The chip seal family provides a variety of options to address the inevitable cracking, oxidization and ravelling of asphalt pavements. And they do so while providing very good performance at economical costs.
You can explore how they stack up against other maintenance options with real world performance data courtesy of the National Center for Asphalt Technology at Auburn (NCAT) here.
To compare the long-term cost-to-benefit ratio of utilizing chip seals, try inputting your costs and NCAT performance data into the calculators provided by the Pavement Preservation and Recycling Alliance (PPRA). The Life Cycle Cost and Cost-Benefit Value calculators are a great place to start.
CHIP SEAL / SURFACE TREATMENT
Known as a reliable and economical standard to build and maintain rural roads, the chip seal continues to expand its ability to help administrators maintain their network. Chip seals can be placed in single, double and triple layers, modified with additives in the emulsion and combined with other treatments to meet the needs of various situations and requirements. Chip seals extend road life by 7 years or more while reducing environmental impact by 50% versus other methods. Learn all there is to know about how, where and when to use chip seals on the Pavement Preservation and Recycling Alliance's website.
CAPE SEAL
A cape seal is a combination treatment utilized on various road types from neighborhood streets to county arterial roads. The chip seal seals cracks and provides additional structure while the slurry or micro surface adds further protection and a smoother riding surface. Cape seals can last for time frames comparable to their traditional alternatives but at greatly reduced costs. Moreover, they reduce greenhouse gases by 30% and energy use by 15% when compared to HMA overlays. Get more details about cape seals on the PPRA's website here. Learn about cape seals in neighborhoods at neighborhoodcapeseal.com.
SCRUB SEAL
Where there is extensive surface cracking, a scrub seal can economically address the issue and breathe new life into the road. A heavier application of asphalt binder is brushed down into cracks on the first pass to ensure they're all sealed and filled. Additives such as latex can increase performance. Like a cape seal, a scrub seal can also be combined with a slurry seal or micro surfacing to further increase it's performance. Testing at the National Center for Asphalt Technology at Auburn has shown incredible results with this method of treatment. Scrub seals are also better for the environment than more conventional methods. They can reduce energy use by more than 60%, greenhouse gas emissions by 51% and raw materials by 49%. You can learn more about scrub seals on the PPRA's website here.