About this project:
A recent VRAM project took place in Will County, Illinois on September 19th.
This was an Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) Project.
The 292,608-foot project in Lawrence County started in the northbound lanes, covering a stretch south of I-80 to just south of Weber Road. VRAM was applied to the centerline joint prior to final HMA paving.
The VRAM applicator for this project was ProTack.
The prime paving contractor for this project was K-5 Construction.
VRAM application to the centerline began at 10 PM, starting at the staging area and proceeding northward. The band width for the VRAM was targeted at 18” wide. This was applied over a recently milled and tacked surface. (Note: In Illinois VRAM is referred to as Longitudinal Joint Sealant or LJS).
Asphalt Paving Operation Takes Place After VRAM is Applied
The paving began in the northbound lane, paving northward at a width of 12 feet. The paving train consisted of a Weiler E 2850a MTV, a CAT 1055F paver, 2 Sakai R2H-2 12-ton, 3 wheeled breakdown rollers working in tandem, 2 Sakai SW 884ND 12-ton intermediate rollers and a Hamm HD 120i – 12-ton finish roller. The breakdown rollers were making 5 vibratory passes along with 5 passes with the intermediate rollers.
VRAM – A Materials Approach for Solving Pavements’ Joint Issues
VRAM is typically applied at the longitudinal joint with the purpose to reduce the permeability of this most critical area of the road. VRAM is applied at the time of construction before a road is paved with hot mix asphalt (HMA). As VRAM migrates upwards due to the heat of the hot asphalt that is paved over the VRAM, it fills voids, reducing permeability. As noted, when utilizing VRAM, the need for ongoing maintenance and the associated costs incurred to maintain the road are reduced.
J-Band® is a VRAM product from Asphalt Materials, Inc. that was created in the labs of the Heritage Research Group. With the recent addition of New Mexico, VRAM has been helping roads last longer since 2002 and has been used in 23 States and The District of Columbia.
J-Band is an investment for asphalt roads that helps infrastructure dollars go further, since the roads can last up to five years longer than roads without VRAM. It delivers a return on investment of 3 to 5 times its initial cost.
Editor’s Notes:
Centerline joints and longitudinal joints are often used interchangeably in describing the area of the pavement where two paved sections come together.
VRAM, Void Reducing Asphalt Membrane is referred to in Illinois as LJS, Longitudinal Joint Sealant.
Depending on the situation VRAM can be sprayed at different widths. It should be noted that 18” is a typical application width for centerline applications.
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.
