USE OF GLASS FIBRE GRIDS AS REINFORCEMENT

IN ROAD PAVEMENTS
27TH APRIL, 2023

Dr. ABHIJITH B.S

Technical Support (Geotextiles)

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 AGENDA

1. Scope

2. Composition of Glass Fibre Grid

3. Function of Glass Fibre Grid

4. Performance of Glass Fibre Grid

5. Application of Glass Fibre Grid and Case Study

6. Installation

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 SCOPE

Glass fibre grids, their composition and applications in

road pavements.

Properties and test methods – to evaluate glass fibre

grids and its applications.

Design Methodologies – Mechanisms and

Performance studies

Construction Guidelines

NEED FOR SUSTAINABLE SOLUTIONS IN

INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS
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 GLASS FIBRE GRID - COMPOSTION

1. GLASS FIBRE GRID – Manufactured from high modulus glass fibre yarns through knitting
process with an open mesh structure. The grids are coated with polymers compatible to bitumen,
and shall have temperature resistance to hot mix asphalt that comes on top of grids.

2. COMPOSITE GLASS FIBRE GRID – It is a combination of glass fibre grids and nonwoven
geotextiles.

KNITTING

POLYMER COATING

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 WHY GLASS FIBRE GRIDS FOR ASPHALT REINFORCEMENT?

➢ Asphalt Reinforcement must provide increased

tensile strength at a very low deformation.

➢ The cross-sectional area must be sufficient so that it

will redirect tensile stresses.

➢ The steeper the stress-strain curve for Asphalt

Reinforcement the better.

ASPHALT ACADEMY (2008)

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 GLASS FIBRE GRIDS – TEST METHODS (MECHANICAL PROPERTIES)

PROPERTY TEST METHOD

Melting point of grid protective coating ASTM D 276

Melting point of Glass ASTM C338

Tensile strength (MD × CMD) EN ISO 10319

Tensile Elongation Ultimate EN ISO 10319

INFLUENCING FACTORS
Tensile Resistance at 2% strain (MD × CMD) EN ISO 10319

Type of
Young’s modulus Glass
fibre
Secant stiffness EA at 1% strain (MD × CMD) EN ISO 10319 yarns

Mass per unit area EN ISO 9864

Tensile strength
EN ISO 9864 Knitting versus
Installation nonwoven backing (weight) of Glass fibre
weaving
grids
Installation nonwoven backing (dynamic EN ISO 13433
perforation)
Residual strength after installation damage EN ISO 10722
test Coating
on Glass
Maximum junction strength EN ISO 13426-2/ASTM D 7737 fibre
yarns

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 ➢ Decrease in horizontal tensile strain at the
FUNCTION OF GLASS FIBRE GRIDS bottom of asphalt mixtures –
Enhancement in fatigue life!
➢ Decrease in settlement in asphalt layers –
Increase in rut resistance of asphalt
layers
➢ Contributes to structural capacity of
the pavement.
➢ Arrests the growth of reflection cracks
from the existing surface to new asphalt
mixture overlay,
➢ Acts as a crack relief layer/Stress

Absorbing Membrane interlayer

IRC:SP:59
➢ Composite Glass Fibre Grid acts as
a reinforcement + moisture barrier

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 GLASS FIBRE GRID – PERFORMANCE EVALUATION TESTS
PARAMETER TEST METHOD EVALUATION REFERENCE
INDICES
FATIGUE FOUR-POINT MODULUS VERSUS AASHTO T321,
Raj, A., Abhijith, B.S. and Krishnan, J.M., 2020. Energy
BENDING FATIGUE TIME dissipation approach to quantify the fatigue damage of glass
fibre grid inlaid asphalt mixture. In Advances in Materials and
TEST Pavement Performance Prediction II (pp. 320-323). CRC
Press.

RUTTING DRY WHEEL DEFORMATION EN 12697-22

TRACKER TEST VERSUS PASSES

INTERFACIAL BOND LEUTNER SHEAR LOAD VERSUS EN 12697-48

STRENGTH TEST DISPLACMENT,
PEAK LOAD
Safavizadeh, S.A. and Kim, Y.R., 2017. Fatigue and fracture
REFLECTION NOTCHED FOUR- VERTICAL CRACK characterization of fiberglass grid-reinforced beam specimens
using four-point bending notched beam fatigue test and digital
CRACKING POINT BENDING LENGTH VERSUS image correlation technique. Materials and Structures, 50,
pp.1-13.
FATIGUE TEST NUMBER OF CYCES

FIELD ➢ Network survey ✓ Roughness Atul Narayan, Kavitha and Veeraragavan (2023).
Studies on Effectiveness of Crack Sealing
PERFORMANCE Vehicle reports ✓ Deflection bowl Treatment with GlasGrid®

➢ Falling Weight ✓ % distresses

Deflectomer test ✓ Bond strength
results ✓ Aggregate
➢ Core samples gradation, bitumen
➢ Trial Pits content
➢ Volumetric
Properties
Nguyen, M.L., Blanc, J., Kerzrého, J.P. and
ACCELERATED DEDICATED TEST % CRACKING AREA Hornych, P., 2013. Review of glass fibre grid use for
TESTING FACILITY TRACK – GLASS VERSUS NUMBER pavement reinforcement and APT experiments at
IFSTTAR. Road Materials and Pavement
FIBRE GRID OF LOADING Design, 14(sup1), pp.287-308.

VERSUS CYCLES
UNREINFORCED
ASPHALT
PAVEMENT
Investigation on Millability and Recycling of Glass
MILLABILITY
8 AND Fibre Reinforced asphalt mixtures, Institute of Road
RECYCLING OF and Traffic Engineering, RWTH Aachen, Germany
 APPLICATIONS

REHABILITATION PROJECTS GREENFIELD PROJECTS

Glass fibre grid
Wearing course (BC) Glass fibre grid Bituminous concrete
Cracked Dense bituminous macadam
surface (top lift)
BINDER COURSE (DBM)
Dense bituminous macadam
(bottom lift)

Base Layer Base Layer

Sub - Base Sub - Base

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 APPLICATIONS
CRACK RELIEF LAYER / STRESS ABSORBING MEMBRANE INTERLAYER

CEMENT-TREATED BASE PAVEMENT FULL DEPTH RECLAMATION PROJECTS

(Stress Absorbing Membrane Interlayer)

Cement treated base layer

✓ Shrinkage cracks
✓ High possibility of reflection cracks

Saint-Gobain
Wearing course (BC) Adfors
GlasGrid
Binder course (DBM)

Cement Stabilized Base Layer

(Stiff base layer)

Sub - Base
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 GLASGRID FULL DEPTH RECLAMATION
CASE STUDY

Full Depth Reclamation Projects Wearing course (BC)

Glass Fibre Grid
Binder course (DBM)

Cement Stabilized Base Layer

(Stiff base layer)

Cement Treated Base Sub - Base

Composite Glass Fibre Grid on

Cement Treated Base

Excellent Bonding!!

Finished Surface Paving activity

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 INSTALLATION OF GLASS FIBRE GRID – 40 MM ASPHALT MIXTURE
OVERLAY

INHERENT TACK COAT IN

THE MATERIAL!!
ENHANCES BONDING
SIGNIFICANTLY

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Thank you
Your Questions?