Pavement preservation due to longitudinal joint cracking has been a recurring problem for a long time. Not only is this an issue for road construction engineers, but for applicators, drivers, and those that live in the community.
J-Band®, Asphalt Material Inc.’s void reducing asphalt membrane (VRAM), significantly reduces air voids within the longitudinal joint, which prevents deterioration and preserves the pavement. It is applied before the asphalt mix is laid down, and when the mix is placed on top of J-Band, it migrates upward filling the voids.
VRAM Observations
On August 10, 2023, a VRAM application occurred on SR-163 in Ottawa County, Ohio. The application consisted of 3.18 miles of SR-163 from Oak Harbor city limits west to CR-590. VRAM application began around 7:10 a.m. with an ambient temperature recorded at the start around 64 degrees F.
The band width on this project was targeted at 15” wide with a rate of 1.22 lb./ft. The surface course was a 1.5” Type 1 (446) PG70-22M. There was a total of 1,180 gallons applied over 8,860 feet for an average of 1.14 lb/ft.
Primer: Shelly Co
Applicator: SCI
Date: August 10, 2023
Personnel Present: SCI personnel, ODOT (Ohio Department of Transportation), & Chad Crosby from Asphalt Materials, Inc.
Paving Observations
The paving process began following the VRAM application. It began the same day around 10:00 a.m. with an ambient temperature around 69 degrees F. The rolling pattern for the two breakdown rollers consisted of seven vibratory passes from low to high. The finish roller worked in vibrator mode across the lane and a shadow was noticeable.
Equipment that was used for this project was a Vogele 2003 3i paver, two Hamm HD120i steel drum rollers, and a CAT Cb13 steel drum roller.
Explore our interactive map to see more projects that have utilized VRAM at the time of construction and learn more about how longer-lasting roads save money, time, and lives here.
Editor’s Notes:
J-Band®, CCAP® and T-Bond® are registered trademarks of Asphalt Materials, Inc. AMIBIND™, AMIBOND™, AMICYCLE™, AMIGUARD™ and AMISEAL™ are trademarks of Asphalt Materials, Inc.
J-Band® was created in the labs of the Heritage Research Group (HRG) and is a product of Asphalt Materials, Inc. (AMI). To learn more about J-Band, visit www.thejointsolution.com.
