parts of the Olympic road
network will reflect limited vehicular use.
Design consultants are working with the ODA
and highway authorities to develop technical
specifications which suit operational needs,
sustainability targets and the availability of
material for recycling into paved areas. Design
teams will be able to specify high levels of
recycled aggregate from local sources for
highly durable or temporary asphalt
pavements.
They may also design the largest UK
example so far, of a porous pavement as part
of a Sustainable Urban Drainage System
(SUDS). The ODA says it is adopting SUDS
wherever possible, such as in the area of the
Olympic Parkland and Public Realm. A
concept being considered is a porous asphalt
surface over a porous sub base to create a
sub surface storage reservoir. Its design will
be governed by the storage volume required
and the surface loading from vehicles.
Olympic designers lookfor sustainable asphaltsDesign of paving material specifications is under way for the London 2012
Olympic Games, to a philosophy that puts recycling and porous asphalt
central to the Olympic Park plans.
email: [email protected]
www.london2012.com
The Olympic Park will feature temporary and permanent paved spaces, cycleways and footways
Home owners living beside the A26
near Tonbridge in Kent have come
out very much in favour of a new
quiet asphalt surfacing material.
Comments received from local
residents via a questionnaire praise the
reduced noise and vibrations from passing
traffic after the road was relaid with
Ringway’s ‘Ultraphone’ thin surfacing.
The contract, carried out in October
2007, was the first to feature Ringway’s
new asphalt product, which gets much of
its noise reducing properties from a
recycled aggregate. Ultraphone was laid
over a 500m stretch of carriageway that
had suffered the effects of repeated
excavations by utility contractors and
persistent use by heavy vehicles.
“We are delighted with the performance
of the surfacing and the reaction given by
local residents following completion of the
contract,” says Divisional Manager
Jonathan Core of Jean Lefebvre UK, which
has overseen development of the material
for Ringway. “Kent County Council asked
its maintenance partner Ringway
Infrastructure Services to demonstrate an
innovative quiet surfacing material on the
A26 and we were happy to put forward the
new Ultraphone product.”
Audio monitoring equipment set up
beside the resurfaced carriageway showed
road noise to be significantly reduced,
when compared to a nearby section of
recently laid conventional surfacing. A
reading of 66.8dB was recorded from
traffic passing over the Ultraphone
material, compared with a noise level of
72.5dB on the adjacent stretch of stone
mastic asphalt surfacing. This reduction in
noise is equivalent to a 75% reduction in
traffic flow.
The noise reducing properties of the
Ultraphone surfacing are due largely to the
choice of aggregate specified in the
material, says Core. The asphalt mix
contains a 6mm single size aggregate,
derived from slag sourced from a
steelworks in north Kent. The slag particles
are sharp and angular, giving the asphalt a
high void content and an open texture that
helps to absorb road noise.
Use of a locally sourced steel slag
aggregate on the A26 is important for two
further reasons. Ringway and Jean
Lefebvre have helped the council meet its
recycling targets and also dramatically
reduced the cost and environmental
burden of transporting virgin material long
distances by road, rail or sea from quarries
to the north and west of Kent, a county
with a limited supply of natural aggregate.
Around 78% of the Ultraphone thin
surfacing material content is steel slag, to
which crushed rock fines are added, along
M o d e r n A s p h a l t s
4
Quiet surfacingdraws public praiseComplaints from local residents about road noise on a busy urban road
in Kent have been replaced by compliments following resurfacing with
Ringway’s Ultraphone recycled asphalt.
R i n g w a y
"We are delighted with the
performance of the surfacing and the
reaction of local residents following
completion of the works."Jonathan Core
Application of a Gripclean bond coat ensuredan optimum bond was achieved across theentire substrate
M o d e r n A s p h a l t s
5
Ringway’s ‘Ultraphone’ surfacing is laid on the A26 near Tonbridge in Kent to reduce noise the equivalent of a 75% reduction in traffic flow
with a polymer modified bitumen binder to
provide the asphalt with added durability.
“Tests carried out in France by our parent
company Eurovia indicate that asphalt
produced with nominal 6mm sized
particles also provides an equivalent or
better level of skid resistance compared to
asphalts with 10mm or 14mm
aggregates,” says Core.
An earlier version of Ringway’s 6mm thin
surfacing material was laid on a section of
the Oxford Ring Road seven years ago.
Road noise dropped following completion
of the resurfacing scheme there and led to
research into ways in which further cuts to
excessive traffic noise could be achieved.
Use of steel slag in the latest generation of
the material has, according to Ringway, had
the desired effect.
Resurfacing on the A26 began with the
planing out of all existing asphalt layers, to
expose the road’s concrete base. This was
followed with an application of Ringway’s
‘Fibrovia’ stone mastic asphalt binder
course to reprofile the carriageway. This
material contains a 14mm size aggregate
and was laid and compacted to a depth of
60mm. “We needed to make sure that the
substrate was level, because the
Ultraphone surfacing is designed to be very
thin,” Core says.
Conventional paving equipment is used
to lay and compact the Ultraphone thin
surfacing material to a depth of just 22mm.
Ringway also specified its proprietary non
pick-up bond coat Gripclean to ensure an
optimum bond was achieved across the
entire substrate. The contract was
completed in four days and timed to avoid
school opening and closing times. Results
of the A26 trial indicate that ride quality
“improved enormously” with no sign of
previous reflective cracking problems.
In a report on the project, Kent County
Council Project Officer Alan Ross has
written: “The trial was a success and
produced a very good finished product,
which led to an excellent public perception
of overall noise reduction”.
email: [email protected]
[email protected] roller compacts the Ultraphone surfacing to a depth of 60mm
M o d e r n A s p h a l t s
6
Elevating the paceof asphalt surfacing
Disruption to traffic from conventional
full depth carriageway reconstruction
is no longer an option on England’s
busiest motorways. More innovative
solutions have been called for and
CEMEX has responded to the challenge by
developing Viadeck – a proprietary asphalt
that dramatically reduces overall project
surfacing time.
Full depth reconstruction previously
involved planing out and replacing
carriageway in up to three separate layers,
because conventional asphalt can be laid in
layers typically no more than 100mm thick.
It could take anything up to 48 hours for a
short stretch of carriageway to be
replaced, as each layer had to cool before
the next could be laid on top.
Viadeck can be laid in a single layer up to
120mm thick and at temperatures up to
20°C lower than traditional asphalt. The
two factors combine to make it possible to
completely reconstruct a section of
motorway during a single seven-hour
overnight possession.
The product was initially developed in
response to the needs of one of CEMEX’s
customers, Amey Mouchel, which is
Managing Agent Contractor for the
Highways Agency’s Area 9 in the West
Midlands. That contract includes sections
of the M5, M6 and M42, where traffic
flows regularly exceed 130,000 vehicles
per day. Some sections of carriageway had
deteriorated to such a degree that simple
surface course replacement was no longer
the answer. Deeper intervention was
required, but closing entire lanes to
daytime traffic was out of the question.
According to CEMEX, “a single layer was
needed with all the attributes and
properties that two or three conventional,
high quality layers normally provide”, such
as resistance to rutting and skidding. Given
that the material was to be laid up to
120mm thick, it may seem unusual that the
company started the development process
by looking at its existing range of thin
surfacing products. However, the need for
a material that avoids early life rutting and
the knowledge that thin surfacings are
often laid up to 50mm thick, made this the
starting point for what eventually became
Viadeck.
Product development and testing took
place at CEMEX’s National Technical
Centre in Warwickshire, with the company
working very closely with its client to make
sure the product not only worked physically
but was also cost effective. The result is a
dense stone mastic asphalt made with high
PSV aggregate and polymer modified
bitumen binder, which combines all the
texture and rutting properties of a surface
course with the structural properties of
road base.
Viadeck has now been used successfully
on two carriageway reconstruction
schemes: Bromford Viaduct on the M6 and
the Ray Hall Viaduct elevated M5/M6
junction. In both projects, the entire
existing carriageway construction had to be
planed off, the bridge deck inspected and
new waterproofing applied before the
Viadeck could be laid. Then the white lines
and road markings had to be reapplied
before the road could reopen to traffic – all
during one overnight possession.
On both occasions, the contractor was
given access to the motorway at 10.00pm
and the carriageway had to be completely
Minimising disruption to traffic is a high priority for the Highways
Agency and its contractors, so CEMEX’s new time saving asphalt
product is proving a winner.
C EM E X
“A single layer was needed with all
the attributes and properties that two
or three conventional, high quality
layers normally provide.” CEMEX
Ray Hall Viaduct on the M5/M6 junction wasresurfaced and then reopened in one singleovernight carriageway possession
free of traffic management (TM) by 6.00am
the next morning. From the start, after the
TM measures had been put in place, the
old asphalt planed off and the
waterproofing done, there was just three
hours for the paving process. It was
essential that the material went down in
just one layer and that it had cooled in time
for the white lines to go on.
Before the work took place, CEMEX
undertook full scale trials including checks
for installation, permeability, rate of cooling
and texture, to ensure the material would
meet all requirements and work with the
waterproofing system and bond coat to be
used on the concrete bridge decks.
On both viaducts, the waterproofing
system applied was Stirling Lloyd’s
‘Eliminator’ membrane, which was
followed by the application of SA1030; a
proprietary hot melt adhesive bond coat
based on a polymer modified bitumen.
The SA1030 provides a bond between
the waterproofing membrane and the road
construction, and is hand applied at a warm
temperature then allowed to cool. The
adhesive quality of SA1030 is activated by
heat when the asphalt is laid on top,
creating a firm bond with the
waterproofing. When CEMEX developed
its cooler Viadeck, it had to make sure that
there would still be sufficient heat to
create the adhesive bond that enables the
two layers to act homogeneously – hence
the full scale trials.
Viadeck has been designed to be just as
applicable for carriageway replacement on
non-elevated sections of road, where the
support is provided by sub-base. It has
obvious benefits on motorways and trunk
roads, where daytime lane closures are
now unacceptable, but CEMEX also
believes there is a big market throughout
the UK road network.
Local authorities, for example, might
want to reconstruct a road by putting two
or three layers of asphalt back, but on a
busy A-road or city centre this would cause
extreme disruption if carriageway had to be
closed during the day. A short, night time
closure to replace road construction in one
quick hit makes commercial sense and
makes life far easier for motorists.
Viadeck can be laid in a single layer up to 120mm thick and at temperatures up to 20°C lower than traditional asphalt
7
M o d e r n A s p h a l t s
Viadeck has been designed for carriageway replacement where daytime closures are unacceptable
email: [email protected]
N y n a s B i t u m e n
8
Asphalt surfacing awinner at Race of Champions
Nyguard HR is a hot mix binder
engineered by bitumen specialist Nynas
to provide high performance and
durability, especially in demanding
applications where fuel spillage may
occur. It is a key component within Tarmac’s
Mastertrack thin surfacing asphalt which is
proving its worth at motor racing venues up
and down the country. And Mastertrack is the
material FM Conway turned to when it won
perhaps its most onerous contract to date, to
turn the pitch at Wembley into a ‘grand prix’
circuit.
The Race of Champions was held on the
temporary track at Wembley stadium last
December in front of 40,000 motor racing
fans. One of the event’s clear winners was the
track itself: despite the aggressive driving, the
high speed cornering and braking and
celebratory ‘doughnuts’ at the competition’s
end, the surfacing stood up beautifully. “There
was tyre smoke everywhere,” says FM
Conway’s Surfacing Director Nick Burman,
“but not a stone was lifted out of place.”
For the world class drivers taking part, such
as Michael Schumacher, Jenson Button, Tom
Kristiensen and Petter Solberg, the Race of
Champions is the ultimate test (see box).
“The 2006 race was held in Paris at the Stade
de France and a couple of us from FM Conway
went across for it,” Burman says.
“We were aware that 2007’s race would be
held in London – where we carry out highway
maintenance for 10 boroughs – and wanted to
see the track being built. The mission wasn’t
just a fact finding one: it was intended as a
clear signal of our interest and commitment.
We were keen, and ultimately very happy, to
win the contract for building the London
track.”
FM Conway has close contact with Tarmac
which proposed use of its Mastertrack mix
slightly modified to suit the requirements of
Race of Champions event organiser, IMP.
“Mastertrack is a thin surfacing specifically
designed to resist the very high shearing
stresses imposed by racing cars, particularly at
corners,” says Tarmac’s London Technical
Manager Tim Smith. “It contains nominal
6mm size aggregate bound by Nynas’s
Nyguard HR polymer modified binder.”
“Unusually, we were asked for a surfacing
which displayed a degree of slipperiness,
presumably to ratchet up the action on the
track, which slightly complicated the mix
design. We opted for an aggregate of 55 PSV,
a medium figure in terms of skid resistance,
taking the view that – together with the
‘newness’ of the track – this would provide
the required adhesion.” Tarmac’s Ettingshall
Technical Centre optimised and confirmed the
blend.
Nynas had no technical qualms about its
binder being used in the Race of Champions
mix. “Nyguard HR is tough stuff, of high
modulus and tensile strength properties to suit
really arduous applications,” says the
company’s Southern Region Sales Manager
Miles Williamson. “It produces pavement
layers of high stiffness with excellent rutting
and shear resistance – just the right material to
help keep highly stressed asphalts intact. And,
of course, Nyguard HR provides at least five
times greater resistance to degradation by fuel
than conventional paving grade binders.”
The 1km long Race of Champions circuit
was built within the confines of Wembley in
just five days, at the end of November. The
layout incorporated straights and bends and a
cross over bridge, looking from the upper
reaches of the arena much like a Scalextric
The task was a tough one: to build in five days on Wembley’s turf a race
track durable enough for F1 cars. Contractor FM Conway, asphalt supplier
Tarmac and Nyguard HR binder rose to the challenge.
“Nyguard HR is tough stuff, of high
modulus and tensile strength properties to
suit really arduous applications.”
Miles Williamson
Tarmac’s Mastertrack asphalt bound by NyguardHR polymer modified bitumen was laid atWembley by FM Conway
M o d e r n A s p h a l t s
track. To the people on the ground, however,
the full extent of the project was more than
apparent, especially when the time scale was
taken into account. First, Wembley’s turf had
to be covered in Eve Trackway aluminium
plates to protect the surface and spread the
load of what was to come on top.
Then came the bridge sections, weighing a
total of 100t, to form the cross over, closely
followed by concrete safety barriers which
delineated the course of the track. Next came
the placing of 25,000t of asphalt planings, to
create the track’s sub base; after which
asphalting began. The sub base, of DBM50,
was laid 50mm thick (total weight 1300t); and
the Mastertrack 25mm (500t). Afterwards
came finishing touches including white lining.
“It all went very well,” says Nick Burman.
“Our client was much impressed, by the
asphalt materials, by the speed of operations
and the quality of the finish. The track
performed excellently under load and stood up
to all the stresses and strains – there was no
need for any remedial work. It seems we’ve
got the job to do again, for the next Race of
Champions to be held in London. We’re
already planning for it.....”
• FM Conway, the contractor responsible for
the London Race of Champions race track, is
owned by the father of Mike Conway, the
2006 British F3 champion. Following
December’s event, the Wembley pitch was
made good in a separate £150,000 contract.
M o d e r n A s p h a l t s
99
Wembley stadium’s famous turf made way for a much more durable surface to accommodate some of the world’s top racing drivers in December
The Race of Champions is describedas a unique motor sport format thatsees drivers from all categories ofmotor racing competing againsteach other in a stadium
environment. The drivers use identicalequipment, on the same track. All anindividual driver has to differentiate himor her self from the rest is their ownindividual talent and determination to win.The event is highly competitive, with topdrivers from F1 and other formulas, theendurance events such as Le Mans andthe World Rally Championships.
The Race of Champions wasinaugurated in the late 1980s, being co-founded by leading female rally driverMichèle Mouton. Last year’s race was thefirst time the event has been hosted byLondon. Knock out heats determine ‘classchampions’, who compete in a final ‘shootout’ to arrive at the champion ofchampions. 2007’s winner was Germantouring car champion Mattias Ekström.
ON YOUR MARKS.....
email: [email protected]
Mattias Ekströmburns out his tyresafter winning the
Race of Champions
M o d e r n A s p h a l t s
1 0
All change please,for asphalt standards
Asphalt mixes and products are now
specified in the UK to the same
standard as elsewhere in the
European Union – to BS EN 13108.
The new European Standard came
into UK operation on 1 January 2008 and
now the Highways Agency has revised the
Specification for Highway Works (SHW) in
line with these and other changes.
A complete revised 900 Series of the
SHW, for Bituminous Bound Materials, has
been included in a new Interim Advice
Note – IAN 101/07 – from the HA. This
includes the new names and designations
now used for asphalt mixes, and new
clauses for placing and compacting asphalt
and EME2 (Enrobé à Module Élevé)
‘Asphalt Concrete’.
The HA has taken the opportunity to
update the 900 Series in response to
several developments all at once. While
the new EN 13108 standard has been in
final preparation, high strength EME2
asphalt has been introduced for UK base
and binder courses. Concurrently, the HA,
Quarry Products Association and Refined
Bitumen Association have been
investigating asphalt pavement durability.
A new Clause 903 – Placing &
Compaction of Bituminous Mixtures – has
resulted from the HA, QPA and RBA
research (carried out by TRL). This is
reported in TRL Road Note 42 – Best
Practice Guide for Durability of Asphalt
Pavements – and an equivalent for
overlaying asphalt on concrete, Road Note
41, both of which are due for publication
soon.
Clause 903 sets out asphalt laying
requirements more demanding than
previous with emphasis on compaction,
bonding and sealing of joints, among other
things. Three years of work has preceded
and prepared the new HA clause and TRL
Road Notes. A comprehensive overview of
Series 900 of the Specification for Highway Works has been revised in
response to Harmonised European Standards in asphalt and further
developments, as explained in this Modern Asphalts guide to the changes.
A s p h a l t s t a n d a r d s
Asphalt type
AC HRA SMA
Size ‘D’
2 6 10 14 20 32
Course type
SURF BIN BASE
Binder Grade
10/20 30/45 70/100 100/150 100/150 160/220
M o d e r n A s p h a l t s
1 1asphalt durability has been documented,
with guidance on pavement design,
material production and asphalt laying for
achieving durable pavements – to be used
with EN 13108 and a new British Standard,
BS 594987.
This is the new UK specific standard for
asphalt transport, laying and compaction,
developed in line with the European
Standard for specification. BS 594987 is
the ‘baseline’ document for application of
bituminous materials in all sectors and is
partly the basis for the HA’s 900 Series
revisions. BS 594987 also contains Type
Testing protocols as part of changes to
asphalt mixture approval and Quality
Assurance procedures.
Protocols have changed in line with the
European Standard. Conformity QA testing
is now carried out to Factory Production
Control based on suppliers’ target mix
compositions instead of a fixed recipe
approach. More rigorous Operating
Compliance Level measurement of
suppliers’ deviation from their targets has
replaced the old Q-Value system. And for
meeting the HA’s Clause 901 at least,
asphalt suppliers must now declare their
products conform with EN 13108 by
providing a CE Mark Certificate.
This is gained through Type Testing (of
asphalt mix properties) and Factory
Production Control, which has also led to
minor revisions to the HA’s Sector Scheme
14 for asphalt production.
Type Testing is described in EN 13108
Part 20 and Factory Production Control in
EN 13108 Part 21. The other main parts are
numbered one to eight and cover the
different types of asphalt used across the
EU. Those applicable to the UK are Asphalt
Concrete (Part 1, including EME2), Hot
Rolled Asphalt (Part 4), Stone Mastic
Asphalt (Part 5) and Reclaimed Asphalt
(Part 8).
Guidance on use of EN 13108 has been
provided in the form of the BSI document
PD 6691, which contains example
specifications showing how asphalt mixes
traditionally used in the UK are specified in
terms of the new European Standard.
Further guidance, PD 6692, describes the
44 test methods supporting EN 13108.
Product descriptions have changed, with
new shorthand designations to describe
asphalt mixes and binder penetration –
such as ‘AC 14 BIN 30/45’ replacing ‘14mm
DBM 35’ – but the materials are still much
the same. The term macadam has been
replaced by Asphalt Concrete and binder
penetration is now described to grade
designations in the relevant European
specifications EN 12591 (paving grade
binders), EN 13924 (hard paving grades)
and EN 14023 (framework for polymer
modified binders).
The change over to the European asphalt
standard from the now defunct BS 594 and
BS 4987 has been relatively seamless.
Extensive industry training and
communication during 2007 has helped. As
have the efforts of a UK delegation to CEN,
the European standards organisation. The
UK representatives have ensured materials
traditionally used in the UK are included
and terminology changes kept to a
minimum.
There is still much to take on board
however, particularly for those working on
contracts under way due to the many
changes that have taken affect as a result
of EN 13108 and the work of the HA, QPA,
RBA and others. Guidance on the use of
the HA’s revised 900 Series, for schemes
in progress, is provided in another Interim
Advice Note – IAN 102/07.
1 11 1
email: [email protected]
www.highways.gov.uk
Grading type
DENSE CLOSE MED/OPEN
Mix Type
HDM HMB EME2
Designed mixtures
DES
Miscellaneous
PSV
M o d e r n A s p h a l t s
1 2
Seeingis believing
Product specifiers can now see, touch
and walk on a wide range of Lafarge’s
innovative asphalts with aesthetic
finishes at a purpose built venue.
Lafarge opened its new visitor centre
at Alrewas, Staffordshire, in September last
year to help customers select the ideal
asphalt for their needs.
Architects, local authorities, consultants
and surfacing contractors can view a
showcase of innovative products and watch
informative DVDs demonstrating their
many uses. “We have such a wide range of
materials available that we wanted to be
able to show them all to our clients in one
location,” says Lafarge’s National Value
Added Products Manager Phil Battle.
The centre is divided into three main
areas displaying a variety of products from
the Axopave asphalt range, including
Axogold – one of Lafarge’s most recent
innovations – and the well established
Axostone. Lafarge’s extensive range of
concrete products are also on display at the
centre.
“We want to let customers know about
the variety of products available to suit any
location and that solutions can be found to
many problems,” says Battle. “Some new
customers and indeed some existing
customers are unfamiliar with our specialist
materials and I am often asked ‘Where has
it been laid so that I can see it?’ This is a
case where seeing is believing and provides
the opportunity for them to not only view
one particular product but to view and
compare a whole range of surfacing
materials.”
One of Lafarge’s key products is
Axostone, an asphalt designed to give the
appearance of a gravel surface. Also
showcased in the centre are Axodrive,
Axocolour, Axotint, Axocrete, Axosport and
Axogold surfaces.
Asphalts are often selected for aesthetic
benefits especially those that have a natural
finish and are sympathetic to the local
surroundings. Axostone and Axogold
combine the appearance of natural gravel or
stone with the durability and performance
of asphalt.
The surface of the very top aggregate is
exposed using a special process to create
the finished effect of these two materials.
A natural gravel appearance is created with
Axostone, whereas for Axogold, the
technique is applied to black asphalt to
A whole variety of innovative asphalt solutions can now be viewed by
potential clients in one place – Lafarge’s new visitor centre.
L a f a r g e A g g r e g a t e s
“The centre presents the opportunity
for customers to see large samples
in situ.” Phil Battle
Axogold, laid at Woburn Golf & Country Club, isone of many Axopave materials now on display atLafarge’s new visitor centre in Alrewas
expose the aggregate colour within the
surface and create the aesthetic finish, as
achieved at the Woburn Golf & Country
Club’s driving range.
The Axopave range on display also
includes coloured asphalts popular for
colouring bus lanes, cycleways and parking
areas. Lafarge’s Axocolour material was
developed to provide a more durable
alternative to resin based coloured overlays.
It is produced by mixing a clear binder with
pigment to give the desired coloured
asphalt – usually red, green or buff.
The visitor centre is situated at Lafarge’s
quarry in Alrewas and on its opening day
had more than 50 senior managers and
directors from some of Lafarge’s top
customers walk through the door. “The
feedback we have received so far has all
been very positive,” says Battle. “As far as
we know this is the first centre of its kind in
the UK and many people have shown great
interest in it.
“Before the centre was built, small hand
held material samples were shown to
clients, but that does not give a good
indication of what it will actually look and
feel like on the ground. The centre presents
opportunity for customers to see large
samples in situ.”
The visitor centre and quarry are ideally
located in the centre of the country,
adjacent to the National Memorial
Arboretum, which was built on land rented
from Lafarge at a peppercorn rent and
opened by Her Majesty the Queen in
October 2007. Lafarge’s Visitor Centre also
provides visitors with a meeting room and
access to full facilities. “It can be very
difficult sometimes, for people to have a
whole day out of the office, so visitors are
able to use the facilities to hold meetings or
catch up with emails for example.”
Visitors to the centre will be shown round
by one of Lafarge’s highly trained team
members, able to discuss all materials on
show and answer any questions that arise.
The tour will also inform visitors of
Lafarge’s technology in general, the history
behind asphalt and the processes involved
in laying the different products.
Lafarge will also be offering universities
with civil engineering courses the
opportunity for students to visit and find out
more about different types of asphalt and to
speak to the specialists.
The asphalt products displayed at the
centre are from Lafarge’s range of value-
added innovative materials, all of which are
currently available from the company and
its network of approved contractors. But
this is just a small sample of what Lafarge
is capable of.
“We often work closely with clients to
come up with specific solutions to their
individual needs and technology is
continually evolving,” adds Battle. “We are
always working towards innovative
materials that will be of use to our clients,
such as an asphalt specially designed for
areas prone to flooding, environmentally
friendly asphalts and new ways of
recycling. The centre gives us the
opportunity to showcase these materials.”
M o d e r n A s p h a l t s
1 3
email: [email protected]
1 31 3
Highly trained team members will show visitors around the new centre and be on hand to answer all questions on the surfacing materials
Lafarge’s customers can now see, touch, walk onand compare its innovative range of asphaltmaterials including Axocolour and Axostone
Asphalt mixes can be produced and laid
at lower temperatures when using
Shell S Grade binders, giving
surfacing contractors greater
flexibility when paving roads and
runways (see Modern Asphalts 21).
Products with the same properties are now
also making their mark in the mastic asphalt
sector.
Shell S Grade binders enable mastic
asphalts to be manufactured and laid at
temperatures up to 30°C lower than
traditional mixes, offering contractors
improved workability, reduced energy costs
and safer working conditions.
Typical mastic applications include
outdoor sites, where temperature becomes
a challenge. Shell Bitumen Technical
Development Manager Dr Richard Taylor
explains: “Shell S Grade binders are more
viscous than reference binders at
temperatures below 100°C. However, at
temperatures above 115°C the binders
exhibit lower viscosity and thus better flow
and coating behaviour. On high buildings,
roofing contractors might have to lift up
mastic asphalt mixers by cranes and the
material inside can cool considerably. Mixes
containing Shell S Grades give the
contractor more flexibility because the
material can be applied within a larger
temperature range.”
Shell has estimated that using Shell S
Grade binders, plants can not only
manufacture but also store and mix asphalt
at temperatures 20–30°C lower than
normal. This reduction in temperatures
could generate savings in the order of 7.5%,
approximately 0.5kg of fuel per tonne of
asphalt produced.
“Energy is the third major cost to an
asphalt manufacturer – after plant and
labour, so any reduction that can be made is
certainly good,” says John Blowers, director
of the Mastic Asphalt Council (MAC), the
trade association for the UK mastic asphalt
industry
Shell S Grades, however, do not solely
bring economic benefits to the industry.
The reduction in temperature could also
represent an improvement in health quality
for workers. Currently there is no legislation
dictating the temperature at which mastic
asphalt can be applied but in the UK, 230°C
is deemed to be a safe handling
temperature. This could all change with the
full implications of Europe’s new REACH
(Registration, Evaluation & Authorisation of
Chemicals) regulations.
The aim of REACH is to improve the
protection of both human health and the
environment by better and earlier
identification of the intrinsic properties of
chemical substances. Companies whose
products have a chemical composition are
currently in the process of registering those
products on a central database – a process
that is set to take many years.
Stricter rules governing the use of
M o d e r n A s p h a l t s
1 4
Raising the standardsbar in mastic asphaltShell Bitumen’s S Grade binders allow lower production
and application temperatures in asphalt mixes, benefiting
also the mastic sector.
S h e l l B i t u m e n
”Mixes containing Shell S Grades give
the contractor more flexibility
because the material can be applied
within a larger temperature range.“
Richard Taylor
Additives in Shell S Grade binders enable masticasphalts to be produced up to 30°C lower thantraditional mixes
1 5chemical products are likely to follow once
the registration process is complete and
maximum laying temperatures for mastic
asphalts could be among them. “Under
REACH regulations there will be legal
condition under which you can use all
substances, and this will also apply to
bitumen. Limiting temperature will be the
best way to control any potential exposure
and so lowering bitumen temperatures
during mixing and application will be the
most sensible approach,” says Taylor. “The
rules may not come into force for some
time, but it is important that the industry
moves in this direction ahead of any
potential legislation.”
Another driver behind the potential new
legislation is the desire to reduce fumes,
especially during manufacturing processes
and also to benefit contractors working with
mastic asphalt indoors (whilst laying floors
for example). There are already tight
standards regulating acceptable levels of
fumes in the atmosphere, but lower
temperature binders will help improve
standards further. “We manufacture well
within the standards, but if you can bring
that down, so much the better,” says John
Blowers.
Shell initially developed S Grades in
Germany for the mastic asphalt market, but
it was the road sector that latched onto its
benefits at the outset. When the asphalt is
laid at lower temperatures, traffic can run on
it sooner after it has been laid. As Modern
Asphalts reported previously, asphalts
containing Shell S grade binders have been
used with great success at Frankfurt Airport
and, more recently, on the M4 motorway.
The current interest within the UK mastic
asphalt market marks a trend in awareness
of both energy and health and safety issues,
as well as the possibility of forthcoming
legislation. However, Shell has no intention
of resting on its laurels, and is looking at
ways of reducing asphalt temperatures still
further.
M o d e r n A s p h a l t s
Asphalt produced using Shell S Grade binders gives much greater flexibility to contractors and has been used with much success across the board
Using Shell S Grade binders has many benefits including reducing energy costs and emission of fumes
email: [email protected]
M o d e r n A s p h a l t s
Adopting a broad viewto add maximum value
Sustaining long term advantage in a
highly competitive environment
requires more than just low cost
suppliers. All asphalt producers focus
on price to achieve lower costs but
some seek innovative suppliers to unlock
additional real value in their business.
Petroplus, the new name in bitumen supply,
sits firmly on the side of innovation.
Petroplus – Europe’s largest independent
refinery operator – acquired BP’s UK
Bitumen operations in 2007 and put in place
a policy which is largely based on ‘business
as usual’. This means continuing with a
strategy already well developed prior to the
acquisition, for adding value through its
products and services.
Engagement with the supply chain and a
willingness from customers to play their part
is vital to Petroplus’s strategy. It starts with
safety, which Petroplus is leading through
it‘s Stay Safe programme (see box) and
increased operational efficiency is being
offered through electronic commerce and
investment in tankage and new technology.
All these initiatives need collaboration with
asphalt customers.
“Our business philosophy is based on
being an innovative low cost operator in
order to enable the added value pay back to
our customers. Optimising this requires
work in partnership with customers because
it often means a change in working
The new name supplying bitumen to the UK roads sector –
Petroplus – is doing a lot to add value to the supply chain.
P e t r o p l u s B i t u m e n
1 8
STAY SAFE IMPERATIVE MAINTAINED Petroplus is developing its efforts topromote safety with release of the ‘StaySafe’ DVD and literature for safe handlingof bitumen products. The initiative hasevolved from the Refined Bitumen
Association’s (RBA) safety guidelines, whichPetroplus was influential in developing when itwas an RBAmember as BP Bitumen.
Petroplus has taken over the BP Bitumenbusiness, and safety is high on the agenda of thenew company’s business and offer to customers.“This effort adds value by helping to increaseawareness of safety issues in bitumen handling.Most plant operators realise that safe operationsare an imperative for operatives’ well being andalso more cost efficient, because lost time, cleanup and claims all cost money,” says Petroplus’BusinessManager Kevin Maw.
“The bitumen industry has reduced incidentsby 50% over the past three years and now it istrying to go the next step towards zero. To standany chance of getting there, we must not becomplacent. The Stay Safe package will help. Itholds viewers’ attention and includes anelectronic questionnaire to check they haveretained the knowledge; and matchesrequirements for CPD.”Petroplus has launched a Stay Safe DVD and literature for the safe handling of bitumen products
practice,” says Petroplus Marketing &
Business Development Manager Gareth
Evans.
“We have a target of making at least 40%
of deliveries through remote stock
management. We are investing in larger,
modern tanks at our customers’ sites for
better storage and we want to manage
delivery of bitumen on a more flexible basis,
with larger road tankers and off-peak
deliveries to make supply more cost
efficient. The transport savings are shared
with the customer, which is how efficiency
creates added value.”
Petroplus’s remote stock management
monitors customers’ tank levels through a
web based system and arranges deliveries to
keep tanks stocked. Petroplus also offers
electronic trading, with Causeway
Technology’s Tradex platform acting as a
receptor and translation hub for ensuring
compatibility between all formats of
electronic transaction data files regardless of
the customer’s back office system. In return
for its investment in more efficient ways of
working, Petroplus wants to achieve
customer loyalty and partnership through
collaboration.
“The whole roads sector is looking for
more efficiency. For us, this is about
ensuring we are a more efficient supplier,
working with the supply chain,” says Evans.
“All parts of our strategy are intertwined and
support each other. At Llandarcy in South
Wales, we have got probably the best R&D
facility in the UK that can do all UK and
French bitumen and asphalt testing in one
place. We have been at the forefront of
developing EME2 asphalt mix designs and
proprietary asphalt applications for our
customers, working towards better value for
the roads sector.”
In anticipation of a likely increase in use of
EME2 asphalt, principally on heavily
trafficked roads, Petroplus has been
investing at its Coryton refinery for
production of hard paving grade bitumens.
Coryton, in Essex, is well placed for
supplying the asphalt sector; and with its
polymer modified binders, technical
expertise and facilities, Petroplus has
purchased a bitumen operation with all the
attributes for future success.
Industry asphalt sales have been falling
over recent years but the auguries point to
better years to come. Major infrastructure
projects planned for the Midlands and South
East include M25 and M1 motorway
widening, port expansions, Thames Gateway
developments and the 2012 Olympics.
Coryton is well placed to satisfy this demand.
These and more high profile projects are
starting and a big challenge for Petroplus and
the whole roads sector supply chain is
addressing construction inflation and rising
tender prices. Hydrocarbon inflation and in
particular bitumen price is an important
factor, but, just as Petroplus has come in
with a positive “can do attitude”, Evans
says, the supply chain needs a broader more
inclusive dialogue to enable solutions to be
found.
“We need our customers and their clients
to see the whole picture in terms of what
we’re offering,” Evans says. “In today’s
consolidated market taking a very narrow
view on what bitumen suppliers can offer
risks loss of opportunity to add value to their
business and the supply chain.
“Consistency of supply and long term
planning is needed to get efficiencies and the
most from our strategy. It’s critical in future
for us all to improve demand management.”
M o d e r n A s p h a l t s
Petroplus is investing in managing the delivery of bitumen on a more flexible basis with larger road tankers and off peak deliveries
email: [email protected]
1 9
”Our business philosophy is based on
being an innovative low cost operator
in order to enable the added value pay
back to our customers.“ Gareth Evans
