Interface Shear Strength and Direct Shear Strength Analysis

of Prime Coat and Tack Coat

Surya1 ;

Abstract: A prime coat is the application of a suitable bituminous binder applied to a non-
bituminous granular base as a preliminary treatment before the application of a bituminous
surfacing. The need for a prime has been the subject of heated debate in engineering circles
for years. Are they really functional? Primes appear to be most useful on untreated bases to
protect the surface from erosion by wind, rain, and traffic during pavement construction. Here
we have discussed is one of the important parameters i.e. direct shear strength influencing the
strength at the interface of the base and HMA layer. The bonding characteristics of tack coat
materials depend on several factors. Specifically, the bonding properties can be changed by
the material type of the underlying mixture, and the temperature and the application rate have
an impact on their shear strength. So the other parameter which has been discussed is the
interface shear strength of tack coat. Finally a python programming code has been generated
to evaluate the interface and direct shear strength of prime and tack coat through
programming code.
Author keywords: Need for prime; Interface shear strength ; Automation program;
to transfer radial tensile and shear stresses
Introduction into the entire pavement structure.
When utilizing asphalt binder as
In order to evaluate the performance of tack coat materials, the asphalt binder
tack coat and explain application needs
standards, various tests have been
developed to define its adhesion
characteristics (shear, pull-off, torsion, and
impact. Hence, our first objective was to
develop a test platform to research which
conditions are appropriate for tack coat
applications.
Asphalt tack coat is a light
application of asphalt, usually asphalt
diluted with water. It is used to ensure a
bond between the surface being paved and
the overlying course.
A tack coat provides necessary
binding between pavement surface layers
to make sure they act as a monolithic to be heated to high temperature to ensure
system to withstand traffic and
flowability which costs more energy. The
environmental loads. Studies conducted on
asphalt pavement interface strength have advantages of using asphalt binder as tack
indicated that a strong tack coat binding coat including higher interlayer shear
between the layers of a pavement is critical strength and less construction time (no
curing time is required).
 The asphalt sprayed on the top of
the lower layer can fill voids of underneath
pavement and increase contact area, and in
consequence, increase the adhesion of the
interlayer. In comparison, if the tack coat
was placed too heavy, a slip plane can be
introduced at the interlayer and decrease
the adhesion and interlocking resistance.
Therefore, appropriate tack coat rate is
important to obtain high interlayer shear
strength between pavement layers.
There are frequent examples
where, even at the completely exposed and
unsupported edge of a bituminous
pavement, no indications of instability
have developed after years of traffic.
These unsupported pavement edges are
stable under traffic, either because of the
high compressive strength of the paving
mixture or because bituminous materials
can develop additional resistance to lateral
flow, quite apart from the lateral support
normally provided by adjacent pavement
material, or both. A prime coat is mainly
responsible for protecting the substrate of a
construction project before adding
additional layers. In asphalt preparation,
they can also act as a binder with
secondary and tertiary compounds,
creating a better adhesion between the
layers. Prime coat asphalt acts as an initial
sealer in the asphalt laying process to
block the other layers from moisture, dust
and debris before additional coating
installations.
When choosing a prime coat and
tack coat, it is vital to understand the
functions of each of these elements, as
well as their limitations. With a good
prime coat and tack coat, you can prepare
your substrate for virtually any type of
application, and be confident that the
resulting floor, wall, or ceiling is strong
and durable for years to come.
Literature review
A very few numbers of literature
have been worked on the prime coat and
tack application and their need and
importance.
Dowan Kim and Sungho Mun.
(2021). developed a new performance
tester measuring ISS considering the
standards
and construction conditions of South
Korea and compared the direct shear
strengths of
asphalt mixtures differing in porosity after
the application and non-application of tack
coat.
We developed models estimating
optimal tack coat application rates using
polynomial regression and a non-linear
function running the GRG algorithm and
compared the data. For the effect of
confinement, the ratio of interface shear
strength between confined and no
confinement test-conditions was always
greater than one. This ratio increased as
the residual application rate decreased.
(Louay Mohammad et.al)
The rate of prime application for a
dense crushed stone base is 0.23 l/m2 to
0.45 l/m2 (0.05 to 0.10 gal/yd2) of
emulsion (before dilution) and for a less
dense natural aggregate (pit run gravel) is
0.45 l/m2 to 0.91 l/m2 (0.10 to 0.20 gal/yd2)
of emulsion (before dilution) (FHWA
Report).
Methodology
As there was availability of wide
data there should be proper data
management system has been adopted
such that a proper utilisation of the data
has been done and can be used for further
researches.
The methodology adopted to
undergo analysis is by getting the linear
regression analysis through for prime
products namely LVOC-1, PEP, AEP,
MC-30, No Prime and tack products
namely RSC, QRS-4, BD Coat, AP-3. The
regression equation which has been
obtained has been then inputted into the
namely RSC, QRS-4, BD Coat, AP-3. The
regression equation which has been
Data analysis
Next the data which has been
obtained from the literature related to
prime and coat has been utilised in our
study. (Shown in Table 1 & Table 2).
Tack coat
In tack coat, the data related to
interface shear strength test has been used
for knowing the variation of the interface
shear strength vs Coat application rate.
The regression analysis carried for
the data given the table 1 and the following
regression equation has been obtained for
different tack coat type.
RSC-4
y = - 37560x3 + 50855x2 - 18912x + 2809
R2 = 0.9745
QRS-4
y = -20314x3 + 27426x2 - 9938.1x +
1672.5
R2=0.9751
BD-COAT
Y = 173325x4 - 368589x3 + 266630x2 -
75317x + 7922.8
R² = 0.9979
AP-3
y = 67124 x4 – 132639 x3 + 86706 x2 –
21040 x + 2287
R² = 0.9811
These polynomial regression equations
have been generated with x – application
rate; y – Interface shear strength.
Prime Coat
In prime coat, the data related to
direct shear strength test has been used for
computer program. Then the computer
program has been validated with the
available test data.
knowing the variation of the direct shear
strength vs Normal stress
The regression analysis carried for
the data given the table.1 and the following
regression equation has been obtained for
different prime coat type.
No Prime
y = 4.2114x + 38
R² = 0.9991
LVOC-1
y = 2.9427x + 150
R² = 0.9924
AEP
y = 5.1474x + 48
R² = 0.9979
PEP
y = 4.4267x + 120
R² = 0.9899
Limitations
These regression equations are applicable
for the interface shear strength with
application rate 0.2-1 L/m2 and cannot be
used for the application more than that.
The direct shear strength can be estimated
for the normal stress range between 0-400
kPa and cannot give a defined relationship
for the normal stress more than that .
The rate of prime application for a dense
crushed stone base is 0.23 l/m2 to 0.45 l/m2
(0.05 to 0.10 gal/yd2) of emulsion (before
dilution) and for a less dense natural
aggregate (pit run gravel) is 0.45 l/m2 to
0.91 l/m2 (0.10 to 0.20 gal/yd2) of
emulsion.
MC-30: y = 5.413x + 9.8919; R² = 0.9893

Table 1. Tack coat application rate and interface shear strength

AE-P PEP MC-30 No Prime
Normal Stress (kPa) LVOC-1 (kPa)
(kPa) (kPa) (kPa) (kPa)
0 38 48 120 150 38
50 261 300 320 294 AP-3261
(kPa)
Application
75 rate RSC-4(kPa)
351.3 QRS-4
420 (kPa) BD-COAT
423 (kPa)
364 351.3
100
0.24 457
631.5 554573.6 465
553 652.6 457
610.2
1250.3 562.7
769.1 709611.8 506.54
707 884.5 562.7
776.9
0.36 880.3 755.6 974.3 856.3
0.45 1121.7 843.6 1488.6 1016.9
0.48 1231.2 970.4 1740.6 1100.2
0.6 1717.8 1220.2 1544.6 918.5
0.8 986.9 870 589.6 530.5
Table 2. Prime coat shear strength and normal stress
a heavy vertical static load causes the
Discussion and conclusion shear strength at the base pavement
interface to increase to a point that the
1. From the regression equation of the prime has little or no effect. According
tack coat, we can obtain the optimum to theory, a stronger bond at the primed
application rate of tack coat where we interface should reduce damage due to
can get higher interface shear strength vertical and horizontal traffic loads and
which will have a higher bond between reduce thermal cracking, particularly
the layer. The optimum tack coat under thin asphalt concrete pavements
application rate is between the range and surface treatments.
0.58-0.7% for different tack coat rate. 4. All prime materials tested in this
2. For prime coat, the direct shear investigation consistently yielded
strength of LVOC-1 and no prime is higher bond strengths over that of no
relatively similar with about 3- 4% of prime as determined by shear strength
strength gain after curing for 3 days. In or cohesion at the lower normal
the prime coat classification, AEP and stresses; however, the differences were
MC-30 will have higher direct shear not always statistically significant.
strength of about 10-12%% more than 5. When the surface of the base is
that of no prime. covered with dust, the cohesion
3. At the higher static normal stresses, between the two upper layers is
shear strength at the interface is not reduced. Here we have assumed the
appreciably affected by the type or surface dust free surface and performed
even the presence of a prime coat. That the analysis. Based on the reviewed
is, the confining pressure produced by literatures, some interesting findings
 are noticed, such as that curing time Kulkarni, M. B. (2005). Effect of Tack
has no significant effect on shear and Prime Coats, and Baghouse Fines
strength, and shear strength increases on Composite Asphalt Pavements.
with the increase of pavement texture Ph.D. Dissertation, North Carolina
for dense-graded mixture. State University, Raleigh NC.
6. And for question whether prime is
need or not a lot discussion and test has
to be conducted from the available data
it depends on the conditions such that
an unbound aggregate base or cement
treated base are used we need to
provide tack coat which will enhance
the bond between top layer and base
layer. The need for prime coat is a
topic of debate among paving
specialists. On subgrades and
aggregate base courses, prime coat is
intended to maintain the prepared
surface prior to paving, although for
subgrades this may be unnecessary or
counterproductive.

References

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