Every road contractor and property owner dreams of creating roads or pavements that will stand the test of time and weather. Traditional combinations of road-building materials often result in road surfaces that form cracks and other weaknesses after a few months. Foamed bitumen is created when water is injected into regular bitumen, expanding it many times over its original volume. The resulting product resembles a mist and is perfect for paving roads. Here are three reasons why you should consider using foam bitumen for your upcoming paving job.
The durability of the Pavement
One of the best things about foam bitumen is that it creates a pavement surface with the ability to resist the constant shear and wear created by vehicles repeatedly passing over the surface. Foam bitumen is known to be as strong as pavements made with cement and cement-related materials. At the same time, the pavement retails a huge percentage of the flexibility famous with bitumen. The combination of strength and flexibility creates a fatigue-resistant surface. It is the ideal repair mechanism for pavements that have been patched repeatedly so that regular tarring is no longer cost-effective.
Lower Moisture Content
The other great thing about foam bitumen is its moisture-resistance. You will need lower moisture content to create a pavement from foam bitumen when compared to processes such as bitumen emulsion and stabilisation. It means that the possibility of getting wet patches from the resulting pavement is greatly reduced. It also means that the resulting road can tolerate conditions such as extreme rainfall without forming potholes.
Simple Construction
The main reason contractors will pick this method over all the others available in the market is that you only need a little time to lay the road. Paving with concrete is a process which needs you to excavate, grade, and improve the ground beforehand. However, when you use foam grading, you need an even surface and a granular base. The foamed bitumen has very strong binding qualities, and it binds everything together for a durable and easy-to-maintain road surface. The resulting road surface also tolerates heavy traffic excellently.
These are some of the things that you need to know about foam bitumen before you decide if it is the ideal way to pave your road or other pavement. The important thing to remember is always to involve experts in the installation process. They will choose the right type of bitumen for you and make sure that it is correctly installed.
For more information on foam bitumen, contact a paving contractor.
