Everything You Need to Know About Bituminous Surface Treatment
Roadways are fundamental infrastructural units of each city and community and their maintenance is crucial to their safety, ease of access, and long-term viability. Bituminous surface treatment (BST) is one of the most effective ways of maintaining and prolonging the life of pavements. It is now extremely common on highways, local roads, and parking lots since the process is cheap, fast and efficient.
It does not matter whether you are a local council, a contractor, or a private property owner, but it is more likely that, the better you understand the principles of BST as a process of maintaining pavement, the better choices you will make concerning your road project.
Bituminous Surface Treatment is what?
Bituminous surface treatment (BST) is the treatment of a pavement by placing a thin coat of bituminous binder on the underlying pavement, and placing a coating of aggregate, frequently gravel or crushed stone, on the treated surface. The bitumen and aggregate combine to form a protective and lasting surface which is supposed to:
Seal of pavement from damage by water and weather
Enhance skid resistance for safer driving
Extend the life of the pavement without entirely resurfacing
BST is widely used on highways, rural roads, driveways, and parking areas, as it provides a long-term surface with low funding and quick application costs compared to total road reconstruction.
Advantages of Bituminous Surface Treatment
A couple advantages of using BST are:
Longer Lasting Pavement Structure – Provides protection of the road surface and underlying structure from the elements.
Waterproofing – Blocks water infiltration which can cause cracking and potholes.
Safety Improvement – Produces an increase in skid resistance and traction
Cost Efficient – More affordable than full resurfacing or reconstruction.
Quick Application – Roadways can be opened shortly after treatment.
Types of Bituminous Surface Treatments
Depending on traffic load, climate, and project needs, BST can take on various shapes:
Single Surface Treatment – Single layer with binder and rock aggregate, suited for low volume roads.
Double Surface Treatment – Two layers to improve durability on busier roads.
Micro Surfacing – Fine mixture placed on top for minor repairs or thin overlay.
Chip Seal/Tar Spray – Commonly used on rural and highway roads to withstand high wear.
Every type has a specific purpose, that helps to ensure that a roadway is suitable for traffic.
Materials Used in Bituminous Surface Treatment
BSTs effectiveness is based on its materials. The materials can be:
Asphalt Binder – Provides adhesion and flexibility.
Rock Aggregates – Crushed stones or gravel is used to provide strength and grip.
Additives – Improve adhesion, durability, and weathering of surface mixture
It is incredibly important to use good quality materials, in order to make a surface that will withstand heavy traffic and the rigors of the environment.
Step-by-Step Bidirectional Surface Treatment Procedure
Most Bidirectional Surface Treatment projects will follow these steps:
Surface Preparation – Clean the existing pavement and repair damage.
Bitumen Application – Binder is to evenly cover the surface area.
Aggregate Spreading – Aggregate is laid over binder.
Rolling/Compacting – Make sure everything is bonded and smooth.
Final Inspection – Make sure it is uniform, quality looks good, and is adhered well.
These steps provide a long-lasting, durable road surface.
What to do for maintenance
To ensure your Bidirectional Surface Treatment last you will want to:
Conduct regular inspections, and follow up on cracks, potholes, and wear timely.
After your inspections make repairs timely to address the small problems so they don't become larger ones.
Make sure there is proper drainage to prevent standing water.
Make sure to keep the surface clean of debris that can damage the binder.
Costs
Costs per Bidirectional Surface Treatment project, will be dependent upon:
The area of pavement being treated.
Type of binder and type of aggregate.
Labor and equipment.
Project complexity.
All of these factors will adjust the cost. To clarify, there are costs for Bidirectional Surface Treatment, but it is an investment allowing for durability and reduction to the amount of repairs and having to resurface the pavement extends the longevity of the surface treatment and the maintenance costs will outweigh the cost of up front costs.
Final Thoughts
Bituminous surface treatment is a priceless and low cost method of extending roadway life, better road safety and reduction of the damage to the pavement. Bituminous surface treatment when used with appropriate materials and when done by a qualified contractor and maintained on a regular basis can offer long lasting good roads many years after the installation. In case, councils, contractors and property owners are sound, very long lasting and economically viable pavement treatment, bituminous surface treatment is a reasonable gamble.
