Revitalize Secondary Roads with Calcium Chloride
Table of Contents
- Overview of Secondary Road Maintenance Programs
- The Importance of Maintaining Gravel Roads
- Factors to Consider in Gravel Road Maintenance
- Subbase and Base Concerns
- Stabilizing the Riding Surface
- The Role of Binder Soil
- Finding the Perfect Soil Blend
- The Importance of Fines
- Compactness and Cohesion
- The Role of Calcium Chloride in Gravel Road Maintenance
- Controlling Moisture Content
- Benefits of Using Calcium Chloride
- Comparison with Water Usage
- How Calcium Chloride Works
- Cost-Saving Benefits
- Effective Application Techniques for Calcium Chloride
- Applying Calcium Chloride in Two Passes
- Ideal Gallon Usage for Road Surface
- Nozzle Pattern and Spray Boom Considerations
- Advantages of Using Calcium Chloride in Secondary Road Maintenance
- Reducing Dust and Improving Visibility
- Enhancing Road Quality and Reducing Washboarding
- Preventing Aggregate Loss
- Reducing Grading Work
- Increasing Density and Compaction
- Building a Stable Base for Future Paving
- Conclusion
The Importance of Maintaining Secondary Roads with Calcium Chloride
Secondary roads play a crucial role in our transportation system, providing access to rural communities, farms, and recreational areas. However, maintaining these gravel roads is no easy task. Road supervisors face numerous challenges, including rough rides, unsafe driving conditions, increased maintenance, fugitive dust, lost aggregate, and higher costs. To address these issues and ensure the longevity of secondary roads, a comprehensive maintenance program is required.
Overview of Secondary Road Maintenance Programs
Secondary road maintenance programs are designed to stabilize roads and save money for highway departments and taxpayers. While the focus is primarily on the riding surface rather than the subbase or base, it is essential to understand the key factors and techniques involved.
Factors to Consider in Gravel Road Maintenance
Subbase and Base Concerns
Since secondary roads are typically traveled by fewer vehicles, with cars and light trucks being the main users, the primary concern lies in stabilizing the riding surface. Cohesion plays a vital role in this regard. Clay, with its excellent binding properties, is the preferred binder soil. It should pass through a quarter-inch sieve and show little to no shrinkage when dry.
Stabilizing the Riding Surface
To ensure a stable riding surface, it is crucial to have the right blend of materials. Binder soils, which provide cohesive strength, should be complemented by the appropriate aggregate. An ideal surface gravel specification includes aggregates of various sizes, with fines acting as the binder. The fines fill the voids between larger aggregates, forming a dense and compact surface. However, the fines must be kept in place to maintain road cohesion.
The Role of Calcium Chloride
To address the challenge of maintaining fines in the road, the use of calcium chloride has proven to be highly effective. Calcium chloride serves as a hygroscopic and deliquescent material, drawing in moisture from the atmosphere and keeping the fines moist. By doing so, it ensures the fines' cohesion and prevents them from being vacuumed away by passing vehicles.
Benefits of Using Calcium Chloride
The application of calcium chloride in secondary road maintenance brings numerous benefits. By reducing nuisance dust, it improves driver visibility and contributes to safer driving conditions. Furthermore, it enhances the overall quality of unpaved roads, minimizing issues like washboarding and improving drainage.
Calcium chloride also helps in reducing aggregate loss, ensuring tightly consolidated roads that require less maintenance. The compaction and density of the road surface increase, resulting in a smoother ride for motorists. Additionally, by providing a compacted and stable base, calcium chloride paves the way for future road upgrades and reduces paving costs.
Effective Application Techniques for Calcium Chloride
To maximize the effectiveness of calcium chloride, proper application techniques are crucial. It is recommended to apply calcium chloride in two passes, overlapping the crown of the road. The optimal amount of calcium chloride is one-third gallon per square yard of road surface. Wider roads may require an additional pass down the middle.
Spray booms with individual nozzles, creating patterns of 12 to 14 inches wide, are typically used for application. Applicator trucks equipped with a ten-foot spray boom offer effective coverage and ensure uniform distribution.
Advantages of Using Calcium Chloride in Secondary Road Maintenance
The advantages of incorporating calcium chloride into secondary road maintenance programs are significant. It reduces nuisance and hazardous dust, improving driver visibility and overall road safety. The consolidated surface created by calcium chloride application resists washboarding and allows for proper drainage, resulting in a smoother and more enjoyable ride for motorists.
By reducing aggregate loss, calcium chloride ensures that the road remains tightly consolidated, reducing the need for frequent grading. This reduction in maintenance work saves valuable time and resources for road supervisors.
The increased density and compaction achieved with calcium chloride have long-term benefits for secondary roads. These roads can serve as stable bases for future paving projects, leading to a reduction in pavement thickness and preparation costs.
Conclusion
Effective secondary road maintenance programs are essential for ensuring safe and reliable transportation in rural areas. By incorporating calcium chloride into these maintenance programs, road supervisors can address key challenges such as dust, aggregate loss, and road deterioration. Calcium chloride's ability to control moisture content and maintain fines in the road provides significant benefits in terms of cost savings, improved road quality, and enhanced driver experience. With its proven track record, calcium chloride stands as a valuable tool for maintaining secondary roads and meeting the needs of both road users and taxpayers.
Highlights:
- Secondary road maintenance programs are crucial for preserving the longevity and quality of gravel roads.
- Calcium chloride effectively controls dust, improves road quality, reduces grading work, and increases road density and stability.
- Proper application techniques and the right blend of materials are essential for achieving optimal results.
- Incorporating calcium chloride into secondary road maintenance programs offers significant cost savings and improves driver safety and satisfaction.
FAQ:
Q: Is calcium chloride expensive to use in secondary road maintenance?
- A: No, calcium chloride is relatively affordable and offers long-term cost savings due to reduced maintenance and repair expenses.
Q: How does calcium chloride compare to water in controlling moisture on gravel roads?
- A: Calcium chloride is more effective than water as it maintains optimal moisture levels for a more extended period, preventing the road surface from drying out and becoming dusty.
Q: Can calcium chloride be used on roads with heavy traffic?
- A: While calcium chloride is primarily recommended for secondary roads with light to moderate traffic, it can also be used effectively on roads with heavier traffic volumes.
Q: Does the use of calcium chloride reduce overall road maintenance work?
- A: Yes, by enhancing road stability and reducing aggregate loss, calcium chloride significantly reduces the need for grading and other maintenance tasks.
Q: Can calcium chloride be used on roads that will be paved in the future?
- A: Yes, calcium chloride helps in building a compacted and stable base for future pavement, allowing for reduced pavement thickness and preparation costs.
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