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Can you design a better performing asphalt within ...
Vaughan Mills Mall finds ACE XP Polymer Fibers® provide a proven solution
Vaughan Mills offers world-class retail and entertainment options for savvy shoppers in the Toronto area. Bus services regularly transport visitors to the popular outlet mall, and pavement in the heavily used bus loop had reached the end of its service life by 2017.
Engineering firm EXP was called in to evaluate the pavement and propose solutions for strengthening its structure. The usual remedy calls for increasing the thickness of the asphalt layers, but due to grade constraints, it was not a viable option. Instead, EXP turned to Surface Tech to learn how the company’s aramid polymer fibers could strengthen asphalt and allow for increasing performance from a fixed pavement thickness.
One of the most outstanding performance benefits of ACE XP lies in its micro roots. These tendrils tenaciously anchor themselves into the bitumen of the asphalt, resulting in three-dimensional reinforcement throughout the asphalt and a flexibility that resists rutting during hot summers and cracking through cold winters.
To create ACE XP, high-strength aramid fibers are bundled and coated with Sasobit® wax to produce an easy-to-adopt asphalt reinforcement that bonds with any WMA or HMA in both drum and batch operations.
By adding ACE XP Polymer Fibers®, Forest Contractors placed both base and surface approved mixes interlaced with more than 10 million fibers per metric tonne to produce an overall 120mm thick pavement. After four Canadian winters, the pavement still sees no transverse cracking in any section of the work completed in the fall of 2018, and only slight cracking in the longitudinal joints.
For details on how you can pave smarter and stronger with ACE XP, visit https://surface-tech.com/pilot-program-acexp/
Photo: February 2022
Photo: September 2018
Will para-aramid fibers help decrease cracking in ...
Detailed and numerous real world case studies have clearly shown that ACE XP Polymer Fibers® can significantly decrease cracking in asphalt pavements. Yet MacRebur Southern California, a producer of asphalt containing recycled plastics, wondered if ACE XP could help them solve a long-standing problem.
Adding recycled plastics to asphalt mixes is an innovative way to help the environment by reducing the volume of waste plastics going to landfills or incineration. The right recycled plastics can also help extend and enhance the bitumen binder. Yet in past initiatives prior to the new sustainability focus, roads containing recycled plastics tended to crack more than control pavement sections.
Surface Tech initiated a pilot project with MacRebur Southern California to learn if using Surface Tech’s para-aramid overlay solution with the plastic-additive mix would solve this problem.
No changes to the mix were required, so dosing of the ACE XP Polymer Fiber® did not interfere with the plant’s production rate, and the ACE XP-reinforced mix went down smoothly.
A control sample, along with the ACE XP-reinforced plastic-additive asphalt is currently undergoing a battery of requisite and comparative tests in the lab. Stay tuned for a report on the results of this new-innovation pilot project.
For details on how you can test ACE XP Polymer Fibers ® on your next project, visit https://surface-tech.com/pilot-program-acexp/
WTFiber? You mean you still don’t know about the ...
Here are a dozen reasons why you should check it out NOW:
ACE XP Polymer Fiber®…
- Offers a revolutionary new solution to improve cracking and rutting in asphalt pavements, making them stronger and last longer. It’s not your grandfather’s fiber.
- Exceeds most other additives in adding proven crack and rut resistance to any asphalt mix — and it lays and compacts cleanly and consistently.
- Zeros out missing the density bonus because the polymer binder cured faster than the roller could compact it.
- Eliminates the mess associated with other fibers — goes into any mix with no flyaway fibers.
- Provides easy, accurate plant dosing with Surface Tech equipment.
- Offers a solid, efficient-to-place interlayer alternative (our ARMI™ solution) that does away with expensive and risky fabric interlayers and third-party contractors.
- Avoids having to clean sticky polymer or rubber mixes that build up in silos, truck beds, tools, and equipment.
- Eliminates the cost of new mix designs required with a binder bump.
- Skips the scheduling nightmares of reserving empty binder tanks for polymer jobs.
- Wins the scheduling fight with binder suppliers who only offer certain oils at certain times — you can store and use ACE XP 24/7/365.
- Sidesteps the loss of tonnage per round due to mix build-up in the bed.
- Saves money by not paying a backhoe operator to dig the rubber mix out of the truck bed.
And the best reason of all:
ACE XP Polymer Fibers® bring an end to wishing there was a better and easier way to get stronger, longer-lasting asphalt pavements!
Surface Tech affirms commitment to sustainability ...
Surface Tech announced today it is in the process of taking a major step forward in its commitment to sustainability — obtaining Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs) on all of its products.
EPDs are independently verified and registered documents that communicate transparent and comparable information of the lifecycle environmental impact of products. EPDs are defined as a type III environmental declaration that is compliant with the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) 14025 Standard.
EPDs enable planners, architects, owners, general contractors, developers and engineers to make smart decisions when choosing materials for construction projects. Project planners can also use EPD information to contribute to credits in LEED® and other green building certifications.
Submitting its products to the rigorous review required to obtain an EPD is a testimony not only to a commitment to sustainability in general, but also to the confidence the company places in its products to deliver on its promise to build a sustainable future.
Why settle for bad roads when there’s an easier, ...
China, India, Japan, US, Canada and Germany all have one thing in common when it comes to paving asphalt roads. These countries discovered how polymeric modifiers can add toughness and longevity to asphalt pavements. Yet many contractors, government agencies and developers in North America continue to abandon the technologies and or modifiers that Superpave was supposed to identify. Instead, they still utilize the same old, not-so-super asphalt mixes. Why do they persist in settling for sub-par pavements?
According to a report by Asphalt Additives Market, “the lack of awareness about asphalt additives among contractors and road builders in the emerging economies is a key challenge to the additives market.” We spend a lot of time talking to people in the asphalt industry here in the US and Canada, and we can attest that the same lack of awareness exists here, too.
Over the past five years, a variety of white papers and research studies have taken on the seemingly Herculean task of concocting the perfect asphalt mix design. They’ve studied Superpave, the Marshall method, Balanced Mix Design, the relationship between air voids and density, and more.
At this point, we have only one message to all of them, and we’re shouting it from the rooftops: Aramid polymer fibers improve any mix, any time — and they don’t require changes to the mix.
Surface Tech has developed a line of aramid polymer fiber solutions, like ACE XP® and AQU XP®, that work seamlessly with virtually any asphalt mix. The fibers are nearly invisible in the mix and don’t create a nuisance in laying the asphalt like other additives can. They simply work. They work easily in both the mix and the application process, and they yield a paved surface that has incredible tensile strength to resist both rutting and especially cracking.
Call us to find out more. We can provide tons of data, case studies and contractors you can call who have used the ACE XP® and AQU XP® products. It’s your opportunity to learn from people who have discovered the ease of adding these fibers and smoothing the mix into beautiful, strong-as-steel pavements. We can prove our products work, and work for the long haul.
So we ask you: Why settle for bad pavements when there’s an easier, better mix solution? Isn’t it time you got up to speed on what aramid polymer fiber additives can do for your next project?
Contact asphalt@surface-tech.com to get started on your road to better pavements.
The good news for 2021: We still need smooth roads
The bad news: Old, outmoded paving solutions die hard
We all hope the vaccines against COVID-19 will put an end to the pandemic and allow the country to return to some semblance of normal. But as the roads gradually fill up again, what problems will emerge for the paving industry?
Tight budgets, for one. Shelter-in-place orders have depressed sales and gas tax revenues, so expect to see projects pushed into the future wherever possible. However, potholes still need filling, and severely cracked, rutted and otherwise degraded roads will still command attention.
That brings us to the real problem: Time-valued paving solutions increasingly fail to live up to today’s lifespan needs and expectations. The dirty secret in our industry is the degradation of raw materials — the oil, rock and sand that help make asphalt roads stand up to wear and tear. Either they’re not available in close-by locations anymore, or what is available simply doesn’t pass muster.
Yet people keep plugging forward with a dutiful adherence to the old methods, the old mixtures — in essence, doing the same old thing, over and over again, and hoping for better results. To put it bluntly, it’s time to face reality—raw materials have changed. Why haven’t you?
In fact, over the past decade new materials have been discovered, fine-tuned, tested and proven effective at creating asphalt mixes that will stop roads from failing to live up to lifespan budget expectations.
Surface Tech has developed a line of products that utilize cutting-edge, high-tech fibers that give roads the strength and flexibility needed to minimize cracking and rutting. Our polymer aramid fibers are NOT your grandfather’s fibers, and we can prove it.
Tired of dry, cracking mixes? Wish you could use up to 50 percent RAP? Fed up with third-party fabric contractors and wish there was a better way? Does achieving greater sustainability in your next pavement project seem too hard?
Give us a call, our pavement solutions save money, time and are focused on building a sustainable future. For 2021, the choice is simple. Stick with the same old mix and hope for the best, or try something new — especially if it's proven, affordable and easy to do.
It’s time to Supercharge Your Mix with new materials. What have you got to lose?
2021 — What challenges will the asphalt industry ...
Everyone can agree that 2020 was a year for the record books. As an essential industry, we certainly faced many challenges due to COVID-19. With the coming vaccine, we’re all hoping for an improved new year, at least in the area of personal health. But what about the health of the asphalt industry? Here are a few of the challenges we see on the horizon for 2021:
Uncertain funding
Congress thankfully passed a one-year extension of the surface transportation reauthorization programs this year, but a multi-year highway bill is still much needed. There is hope that the new administration and Congress can come together to address our sagging infrastructure.
Congress faces a tremendous amount of pressure from a public fed up with crumbling bridges and bumpy roads. Unfortunately, it seems unwilling or unable to create funding that provides for long-term infrastructure planning. Whether we’ll be stuck with the same old one-year-to-the-next, Band-Aid approach to funding remains to be seen.
At the state and local levels, the COVID pandemic has negatively impacted tax revenues, forcing belt-tightening. The paving industry has developed new and needed solutions to cracking and rutting problems, but a low-bid environment can make it difficult to get them into play.
Possible binder shortages
Asphalt binder is a refined product, and refineries are closing or idling due to a decrease in demand caused by the pandemic and environmental pressures. The looming binder crisis started in the mid-2000s, when the number of refineries making asphalt dropped due to improvements in coker units that enabled them to squeeze more fuel from crude. Refineries that use cokers now produce asphalt in lower-to-none quantities. Adding insult to injury, fuel demand is not expected to rebound to pre-COVID levels anytime soon — maybe never.
New fuel regulations from the International Maritime Organization calling for reductions of sulfur content may also impact the asphalt industry. The regulations could create more asphalt supply, but the regulations are voluntary, but maybe not, as it’s expected that most shippers will comply.
PMA shortages
Polymer modified asphalt binders will be affected as well since both are derived from petroleum. Hence, polymer modified asphalt (PMA) will be increasingly hard to produce as well. It’s obvious, too, that the price for both base binders and PMAs could surpass many project budgets.
The struggle toward adopting new mix designs
The Superpave mix design method has served as the go-to for more than 30 years in the United States. It has undergone several revisions in an effort to improve the durability and performance of asphalt mixes, but it’s certainly beginning to show its age. The increased use of reclaimed asphalt pavement (RAP) now challenges contractors and agencies to find a new mix design method that will reliably produce durable, long lasting pavements. The trend over the last 20 years has been one-sided — fixing the ruts at the expense of the cracks.
The development of new design approaches, such as the Balanced Mix Design or Performance Engineered Mixes came into being to address the need for creating pavement designs that perform well in resisting both rutting and cracking. Both show exemplary results in their ability to devise mixes that perform well both in terms of workability and longevity.
Unfortunately, Superpave is as embedded in the paving lexicons as aggregate is in asphalt. Superpave5 (based on adjusting volumetric design targets) attempts to put some distance between the design methods of the 1970s, when Superpave was initially developed. But this is proof positive that Superpave’s roots in the industry go deep and pulling them toward newer, better methods will require patience and persistence.
Where are the opportunities?
Obviously, we have to get creative when it comes to meeting project needs within budget constraints. Surface Tech has developed a range of products that combine para-aramid fibers, well-researched mineralogy and advanced mix design methodologies to build stronger, longer-lasting pavements.
In the end, our industry has to wake up to the fact that smarter mixes do exist. We’ve developed mixes with ACE XP® polymer fibers that can replace typical pavement repairs with high performance, thinner overlays that improve the repair, save money and extend the service life better than overlays of the past.
We’ve pioneered mixes like ARMI™ that can cut costs in interlayer constructions by eliminating third party fabrics and extending the service life of the repaired asphalt pavement. And our REARM HR can help replace that missing asphalt supply with existing RAP piles — using up to 50 percent RAP content while still improving performance. And these are just a few examples of the solutions we offer.
Sure, there are challenges ahead, but at Surface Tech we believe in innovation, technology and never giving up. 2021? Bring it on.
Hall Contracting on ACE XP®: The proof is in the ...
Jordan Sandquist, Quality Control Manager of Hall Paving in Louisville, KY, believes in the superior performance that Surface Tech’s ACE XP® para-aramid fibers provide to his paving projects. He sees it not only in the longer life the fibers provide to the pavement, but also in the testing numbers.
“I haven’t found anything that compares to ACE XP®. I’ve compared it to the best testing numbers that others offer and compared it to testing numbers that I have run myself, and none have approached ACE XP®.”
Sandquist points out how additives often affect the properties of asphalt. When using additives, if the Gmm (Maximum Specific Gravity) goes up, the density decreases. However, with ACE XP® he sees an increase in the density even though the Gmm patterns higher. He also appreciates how easily ACE XP® reinforced pavement goes down. His crews have no complaints.
“I’m prone to say adding ACE XP® is not just a theoretical good thing. Now there’s proof. To have something like this that you can show to municipalities, and when they see how well it performs, compared to other paving options, it’s evidence. It’s not just me making a claim.”
As for long-term performance, Sandquist can point to several projects. In 2015, the company paved a couple-mile test section on heavily traveled Dixie Highway (US31). A one-mile section served as a control, and portions of the other were reinforced with ACE XP®. The ACE XP® overlay section turned out so well, the University of Kentucky’s Transportation Center will reference it in an upcoming white paper.
“The first year out there was minimal cracking in both sections. They both looked the same. But from there on out, the cracking on the ACE XP® reinforced section basically stopped. The difference is now astronomical. It proves how good this product is for overlays and for base.”
Another project paved in 2015 involved firming up an overlay on a road leading to a section of The Parklands for the City of Louisville.
“It’s doing well compared to the other side in a residential area that was paved the spring after, without ACE XP®. That side is already showing wear, even though the roadway leading to the Parklands experiences more traffic with lots of turns at higher speeds.”
The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet (KYTC) has recently begun using ACE XP® on select projects, and Hall Contracting has increased its ACE XP® reinforced paving to above 30,000 tons per year on Louisville city streets, with a goal of using even more RAP (recycled asphalt pavement) on Louisville city streets with Surface Tech’s new REARM HR™ technology.
“We’ve worked with Phil Blankenship and BATT Labs to develop innovative paving solutions. He’s the godfather of Strata and developer of Surface-Tech’s new ARMI Interlayer, and Hall has provided more of this type of work in Kentucky than almost any other contractor. Phil always promotes a different perspective and brings new options our way.”
Working with BATT Labs and Surface Tech aligns neatly with the company’s goal of developing a reputation for providing a high-quality mix that adds minimal cost.
“Several years ago, we set out to find innovative solutions that would help us compete better. We told ourselves, ‘Let’s be the most innovative and have the best asphalt.’ We now have videos on trucks to show the results we’re getting. Sometimes data is hard to quantify, but actually seeing firsthand results with ACE XP® versus traditional, it’s hard to argue with that.”
Why pave more? ACE XP® delivers a tougher overlay ...
A 250-meter stretch of Mountain Highway in the District of North Vancouver was showing signs of fatigue cracking. The thin pavement endures an ever-increasing amount of traffic, but a solution was needed that would not require significant modifications to the existing road.
BA Blacktop paved a 65mm mill and replacement overlay consisting of 600 tons of ACE XP® Polymer Fiber reinforced surface asphalt. The reinforced mix increases the fatigue resistance of the pavement, equivalent to 80mm of unreinforced asphalt pavement.
The key to the strength of the reinforced pavement lies in the physical properties of ACE XP — wax-binded para-aramid polymer fibers.
Para-aramid polymer fibers provide outstanding strength, flexibility and abrasion tolerance.
To create ACE XP®, these high-tensile-strength fibers are bundled and coated with the wax to produce an asphalt additive that is simple to mix with any WMA or HMA in both drum and batch operations.
One of the most outstanding performance benefits of ACE XP® lies in its micro roots. These tendrils tenaciously anchor themselves into the bitumen of the asphalt, providing 400,000 psi tensile strength. The result is a three-dimensional reinforcement throughout the asphalt and a flexibility that resists rutting during hot summers and cracking through cold winters.
With ACE XP® in the asphalt mix, you get a tougher pavement that will stand up to harsh weather and traffic conditions, even if you pave it 65mm thick rather than 80mm. For more information on how Surface Tech products can make your pavement stronger and last longer, contact us.
ACE XP® versus Paving Fabrics — you owe it to ...
The advent of Surface Tech’s new ACE XP pavement overlay solution utilizes one of the strongest man-made fibers in existence — para aramid. ACE XP in a hot-mix, hot-laid overlay application can go head-to-head with typical fabric interlay applications in terms of cost. But in terms of performance, ACE XP comes out on top. It’s faster and easier to apply and more effective in reducing cracks.
A mix reinforced with ACE XP can be laid, worked, rolled and finished exactly the same as a regular mix with no special steps needed from the lay down crew. And as a bonus, ACE XP is fully recyclable. With paving fabrics, millings often go to the landfill. That makes ACE XP the sustainable choice for long-term pavement owners.
“We’ve had a lot of success with ACE XP in overlays, because once contractors use it, they love it,” said Michael Scardina, Regional Sales Director. “It’s a faster install, more crack resistant, and as a plant mix product, there’s no need for third party contractors so all the job profit stays in-house.”
ACE XP turns regular asphalt into a high-performance overlay, with the advantage of a faster and more consistent installation process. And since the overall cost of ACE XP competes well with the overall cost of installed paving fabrics, the only remaining question in your mind should be, “Why haven’t I tried it?”
For more information on ACE XP and other paving innovations from Surface Tech, contact us.
Alex Snell joins Surface Tech’s Canadian Team as ...
Surface Tech continues its efforts to increase services and technical support by adding Alex Snell to the team of highly qualified individuals focused on clients in Canada. As the team’s newest Account Manager, Alex will assist in Quality Assurance and training on the various applications of Surface Tech’s ACE XP Polymer Fiber™ product.
Alex was first introduced to ACE XP Polymer Fiber in 2018 and quickly became a leading advocate in its distribution, training, and management of projects. He has seen the product’s advantages firsthand and is eager to work with Owners and Engineers to introduce them to the innovative solutions that ACE XP Polymer Fiber can apply to their pavement challenges.
Alex brings more than 15 years of experience in the construction field in Alberta with companies like Volker Stevin and Nilex Inc. He knows the business from the ground up, having started as a laborer before moving to Quality Control, Project Coordinator and Project Manager/Sales. Through the years, Alex has established good relations within many sectors of the infrastructure industry, including oil/gas, MSE walls, and roads.
Alex holds a Business Degree in Marketing from Southern Alberta Institute of Technology – Calgary. We welcome him to the team. To learn more about ACE XP Polymer Fiber™ applications for Canadian infrastructure, contact us.
ACE XP provides a strong, smooth ride for a ...
Surface Tech’s ACE XP Polymer Fiber™ is providing a new lease on life for North Harbor Drive in San Diego. This main artery, between downtown and the city’s international airport, rarely sees a letup of traffic. When the recent shelter-in-place orders greatly reduced the vehicle count, public works officials took advantage of the lull to repave the roadway.
SRM Materials mixed PG 64-10 with a single dose of ACE XP 38mm over the two-week-long project. Surface Tech’s MD3 auto-dosing equipment provided an easy plant-site system for precisely feeding the polymer fibers into the mix, and its user-friendly computer-control ensures accurate tracking and daily reporting of the dosage.
Paving of the 3.3-mile section required a 28 ton-equivalent of the asphalt mix in the 3-inch mill-and-fill project. Since North Harbor Road is the first roadway people travel when visiting San Diego, the city wanted an overhaul that would last long and stay strong under constant traffic pressure. ACE XP Polymer Fibers™ provide a 3-dimensional reinforcement to each ton of mix, increasing the resistance to reflective cracking, rutting and fatigue and making the asphalt stronger and last longer.
A similar ACE XP asphalt mixture was utilized this spring to repave a busy road in the Talmage neighborhood of San Diego with excellent results. By adding ACE XP Polymer Fibers™, the city can expect many years of crack- and rut-resistant service, and plans are in the works to continue using the product on future roadway projects.
For more information on ACE XP Polymer Fibers™ and other Surface Tech products, contact us.
Interested in our new ARMI™ Reinforced RCRI?
Try it using our Good, Better, Best & Test Program
We recently introduced ARMI™, a new and vastly improved Reflective Cracking Relief Interlayer (RCRI) from Surface Tech. ARMI™ utilizes our ACE XP Polymer Fiber, made from one of the strongest man-made fibers in existence — aramid. That means the same fibers that provide armor for soldiers can now armor your next asphalt overlay to hold its ground against water penetration to the subgrade and deliver seven times greater crack resistance compared to standard asphalt mixes.
To help speed the introduction of this next-level RCRI, Surface Tech has developed the Good, Better, Best & Test Program.
Introducing the Good, Better, Best & Test Program by Surface Tech
Our 5-Step program begins by helping you better understand the condition of your existing pavement. It all starts with the numbers. The remaining steps guide you through determining which level of our Aramid Pavement Solution Platform, including ARMI , will work good, better or best with your numbers to achieve the level of performance improvement you desire for your budget.
As part of our program, we recommend using IDEAL-CT and Hamburg Wheel Test (HWT) to establish the cracking and rutting performance of your existing mix designs to set the baseline. Once this baseline is established, 4.2 oz. / ton and 8.4 oz. / ton of ACE XP Polymer Fiber should be lab mixed into these mix designs to establish the improved IDEAL-CT Index and associated HWT rut depth. This testing will provide a better Balance Mix Design protecting against both cracking and rutting.
The program works to match the right Aramid Pavement Solution with the cracking severity. Each project can then be categorized by cracking severity (Moderate, Severe and Very Severe). Once established, the correct Good, Better & Best solution can then be selected based on both performance and budget expectations.
What’s in your asphalt? Put an ARMI™ to work to help you find out!
Join us as we attack the ruts and cracks wreaking havoc on our nation’s pavements. Put our 5-Step Program to work for you — and for the entire asphalt pavement industry. Together, we can combine engineering know-how, investigation, quantification, mix design and testing to achieve the long-elusive goal of creating a balanced mix design, including RCRI, that finally conquers rutting and cracking.
For information on ARMI™ Reinforced RCRI and our Good, Better Best & Test Program, contact Joe Dennis, Chief Technology Officer for Asphalt.
San Diego chooses ACE XP for long life on busy ...
Fairmont Avenue defines the western border of the Talmage neighborhood in San Diego. It endures heavy traffic year after year. When public works officials looked at repaving a section of Fairmount Avenue that runs from El Cajon Boulevard to Home Avenue, they chose an asphalt mixture with a proven track record — PG 64-10 reinforced with ACE XP polymer fiber.
For the Fairmount project, SRM Materials mixed ACE XP 38mm in a single dose on site utilizing Surface Tech’s MD3 dosing equipment. Paving of the two-mile section required 23K metric tonnes of the asphalt mix in a 3-inch mill-and-fill project, which was completed in 10 days despite the need for control of heavy traffic.
Brandon Milar, CalAPA Technical Director, recently co-authored a white paper released by the City of San Diego Public Works Department detailing the history, research and advantages of including polymer fibers in asphalt mixes. The department is well versed on the crack-resistant benefits of ACE XP and how it can add years of life to roadways, thus reducing the cost of more frequent replacements. Public works officials plan to utilize the product throughout 2020 and beyond.
What producers need to know about the latest ...
Asphalt Producers 101:
Using ACE XP & ARMI Polymer Fibers in Plant Production
Thurs. May 14, 2020 – 1pm CDT
This series of three webinars is exploring how performance testing can drive the future improvement of asphalt mix designs.
In this third and final webinar, Phil Blankenship of Blankenship Asphalt Tech & Training, will discuss advancements in mix design using ACE XP Polymer Fiber and ARMI Reflective Crack Interlayer products. Both of these innovative products help achieve a better balance between cracking and rutting.
The two-hour webinar will include plant set-up, equipment available from Surface Tech for plant blending of the Aramid fibers, plant training and certification, and how producers can make more money when utilizing these advanced technology products.
Lastly, Phil will walk you through the newest crack testing procedures for running IDEAL CT crack tests in the typical plant materials lab.
Time for Q&A is built into the two-hour webinar, and PDH credits are available for those attending.
ACE XP provides true road improvement to Bogus ...
The Ada County Highway District (ACHD) recognizes that ACE XP provides a real solution for making pavement stronger. As a follow-up to a project in 2015, the district once again chose Surface Tech’s ACE XP polymer fiber in 2018 to create an overlay for the upper portion of Bogus Basin Road.
Each winter, thousands of skiers take Bogus Basin Road from post 9 to mile post 16.2 to reach one of Idaho’s busiest recreation areas—Bogus Basin Ski Resort. In summer, outdoor enthusiasts enjoy tubing, wall climbing, mountain biking and riding the Glade Runner mountain coaster. It’s little wonder, then, that the road takes a beating from heavy traffic and a wide range of temperatures throughout the seasons as it winds its way up a 5,790 foot elevation.
Based on the 2015 project, ACHD knew that ACE XP would add strength, performance and service life to its asphalt pavement—and would stand up to punishing traffic and weather conditions.
The 2018 project began on June 1st and was completed on August 31st. Central Paving produced 21,000 tons of asphalt mixed with ACE XP polymer fiber at its Joplin Asphalt Plant in Boise. The district has learned from experience that adding ACE XP will increase the road’s service life by at least 50 percent when compared to the surface course without ACE XP reinforcement.
ACHD continues to look for innovation in building and maintaining its roadways in an ongoing effort to keep the cost of long-term maintenance and repairs to a minimum. And while the name of this road project may be “bogus,” the district knows the benefits of adding ACE XP to the pavement mix are verifiably real.
Blackfeather Trail continues to see benefits of ...
In June 2017, the town of Castle Rock, CO decided to put ACE XP Polymer Fiber to the test on a busy section of Blackfeather Trail. With more than 40 years of experience in the paving industry, the civil engineers at Nilex were a trusted source for recommending the product as part of a thin lift repave project.
The location of this section of the road, near a middle school and recreation center, experiences continual high traffic from buses, commercial vehicles and cars. The unrelenting traffic load had created reflective and fatigue cracking. A thin lift repave of approximately 1.5 inches (38mm) was recommended as a solution that could not only withstand the stress from above and below, but also provide an lower cost alternative to expensive pavement grids.
Nilex recommended ACE Polymer Fiber for two main reasons. One, the product’s micro-fibers create a three-dimensional reinforcement solution uniquely suited to the high temperatures found in hot mix asphalt (HMA). ACE XP Polymer provides 400,000 psi tensile strength that combats rutting in summer heat as well as winter expansion/contraction cracking.
Two, ACE XP can be easily incorporated by any HMA contractor, and PLM Asphalt & Concrete, Inc. experienced no difficulties adding the fibers via vacuum line at the HMA plant. Once on site, the crews saw no change to the usual procedures for a non-reinforced installation.
For the town of Castle Rock, ACE XP proved to be a cost-effective solution for reducing cracks and future repair work. Today, almost three years later, the thin lift repave shows only minute wear and tear, and the life expectancy of this busy section of road has been extended far beyond the town’s traditional expectations.
For more information on ACE XP Polymer Fibers and how this innovative product can add strength and years of life to your next pavement project, contact Joe Dennis.
FRAP overlay proves it can handle tough road ...
As snow and ice bear down on the town of Monument, CO, the roads take a beating from heavy traffic, salt and brine. But come spring, one road in the town’s commercial district will emerge tough and travel worthy. That’s because Schmidt Construction Company introduced Monument’s public works officials to a new type of overlay: Fiber Reinforced Asphalt Pavement, commonly known as FRAP. Schmidt paved the heavily traveled commercial area with FRAP in March 2018.
FRAP contains millions of tiny aramid fibers, similar to the polymer fibers found in Surface Tech’s revolutionary ACE XP asphalt enhancement product. Aramid polymer fibers are five times stronger than steel and can withstand drum mixing temperatures well above 500 degrees, making them a perfect reinforcement for hot mix asphalt.
The FRAP overlays were not only stronger, but the price was less than typical interlayers, and construction time was unaffected. Since the fibers are dosed into the mix on site or at the plant, paving can follow any planned patching and milling schedule.
The minimum dosage of 2.1 ounces of fibers per ton of mix produces a 50 percent increase in rut resistance and up to a 150 percent increase in crack resistance. That’s because aramid fibers have incredible tensile strength. The mix also incorporated a 58/28 binder and still maintained flexibility at the town’s 6,975 feet of elevation.
Tri-View Metropolitan District, a large homeowners association within Monument, also tried FRAP on two streets with the town’s assistance. Initial checks on the pavements six months later revealed only tight cracks less than 2 inches long.
Pleased with the results, both the town and Tri-View have done more FRAP overlay paving, this time with Martin Marietta. And another major reconstruction overlay project in the Tri-View District was completed by Kiewit as part of the HOA’s multi-year improvement program.
All projects are seeing great results, proving asphalt made with fiber products like ACE XP can add years of life to pavement and provide an excellent return on investments for towns like Monument and HOAs like Tri-View.
See you at TRB January 12 – 16 in Washington, DC!
We’re looking forward to sharing ideas and information at the Transportation Research Board (TRB) 99th Annual Meeting. Our industry can be proud of the many accomplishments and improvements we have made to roads and highways over the past 99 years. Surface Tech will be sharing its own material advancements in two Solutions Showcase Theater presentations. Aramid Fiber reinforcement of asphalt pavements will also be presented during break-out sessions by several presenters. We invite you to join us.
Monday, January 13, 11:30AM
Advancements in Aramid Reinforcement Technology for Asphalt Pavements
Presentors:
•Joe Dennis, Vice President/Chief Technology Officer of Asphalt, Surface Tech
•Phil Blankenship, Chief Engineer, Blankenship Asphalt Tech and Training, PLLC
•Dr. Bill Buttlar, Mizzou Pavement & Innovation Lab (MAPIL)
rThe latest advancements in Aramid Reinforcement Technology can extend the service life of asphalt pavements. Through IDEAL CT and Hamburg lab performance testing, the improvement in both crack and rut resistance can be determined prior to any pavement being laid using ACE XP Polymer without the need for in-place monitoring programs. Dr. Bill Buttlar from Mizzou Pavement & Innovation Lab (MAPIL) will present his latest findings on performance testing using ACE XP Polymer Fiber pavement mixtures. And finally, Surface Tech will also unveil its newest product, ARMI (Aramid Reinforced Mix Interlayer) which is a Reflective Crack Relief Interlayer (RCRI) with Aramid Reinforcement.
Tuesday, January 14, 11:30AM
JUNO XP: A Revolutionary ASCM Technology
Presentor:
John McConahy, Corporate Sales Director, Surface Tech
Surface Tech’s pioneering product, JUNO XP®, is an advanced supplementary cementitious material that reduces the cost of concrete without sacrificing performance. JUNO XP® can be used to partially substitute traditional cement binders in standard concretes, as well as in other traditional applications, such as Soil Stabilization, Mass Concrete, Shotcrete and above-grade vertical wall construction. John McConahy will share how this revolutionary high-tech material can change the way you look at mix design.
Break-Out Sessions:
Event 1450 – Use of Fiber Reinforcement in Asphalt
10:15 am to Noon – Tuesday Jan 14th
Sponsored by AFK 30 Committee
(https://annualmeeting.mytrb.org/interactiveprogram/Details/13610)
Presiding:
Raul Velasquez, Minnesota Department of Transportation
Presenters:
•University of Alberta
•Rowen University
•VT University
Event 1714 – Performance-Engineered Asphalt Mixture Designs
10:15 am to Noon – Wednesday Jan 15th
Sponsored by AFK 50 Committee
(https://annualmeeting.mytrb.org/interactiveprogram/Details/13800)
Presiding:
Thomas Bennert, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey,
Nathan Morian, Nevada Department of Transportation
Presenters:
•Erdem Coleri, University of Oregon State University
Committee Meetings:
- AFN 10 -Chair Dr John Kreven
- Presentation: Monday 13th 2:30pm - ACSM Defined
- AFN 30 - Chair Gina Ahlstrom
- Presentation - Wednesday 15th 11am ASCM - Today’s Use Reasoning
7x greater crack resistance and no third-party ...
Get ready — a unique new solution for bottom-up reflective cracking hits the market soon!
Within the next 30 days, Surface Tech will introduce a new Reflective Cracking Relief Interlayer (RCRI) product that can revolutionize the treatment of pavement suffering from bottom-up reflective cracking. If cracks in your aging concrete or asphalt concrete pavements are giving you constant headaches, stay on the lookout for the announcements. Here’s why.
The typical treatment for restoring deteriorating Portland Cement Concrete (PCC) and asphalt concrete (AC) generally employs a hot mix asphalt overlay. Unfortunately, due to the mismatch between the flexural strengths of the underlaying pavement and the asphalt overlay, cracks tend to reappear within three to five years.
Asphalt rubber interlayers, fabrics and other interlayer methods have been used to address the problem, and the performance of these methods has varied greatly—especially in cold climates.
“Early 2019 testing performed by the University of California-Berkley Pavement Research Center (UCPRC) on ACE XP Polymer Fiber reinforced asphalt mixes led the Surface Tech development team into the lab to develop a novel and unique RCRI solution utilizing aramid fibers to reduce the need for polymer modified binders,” said Phil Blankenship, P.E., a member of Surface Tech’s Advisory Committee and principal of Blankenship Asphalt Tech and Training, PLLC. Blankenship led the research and development of Surface Tech’s new RCRI product.
UCPRC found that typical asphalt mixes reinforced with ACE XP Polymer Fiber can improve the mixture fatigue life by over 90 percent at 600 microstrains and 200 percent at 900 microstrains. Further development by Surface Tech has led to a new RCRI product reinforced with aramid polymer fibers that can provide fatigue life improvement of more than 700 percent at 2000 microstrains.
“These results are significant, because most bottom-up, or reflective cracking, falls in the 600+ microstrains range,” said Blankenship. “The added performance built into this new RCRI product provides improved service life for years of crack-free performance.”
In addition to providing vastly improved crack resistance, Surface Tech’s next-level RCRI solution also reduces costs by eliminating the third-party contractors typically required for other geosynthetic interlayer products. Instead, Surface Tech’s new RCRI solution is a plant-made and paver-laid interlayer keeping the paver in control of tight construction schedules.
To successfully protect against reflexive cracking, the RCRI must be designed to meet a high-strain beam fatigue test and a rutting test and be combined with a high-quality asphalt overlay to protect the interlayer from direct traffic.
“Today’s mixtures do not have to rely on just polymer in the asphalt binder to create a highly crack resistant interlayer product,” said Blankenship. “Surface Tech’s new RCRI solution provides greatly enhanced performance and provides an RCRI system that can be engineered for all parts of the U.S., no matter the availability of binder and other raw materials.”
Surface Tech’s new RCRI product hits the market in 30 days
Michael Scardina joins Surface Tech as Regional ...
Surface Tech welcomes Michael Scardina aboard as Regional Sales Director to assist meeting the increasing demand for Surface Tech’s platform of products.
“Our product refinement is now at a stage where we need solid sales stewardship to manage
Mike will rely on nearly 20 years of experience in the asphalt business, beginning as a release agent vendor in 2000. For the next 17 years, he built relationships with plant and industry customers from Seattle to Chicago to Albuquerque. relationships both new and ongoing. Mike will be a great asset, as he works to promote all things Surface Tech moving into the upcoming promotional season and beyond,” said Steve Santa Cruz, President of Surface Tech.
In 2017, Mike expanded his knowledge base by moving into Fiber Reinforced Asphalt Pavement (FRAP) after joining Nilex. While there, he increased awareness and grew the market among state and local agencies and among private asphalt producers.
For assistance, Mike is the man to call at Surface Tech. He can be reached at michael.scardina@surface-tech.com or call him at 720-768-6854.
ACE XP Polymer Fiber helps a new pavement design ...
Taylor County Airport in Kentucky (Photo by Palmer Engineering)
A custom asphalt mix design utilizing ACE XP polymer fibers has given a general aviation airport the long-term solution it sought for a nagging pavement cracking problem. Initial results show the custom design, which combined both a binder layer and a surface layer reinforced with ACE XP, will exceed expectations by greatly reducing cracking potential.
The six-year-old runway pavement at Taylor County Airport in Kentucky was failing. Airport authorities called on Palmer Engineering to provide a desperately needed 15-year-plus solution to the pavement’s micro-cracking problem. Working with Haydon Materials, the team turned to an expert with long-standing experience in designing crack-resistant asphalt pavements.
“Haydon Materials brought in Phil Blankenship from Blankenship Asphalt Tech & Training,” said Joe Dennis, Surface Tech’s chief technology officer for asphalt.
“The airport authorities were concerned that numerous cracks in the existing pavement could lead to failure, a common failure in airport pavements as aging occurs can create FOD — Flying Object Debris — causing a danger to the aircraft and potentially the traveling public.”
No milling was done on the runway pavement prior to re-paving. This meant the existing cracks would be exposed to the bottom of the binder layer and would ultimately reflect upward through the new pavement. The solution called for an inordinately crack resistant and resilient binder layer that either needed to be custom-designed, or an expensive two-dimensional geosynthetic rolled interlayer product.
“As a member of Surface-Tech’s Technical Advisory Committee, Phil is well versed on the capabilities of ACE XP, and he set about designing a completely new binder layer asphalt mix using it.”
Blankenship was able to deliver a design that Haydon could produce in its plant and pave with existing paving equipment. Using ACE XP in the new binder layer design gave Haydon Materials an effective crack resistant solution, while maintaining cost control for this demanding application.
The customized ACE XP mix achieved a new level of flexibility for the binder layer. The new binder layer design — a finely graded, highly asphalted crack resistant mixture — greatly reduced the potential for cracks to reflect upward from the base through the new pavement.
An ACE XP reinforced surface mix was also designed utilizing a higher-than-normal asphalt content to provide even greater crack resistance than a typical FAA asphalt mix design,
“The development of this unique combination of mix designs for the binder and surface layer is an exciting advancement for the paving industry that holds great promise for dramatically improving crack prevention,” said Dennis.
“With this new approach, contractors can also control the quality in both production and installation, as the new mix design is simply incorporated into the contractor’s production processes, thus eliminating third party contractors to install the 2-dimentional geosynthetic rolled interlayer product.”
For more information on ACE XP crack resistant designs, contact us.
New and improved MD3+
More accurate than ever — just in time for the asphalt season
Last July, Surface Tech introduced the MD3+, the latest version of its Micro Doser system that can handle both 19mm or 38mm sizes of ACE XP polymer fibers. This year, the MD3+ comes with added improvements to the computer interface, which tracks the total weight used and average dosage rate right on the home screen to ensure the accurate dosing of 4.2 ounces of ACE XP into each ton of produced asphalt.
“We are proud to announce that we’ve succeeded in making some programming enhancements that improve the dosing accuracy even more —MD3+ can now dose to within 2 percent of the dosage rate. This is well under Surface Tech’s suggested 5 percent in our product and dosage specifications,” said Joe Dennis, vice president & chief technical officer.
Additionally, Surface Tech has ramped up the availability of the MD3+. The company will be stocking a fleet of more than 20 MD3+ systems strategically around the country and making them available just in time for the spring asphalt season.
To find out how to add the MD3+ and Surface Tech’s revolutionary ACE XP polymer fibers to your next asphalt project, Contact Surface Tech today. We make asphalt stronger than steel, with a life cycle that can go the distance.
Technical review of Indirect Tensile Strength ...
Alternative tests, plus a balanced mix design, can improve predictions of asphalt performance
The indirect tensile strength (ITS) test has been utilized for more than 40 years as a definitive method for predicting the performance of asphalt mixtures. But the test, at 25°C, can render misleading results, according to a recently released technical brief by Phil Blankenship, P.E.
“While the indirect tensile strength test at 25°C is sensitive to changes in mixture properties such as air voids, asphalt binder content, binder grade, aggregate properties (angularity, texture, etc.), the resulting indirect tensile strength does not always equate to positive field results,” he writes. “In other words, high tensile strength alone does not always relate to improved cracking resistance.”
The author discusses various developments taken over the past 10 to 15 years in ITS testing to achieve more predictive results for top down cracking. However, differences in testing temperatures and loading rates may not, in reality, conform to ASTM D 6931 standards.
Blankenship presents data from various experiments that show a weak correlation between strength (at 25° C) and ALF cycles to failure. Various results of other tests also show that indirect tensile strength testing alone (at 25°C) can be misleading.
Instead, Blankenship advises that other cracking tests produce good correlations to field performance, and the types of tests and standards are provided within the paper. The author further explores taking a “balanced mix design” approach, or performance-based testing.
To explore the various testing methods for yourself, click here.
IDEAL-CT & Hamburg Wheel Tracker meet the need ...
ACE XP shows 30% to 50% improvements in both tests
Figure 1. Indirect Tensile Cracking Test at Intermediate Temperature (IDEAL-CT)
Asphalt pavements need to be stiff enough to minimize rutting, but resilient enough to bend without breaking to prevent cracking. The trend over the last 20 years has been one-sided — fixing the ruts at the expense of the cracks. Many in the industry have begun to recognize the need for a “balanced approach” to developing pavement designs that will perform well in resisting both rutting and cracking.
There are seven key existing performance or index tests for asphalt cracking (see Table 1). These tests vary in complexity and cost, and as a result, the asphalt industry has not traditionally performed cracking performance tests on every project.
Figure 2. Hamburg Wheel Tracker (HWT) Test
For rut testing, the Hamburg Wheel Tracker (HWT) test tends to be the most widely used method. However, many agencies and specifiers, including DOTs, are moving toward adopting performance-based specifications where both mix designs and daily production will need to meet certain minimums in both cracking and rutting parameters in order to be considered.
A new and promising cracking test has recently been developed by Dr. Fujie Zhou and his colleagues at the Texas A&M Transportation Institute. The Indirect Tensile Cracking Test at Intermediate Temperature (IDEAL-CT) is a reduced cost method that provides consistent results to predict field performance in cracking. This test, along with HWT, can be used daily to ensure that asphalt mixes meet both rutting and cracking performance criteria in a balanced manner.
For example, tests utilizing the HWT and IDEAL-CT methods on ACE XP asphalt mixes can be seen in Figures 1 & 2. The results compare mixes with and without ACE XP and show clear performance advantages with ACE XP in both rutting and cracking sample results.
Bottom line: In balanced performance testing, ACE XP Polymer Fiber yields an improvement of 30% to 50% in both rutting and cracking performance. To learn more about ACE XP or how to achieve a balanced approach to testing using the IDEAL-CT method, contact us.
Fig. 1 - Hamburg Wheel Tracker (HWT) Test Example
Fig. 2 - IDEAL-CT Crack Test Example:
94th Annual AAPT Annual Meeting — we’ll see you ...
The AAPT annual meeting is just a few weeks away, and our Chef Technical Officer Joe Dennis will be on hand to share the latest updates on ACE XP Polymer Fiber —a product that can make asphalt stronger than steel. The schedule includes several technical presentations on asphalt binders, strength testing techniques and mix designs, plus some social opportunities.
We especially encourage everyone to attend the Leading Edge Workshop on Monday, March 4, at 9:45 a.m. Phil Blankenship, P.E., a leader in the asphalt industry, will preside over the session of Automation in the Paving Industry. This session features two cutting-edge topics of: 3-D Paving: Advances and Limitations and Automation in Testing from the Lab to the Field. This session will be livestreamed on Youtube.
The line-up of presentations looks both comprehensive and potentially groundbreaking. Check it out here, and plan to join us as we convene in Fort Worth March 3 through 6. To plan a meet-up, contact us.
Discover Surface Tech at the TRB Annual Meeting ...
Innovative products that deliver better, stronger, longer-lasting building materials
It’s almost here! The Transportation Research Board (TRB) 98th Annual Meeting will convene next week in Washington, DC. We’ll be there, and we invite everyone to drop by our booth to learn how Surface Tech products can deliver significant benefits to your next concrete or asphalt project.
Our innovative ACE XP polymer fiber solution can make asphalt stronger than steel. JUNO XP, our alternative supplementary cementitious material (ASCM), utilizes cutting-edge advancements in mineralogy and pozzolans to improve the performance of concrete at a microscopic level. Stop by and learn more.
You can also discover more about our products by attending Surface Tech’s TRB Live! Theater. Be sure to mark our presentations on your meeting calendar:
Monday, January 14th - 9:30 a.m.
What is an ASCM and why do we care?
Jon Belkowitz, PhD, Chief Technology Officer, Surface Tech
Portland cement concrete already incorporates a wide range of supplementary cementitious materials, including fly ash from coal combustion, and silica. However, these materials do not address all of the shortcomings of Portland cement in certain applications and environments. Alternative supplementary cementitious materials hold the promise of increasing the strength of concrete, requiring less water in the mix, improving workability and producing a concrete that’s less brittle. Surface Tech has been at the forefront of alternative binder technology since 2016. Come learn about JUNO XP. We are seeing spectacular potential for this product as an alternative supplementary cementitious material. We’ll explain how it can reduce cost and increase strength of traditional concrete in your next project.
Tuesday, January 15th 12:30 p.m.
The ideal asphalt cracking performance test — what is it?
Joe Dennis, Vice President & Chief Technical Officer, Surface Tech
Phil Blankenship, PE, BLANKENSHIP ASPHALT TECH AND TRAINING, PLLC
ASCE recently gave U.S. roadways a dismal “grade D+.” One main reason for this poor performance is the premature cracking of asphalt pavements. This presentation will review a variety of cracking performance tests currently available, providing the strengths and weaknesses of each — including a review of the newest crack performance test called the IDEAL CT crack test. Since the availability of asphalt crack improving modifier options is limited, the presentation will also provide an overview of the capabilities of aramid polymer fibers to decrease this premature cracking of asphalt pavements.
What do bowstrings, hockey sticks and skis have ...
All require strength, flexibility and abrasion tolerance to achieve high performance. The common ingredient that delivers those winning traits is aramid fibers. These polymer synthetic fibers provide advantages that make them ideal for a wide range of products. So it’s not surprising that more than 60,000 tons of aramid fibers are produced annually, and demand continues to grow as new applications emerge.
Years ago, Surface Tech recognized the superior advantages that aramid fibers, particularly para-aramid fibers, could provide to asphalt applications. The company began offering the ACE XP aramid polymer fiber additive after years of painstaking research and multi-geographical testing. Back then, the challenge was to find a way to harness millions of tiny fibers into a final product that could be easily managed. By combining para-aramid with a wax treatment, Surface Tech achieved its goal of creating an additive that successfully reinforces and properly doses the entire matrix of asphalt.
The wax binds the polymer fibers to allow for an easy, reliable method for feeding into the asphalt mix. Once added, the wax melts and is fully soluble within the mix to release the polymer fibers in a uniform distribution. This unique delivery process produces the highest performing blend of Fiber Reinforced Asphalt Concrete (FRAC) on the market, and any asphalt project can benefit from ACE XP.
If you want an asphalt surface that resists cracking and rutting and dramatically extends the life of your pavement, call us. With para-aramid fibers, you’ll get asphalt that’s stronger than steel, and only from ACE XP — the Number One choice for strength, flexibility and abrasion tolerance.
Turn to ACE XP for Extreme Performance Asphalt
Contractors have come to depend on ACE XP Polymer Fiber from Surface Tech to make asphalt more durable and long-lasting. How does this high-tech additive deliver on its promise to produce extreme performance asphalt? The key lies in its chemical makeup — it’s composed of aramid polymers.
Aramid polymers contain a set of chemical properties that give them outstanding strength, flexibility and abrasion tolerance. They’re particularly useful in applications where flexing tolerance is important, like armor, airplane wings, ropes, cables, undersea pipelines, and of course asphalt applications.
To create ACE XP, high-strength aramid fibers are bundled and coated with wax to produce an asphalt additive that is simple and dependable to mix with any WMA or HMA in both drum and batch operations. In fact, this binder use insures proper aramid delivery into the WMA/HMA; and coupled with our precise dosing equipment, delivers consistently intended amounts into every ton of asphalt.
One of the most outstanding performance benefits of ACE XP lies in its micro roots. These tendrils tenaciously anchor themselves into the bitumen of the asphalt, providing 400,000 psi tensile strength. The result is a three-dimensional reinforcement throughout the asphalt and a flexibility that resists rutting during hot summers and cracking through cold winters.
Contractors will also appreciate the fact that ACE XP is a “dry" polymer fiber. Comparatively, it’s less expensive, more reliable, and easier to adopt. The MD3+ dosing system from Surface Tech delivers an easy, foolproof way to add ACE XP to any asphalt mixture.
Yet the ultimate beauty to ACE XP is its scalability and batch-to-batch reliability. Combined with the life-span improvements it provides, it’s a winning way to armor your asphalt for the long haul. That kind of reliability allows contractors to sell and place with confidence, knowing the asphalt they provide will deliver extreme performance based on an excellent polymer.
Rugged & Ready: MD3.0+ answers the call for plant ...
Now that asphalt producers have seen and used the new MD3.0 Automated Dosing Machine for ACE Fibers, the response has been overwhelmingly positive. In fact, many now want to integrate the MD3.0 into plant operations. We heard them, and we now offer the improved MD3.0+.
It’s more rugged, with upgraded welded and wiring connections, capable of withstanding tough, everyday use. And we now offer both pilot house control integration and a super sack feeder option for producers that want to integrate the MD3.0+ permanently into their plant operations.
“From the comments we’ve received, it’s clear that plant integration is a big deal to asphalt producers. Integrating the MD3.0+ with both pilot house controls and a super sack feeder makes the system more automated at the plant, similar to how producers are used to producing asphalt,” says Joe Dennis, Vice President & Chief Technical Officer. “We have the technology to achieve the integration, for those who want it.”
The new and improved MD3.0+ will also prove to be more rugged for all producers, whether at the plant or transported to the job site.
“We’ve answered customer requests to make the MD3 sturdier, ensuring a longer life and greater dependability,” says Dennis. “The MD3.0+ is the new standard moving forward.”
For more information, contact Joe Dennis.
Surface Tech Representatives to Attend World of ...
Representatives from Surface Tech will join thousands of industry professionals at the World of Asphalt convention in Houston from March 6-8. The World of Asphalt is the leading trade show for the aggregate, asphalt, pavement maintenance, and traffic safety industry sectors.
“We are looking forward to reconnecting personally with many industry colleagues at World of Asphalt and sharing exciting developments from Surface Tech,” said Joe Dennis, VP/CTO of Surface Tech’s Asphalt Division. “Our ACE Fiber technology continues to deliver impressive results alongside our innovative Quality Control (QC) program’s automated dosing equipment line.”
When ACE Fiber is mixed into asphalt, it disperses over 19 million Aramid fibers throughout each ton of mix to provide 3-dimensional reinforcement that increases the asphalt’s resistance to reflective cracking, rutting, fatigue and increased life expectancy.
For more information visit http://surface-tech.com/asphalt-ace-fiber/
ACE XP Paves a Grand Entrance for California’s ...
In the chic Palm Desert region of California, the owners of the historic Marrakesh Country Club faced overwhelming roadway maintenance costs as they grappled with a history of standard mix designs that resulted in rapid weathering and failure.
Experts from California Filtration Specialists (CFS) and Surface Tech immediately realized the many benefits Marrakesh Country Club could realize by using ACE XP. After analyzing the project pavement design, Surface Tech was able to provide Marrakesh Country Club with a ¼ inch reduction in asphalt thickness, which resulted in significant cost savings.
“ACE XP reinforce the pavement so that it can withstand a harsh environment such as the California desert,” said Joe Dennis, Director, Asphalt Division - Surface Tech. “The Marrakesh Country Club team was optimistic that ACE XP could provide the exact solution they were in search of - strength, durability, and longer life expectancy.”
The project specified an ACE XP - Fiber Reinforced Asphalt Concrete (FRAC) mix design. Over 10,000 ton equivalents of ACE XP FRAC were used on the five-week project for the country club’s roadways.
About ACE XP:
ACE XP, a Surface Tech asphalt additive, uses aramid fibers to address the two major distresses affecting asphalt performance today; cracking and rutting. Doing so also dramatically improved the treated roads’ life expectancy.
When ACE XP is mixed into asphalt, it disperses over 19 million Aramid fibers throughout each ton of mix to provide 3-dimensional reinforcement that increases the asphalt’s resistance to reflective cracking, rutting, fatigue and increased life expectancy.
And best of all, no specialty contractors are needed for installation. Contractors handle ACE XP reinforced asphalt the same way they handle standard asphalt. This underscores ACE XP’s technology in being easy to adopt.
For more information visit http://surface-tech.com/asphalt-ace-xp/.
On Demand Webinar: The Asphalt Revolution
As the interest in ACE Fibers and FRAC (Fiber Reinforced Asphalt Concrete) continues to grow, Surface Tech distributor, NILEX, recently hosted a webinar, now available on-demand, entitled The Asphalt Revolution: The Key to Pavement Strength and Extended Service Life, which addresses many FAQs about ACE Fibers.
During the 45 minute webinar, NILEX provides an overview of the purpose of ACE Fibers, the research and methodology utilized, case study summaries from around the US, and price comparisons with and without ACE Fibers.
“There are a lot of stressors that the top layer of asphalt is exposed to, from both above and beneath the top layer. Even if conditions are perfect at the time of the installation, grades change over time including weak soil, drainage and temperature fluctuations. This is where ACE Fibers help greatly extend the life of asphalt,” said Pat Tyl, NILEX representative and webinar host. “Traditional asphalt is basically rocks and glue, while fiber-reinforced asphalt provides ‘roots’ that grab onto the asphalt particles.”
ACE Fibers uses aramid fibers to address the two major distresses affecting asphalt performance today; cracking and rutting. Doing so also dramatically improves the treated roads’ life expectancy.
When ACE Fiber is mixed into asphalt, it disperses over 19 million Aramid fibers throughout each ton of mix to provide 3-dimensional reinforcement that increases the asphalt’s resistance to reflective cracking, rutting, fatigue and increased life expectancy.
To view the webinar, please visit https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/recording/823398247182443521 For more information on ACE, visit http://surface-tech.com/asphalt-ace-fiber/.
Video: ACE XP Selected for Busy Asphalt Road in ...
Blackfeather Trail is a busy asphalt-paved road in Castle Rock, Colorado which faced cracking issues after years of fatigue. The town of Castle Rock sought an innovative and cost-effective solution to repair the road and ensure its durability. Located near a high school and recreation center, high traffic volumes were certain to continue, including a large number of school buses.
Surface Tech distributor Nilex discussed with the town its need for an effective, long-term solution that would reduce costs. The existing road experienced reflective cracking and rutting, and was in poor condition. Castle Rock recognized the value that ACE XP provides to prevent these burdensome and costly issues in the future and chose Nilex and ACE XP for the project. By choosing ACE XP, the town was able to utilize a thinner pavement overlay, resulting in significant cost savings.
“One of Castle Rock’s core values is innovation,” said Joe Dennis, Managing Partner, BreakThrough Technologies. “Nilex and ACE XP align perfectly with this value while providing cost savings in addition to the anti-rutting and anti-cracking attributes required for this challenging job.”
Nilex’s successful installation resulted in a durable and strong paving solution that the town of Castle Rock can enjoy for many years with less maintenance and more reliability.
To view more project details, photos and video, visit http://nilex.com/projects/blackfeather-trail-ace-fiber-thin-lift-repave.
About ACE XP Polymer Fiber:
ACE XP, a Surface Tech asphalt additive, uses aramid fibers to address the two major distresses affecting asphalt performance today; cracking and rutting. Doing so also dramatically improved the treated roads’ life expectancy.
When ACE XP is mixed into asphalt, it disperses over 19 million Aramid fibers throughout each ton of mix to provide 3-dimensional reinforcement that increases the asphalt’s resistance to reflective cracking, rutting, fatigue and increased life expectancy.
And best of all, no specialty contractors are needed for installation. Contractors handle ACE XP reinforced asphalt the same way they handle standard asphalt. This underscores ACE XP's technology in being easy to adopt. For more information visit http://surface-tech.com/asphalt-ace-xp/.
Surface Tech to Attend 2017 American Public Works ...
Surface Tech, an innovative solutions provider, will engage with professionals from across the country at the 2017 PWX Conference in Orlando and highlight the unique services and suite of products that Surface Tech provides to the Public Works industry. PWX is hosted by the American Public Works Association and is attended by thousands of public works professionals each year.
“Surface Tech understands the challenges faced by public works professionals and offers solutions that result in significant cost savings, higher quality infrastructure and streamlined processes,” said Steve Santa Cruz, President, Surface Tech. “From our groundbreaking digital business platform to our portfolio of specialty concrete and asphalt products, Surface Tech works to provide tangible solutions that are backed by extensive research and solid results.”
Be sure to visit Surface Tech’s booth (#655) and meet Bryan Goerger, Company VP, who along with other Surface Tech representatives and the FL distributor, ACF Environmental/Landsaver, will be on hand to showcase products and demonstrate our digital business solutions platform.
Surface Tech’s platform for products and services encompasses three primary components: ACETM and AQUTM Fibers for asphalt, Specialty Concrete, and Digital Business Solutions.
Learn more about Surface Tech’s solutions at www.surface-tech.com and read more about the 2017 PWX Conference at //pwx.apwa.net.
Video: Example of ACE Fiber Dosing and ...
Recently Kitsap County, Washington chose ACE Fibers for a 12000 TE asphalt pavement project.
“Continuous dosing results in a very thorough blending of the product,” said Joe Dennis, Managing Partner, BreakThrough Technologies. “Because of this, there are no visible fibers in the mix, no change in laydown operations, no bulging edges, and no fibers or asphalt stick to the drum.”
View the dosing operations and application for Kitsap County here:
About ACE XP Polymer Fiber:
ACE XP, a Surface Tech asphalt additive, uses aramid fibers to address the two major distresses affecting asphalt performance today; cracking and rutting. Doing so also dramatically improved the treated roads’ life expectancy.
When ACE XP is mixed into asphalt, it disperses over 19 million Aramid fibers throughout each ton of mix to provide 3-dimensional reinforcement that increases the asphalt’s resistance to reflective cracking, rutting, fatigue and increased life expectancy.
And best of all, no specialty contractors are needed for installation. Contractors handle ACE XP Fiber reinforced asphalt the same way they handle standard asphalt. This underscores ACE XP's technology in being easy to adopt.
For more information visit ACE XP.
Getting the Most Mileage from Asphalt Fiber ...
It is well-proven that adding asphalt fibers such as ACE Fiber™ or AQU Fiber™ make asphalt tougher and last longer. However, the full benefits of these fibers are best realized if incorporated at the design stage.
By introducing fiber additives at the design stage, rather than at the spec stage, the end result is an increased speed of construction and significant reduction of asphalt thickness, in addition to the fiber’s benefits of anti-cracking, strength, and improvement of road quality.
“We have demonstrated through extensive testing in both lab and field, that adding our aramid fibers to asphalt projects, we enhance and strengthen asphalt pavement,” said Joe Dennis, Managing Partner, BreakThrough Technologies. “Coupling our fibers with less asphalt ratio for the entire pavement section creates dramatic cost savings; while still adding performance and life benefits.”
In addition to higher quality roads and cost savings, a project’s carbon footprint can also be greatly reduced as a result of incorporating ACE Fiber™ or AQU Fiber™ into the design stage.
“The reduction of asphalt thickness coupled with dramatic cost savings is impressive and this can be achieved when introducing fibers at the design stage,” said Dennis.
For more information on ACE or AQU Fibers, please visit www.surface-tech.com.
The Right Mix Every Time: Effective Quality ...
Many asphalt producers understand the benefit that additives such as ACE and AQU Fibers can provide to both their product and bottom line, but are intimidated by the prospect of accurately dosing a small amount of additive into tons of product.
Surface Tech heard this common concern among asphalt producers and developed an effective approach to quality assurance. This QA program is championed at the plant level, does not require new equipment or changes in the mix design or any plant processes, and can provide project certification (PE stamp) for each mix.
“Asphalt producers have been searching for a dosing QA program that is easily adopted at the producer level and is managed by engineers and other technical experts,” said Steve Santa Cruz, President, Surface Tech. “Through our QA program, producers can reap the proven benefits of additives without assuming unnecessary risk with regards to proper dosing.”
Surface Tech offers options for its QA program. One option offers onsite assistance at the plant during the mix from technical and engineering staff who will coordinate directly with the plant manager to ensure a quality mix. Another option is a one-day training to certify the producer’s staff on how to dose themselves with remote assistance.
“When you are looking at mixing 4.2 ounces of fibers into a ton of product, it’s vital that an expert is on hand to ensure success,” said Joe Dennis, Managing Partner, BreakThrough Technologies. “With Surface Tech’s QA program, you can be assured that the technical aspects of dosing will be executed accurately and backed by engineers.”
Surface Tech is able to certify asphalt mixes for ACE and AQU Fibers across all 50 states and throughout all Canadian provinces. For more information Surface Tech’s QA program, please visit //surface-tech.com/portfolio/ace-fiber-mixing-process/.
CASE STUDY: Louisville Adds ACE XP to Overlay to ...
When the City of Louisville in Kentucky wanted to extend the life and delay the maintenance cycle of a resurfacing project on West Broadway downtown, they protected their investment by adding ACE XP to the mix.
Current and historic research and case studies show that ACE XP significantly enhances asphalt concrete performance. A 140% increase in crack resistance and 60% rut resistance have been demonstrated.
“By adding ACE XP to the 1.5-inch overlay, Louisville Metro can expect it to last longer and need maintenance less often. Like all of our clients, they want to save time and money that they devote to roads,” said Jeff McConahy, regional account manager for Site Supply, the ACE XP distributor in Kentucky and Ohio.
McConahy worked on the project with the paving contractor Flynn Brothers Contracting and CBC Engineering, whose technicians added the fibers to the asphalt.
Louisville Metro will continue to monitor the improved performance of the road. Producing and installing the ACE XP Polymer Fiber reinforced asphalt went very well with no issues or changes to typical procedures.
“Mixing at Flynn Brother’s plant and paving with the fibers on West Broadway was a great experience for everyone,” said McConahy.
A Stronger, Smarter Asphalt for Attendees at ...
Cracking and rutting. These are two top challenges facing asphalt in the market today and the more than 100k attendees at the upcoming CONEXPO - CON/AGG Convention in Las Vegas are more than familiar with these performance issues.
Surface Tech heard the unique needs of the asphalt market and developed an innovative additive technology, known as ACE Fiber, to increase asphalt performance by reducing cracking and rutting. Testing of ACE Fiber shows a 140% increase in crack resistance and 60% increase in rut resistance.
To create ACE, Surface Tech bound aramid fibers with a wax that melts at 175F/79C, allowing for both a HMA&WMA product. The wax simply acts as a control of fiber into the mix; therefore providing a clean and deliberate means to dose the aramid appropriately. This control sets the stage for a competent fiber-dosing accuracy for all intended mixes.
When ACE Fiber is mixed into asphalt, it disperses over 19 million Aramid fibers throughout each ton of mix to provide 3-dimensional reinforcement that increases the asphalt’s resistance to reflective cracking, rutting, fatigue and dramatically increases life expectancy.
And best of all, no specialty contractors are needed for installation. Contractors handle ACE Fiber reinforced asphalt the same way they handle standard asphalt. This underscores ACE’s technology in being easy to adopt.
Ready to learn more about ACE Fiber in conjunction with this year's CONEXPO-CON/AGG Convention? Request further information or even a demo at //surface-tech.com/contact-2016/
ACE Fiber Distribution Team Sets Focus for 2017
Representatives from across North America recently gathered in Las Vegas to engage in the first annual National Distribution Partners Meeting. The session, hosted by Surface Tech and BreakThrough Technologies, provided insights on the current asphalt market, the unique values that ACE Fiber brings to the customer, 2016 testing results and plans for 2017, special dosing protocols, and Surface Tech’s goals for 2017 and beyond.
Guest speakers, industry specialists and members of the academic community joined the sessions to provide insight on the testing, current market and meeting customer’s needs.
“The informational format of the session was a success,” said Steve Santa Cruz, President, Surface Tech. “Sharing timely go-to market topics supplied the team with valuable sales tools for 2017.”
More about ACE Fiber
ACE Fiber is formulated to address common performance issues in asphalt. ACE is made of aramid fibers and binded with Sasobit wax to add life and address the two major distresses affecting asphalt performance- cracking and rutting. When mixed with asphalt, ACE disperses over 19 million Aramid fibers throughout the mix thereby increasing asphalt’s resistance to cracking, fatigue and rutting.
And best of all, no specialty contractors are needed for installation. Contractors handle ACE Fiber reinforced asphalt the same way they handle standard asphalt. This underscores Ace’s technology in being easy to adopt. More at //surface-tech.com/asphalt-ace-fiber/
World of Asphalt 2016 Show
Surface Tech is extremely excited to announce our innovative product line of asphalt and concrete additives. See us at the World of Asphalt 2016 Show & Conference in Nashville. The event runs from March 22-24, 2016.
Stop by our booth #3562 and sign up to win a Go Pro Hero4 Black
Surface Tech will enter Companies who want to try its ACE product on an upcoming 2016 pilot job. Surface Tech will provide up to 100TE of ACE for your pilot at no charge; the pilot must install by Oct 2016. These entrants will be amongst those only eligible for the Go Pro raffle. One prize will be awarded on a random selection basis.