Road to reducing time, money and environmental effects
Road construction has evolved considerably, as have the resources involved. Appropriate road-building materials are expensive and thus, the costs of road construction are not viable for many local authorities.
In recent years, resources such as soil stabilisation products have become increasingly essential to keep road-building costs down. These should supposedly offer greater longevity and durability, lowered construction and maintenance costs, faster application and reduced impact on the environment. However, according to Jean du Plessis, MD of AnyWay Solid Environmental Solutions RSA, "Experience amongst road engineering professionals has shown that not all products that claim to be stabilisers deliver what they promise."
He explains, "Some soil stabiliser products are liquid-based which makes it difficult to apply and control the correct dosage due to varying soil-moisture contents and unfamiliarity of contractors with the application methods. Some products also degrade over time and are effective only on specific soils. Plus, they can be quite costly."
To counteract these problems AnyWay's Natural Soil Stabiliser (ANSS) was developed and formulated, through extensive research, to be effective on a wide range of soils.
Calcium-based powder
ANSS is a specially designed, calcium-based powder composed of a unique blend of traditional cementitious stabilisers, pozzolans, reaction rate-governing additives and polypropylene fibre. When ANSS is mixed with road-building material and moisture is added, the calcium reacts with the mineral elements within the material to form new, stable soil particles. The different elements in the product form a crystalline structure that grow between the soil particles and casts them in a matrix. This creates cohesion and reduces inter-particle voids that render the layer less permeable to water.
With the components chemically reacting with one another as well as with the mineralogy of the soil, a 'new' material with improved engineering characteristics is produced. These qualities include increased bearing capacity, reduced plasticity and enhanced resistance to erosion and abrasion. All of these features have been attested to in a report by the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) as well as in tests by standards authorities in other countries.
"The effectiveness of the product has also been proven in many projects around the country that have either involved the building of new roads on virgin terrain or the upgrade of existing roads," says Du Plessis. "These have included residential, municipal and dirt roads, along with parking and hardstand areas and pothole repairs." In fact, due to the successful trial application of ANSS in improving a failed base course in a heavily trafficked industrial area to a C3 standard and being re-used, the Southern Cape Region of the Institute of Municipal Engineering of Southern Africa (IMESA) invited the AnyWay Solid Environmental Solutions CEO to address attendees at the organisation's recent quarterly meeting.
"With the cost, time and environment saving benefits of being able to stabilise a variety of locally available materials with ANSS, instead of spoiling and importing expensive materials, roads can now be constructed in the most expeditious, economical and environmentally-friendly manner possible," Du Plessis concludes.
For more information about AnyWay Solid Environmental Solutions, go to www.anywaysolutions.com.
