EAB: environmentally friendly and efficient alternative to hot asphalt maintenance

Emulsion Asphalt Concrete. A cold prepared and therefore energy and CO₂ saving mixture of mineral aggregate (crusher sand), modified bitumen emulsion, cement and water. These raw materials are produced and mixed in a mobile mixing and processing plant and applied directly to the surface layer of existing roads in one working step. The great advantage is that the road surface is passable again after only 30 to 60 minutes. Rapid Asphalt! The perfect alternative to hot-mix asphalt maintenance.

Rapid Asfalt, a specialist in the application of Emulsion Asphalt Concrete (EAB), has focused on processing this product on asphalt roads for over thirty years, keeping Dutch roads in top condition. Speaking is Rob de Kleine, director of Rapid Asfalt: "The application possibilities are versatile because EAB is suitable for all traffic intensities. We apply different EAB systems, depending on the problems caused by aging and fraying of the road surface. Together with our various clients, such as road authorities, contractors and other companies, we look for the most suitable maintenance solution."

Micro overlays with emulsion asphalt concrete

AB is used to apply, repair or protect overlays, but also as roadway fill and for capturing asphalt reinforcement. De Kleine explains, "This gives and maintains the road surface the desired roughness, texture and flatness. And by adding signal colors, different road sections can be accentuated. Such as at bicycle suggestion lanes, intersections and bus lanes, which is an effective way to provide clarity in traffic." Rapid Asphalt has two computer-controlled processing machines and a bike lane machine for smaller work.

Beneficial to the environment

"The techniques we use contain relatively few primary building materials. After all, only a thin layer is applied. So a favorable MKI! The system also has a conserving effect: after Rapid Asphalt has tackled the road, it can last at least another seven to ten years, depending on how busy the road is. If the road is worn out, the material is also recyclable again as ordinary asphalt. This makes emulsion asphalt concrete technology a sustainable solution for road maintenance."

Favorable in price

Especially in today's time of plenty of budget cuts, Rapid Asphalt's EAB system is a proving ground. "The price is favorable, there is little additional work such as berm backfilling, milling, pothole retrieval or pavement connection. In addition, there is minimal environmental disruption because the road is quickly passable again. This also makes the product very suitable for business parks and parking lots. It is great that we have already provided many roads in the Netherlands with a thin EAB top layer," he concludes.