About this project:
A Void Reducing Asphalt Membrane, (VRAM), project took place on July 20th and 21st in Cass & Sangamon Counties in the state of Illinois.
This project had 4.8 miles of overlay, and ADA improvements on IL-125 from 0.1 miles west of the Sangamon County line to Richland Creek, east of Pleasant Plains, Illinois. A longitudinal Joint Seal, also referred to as LJS, was designated to the centerline joint at a targeted 18” wide band. (Note: in Illinois, VRAM is referred to as LJS).
The applicator for this project was Road Fabrics, Inc. (RFI).
The prime paving contractor was Truman Flatt.
The LJS application began on July 20th and continued into the early afternoon of July 21st with the paving of the road. The bandwidth for this project was targeted at 18” wide and was applied over a recently milled and tacked surface.
Once the LJS was applied, the asphalt paving operation followed the next day. The paving train consisted of a Roadtec SB 2500 MTV, a CAT AP1055D paver, 2-CAT CB54 breakdown rollers at 12 tons working in tandem, a Hamm HD 120i – 12-ton intermediate roller, and a Sakai SW 524 – 5-ton finish roller. The breakdown rollers were making 3 vibratory passes along with 5 passes with the intermediate roller.
The paving began in the westbound lane paving westward. The LJS had visibly worked its way up, signaling the success of this project.
VRAM: Protecting Centerline Joints One Application at a Time
VRAM, a Void Reducing Asphalt Membrane, is able to ensure that the driving population of people have safer, longer-lasting roads. Experience shows roads treated with VRAM will last 3-5 years longer than those not treated.
Applying VRAM to the centerline joint aids in protecting the most permeable part of the road from air and water, which will damage the pavement as they work down into the pavement.
J-Band® is Asphalt Materials’ VRAM and unlike other methods is a materials approach to fixing the age-old problem of longitudinal joint issues. It is a highly polymer-modified asphalt cement that is placed along the location of the longitudinal joint before paving. Below is a video explaining how J-Band works.
To learn more about Asphalt Material’s mix application product line AMIBIND™, visit the website: https://asphalt-materials.com/products/
Editor’s Notes: VRAM, Void Reducing Asphalt Membrane, is referred to in Illinois as LJS, Longitudinal Joint Sealant.
Centerline joints and longitudinal joints are often used interchangeably in describing the area of the pavement where two sections come together.
Depending on the situation VRAM can be sprayed at different width’s. It should be noted that 18” is a typical application width for centerline applications.
J-Band® is a VRAM product of Asphalt Materials, Inc. that was created in the labs of The Heritage Research Group.
J-Band® and CCAP® are registered trademarks of Asphalt Materials, Inc. AMIBIND™, AMIBOND™, AMICYCLE™, AMIGUARD™, AMISEAL™ are trademarks of Asphalt Materials, Inc.
J-Band® and CCAP ® are registered trademarks of Asphalt Materials, Inc. AMIBIND™, AMIBOND™, AMICYCLE™, AMIGUARD™, AMISEAL™ are trademarks of Asphalt Materials, Inc.
