Application of GeoStab

Admixture for pavement

construction

Presented by Mr Mike Hendry - CEO of GTM Group

GeoStab Areas of Application
• Soil Stabilization
• As concrete admixture
GeoStab Areas of Application
• Soil Stabilization
• As concrete admixture
Soil Stabilization
• Base Stabilization
• Full Depth reclamation (FDR)
Soil Stabilization
• Base Stabilization
• Full Depth reclamation (FDR)
Full Depth Reclamation (FDR)
GEOSTAB FDR
compared to
ASPHALT FDR
Comparison of General
Characteristics
Emulsion Asphalt FDR Foamed Asphalt FDR GeoStab FDR
Characteristic
Resistant to shrinkage cracking Yes Yes Yes

Low temperature process Yes No Yes

Short curing time No Yes Yes

Relative Low Cost No No Yes

Simple reaction with the reclaimed asphalt No No Yes

(treats the reclaimed asphalt as “black gravel”)
NOT sensitive to the mix of reclaimed materials No No Yes

Resistant to wet weather during application No No Yes

Highly resistent to moisture ingress No No Yes

Produces polymer concrete No No Yes

GeoStab FDR Process
The procedure includes the following steps:

• Thickness Design – Pavement thickness can be determined by using PCA’s Thickness

Design for Soil-Cement Pavements (EB068). Other methods, such as the American
Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) Guide for Design
of Pavement Structures can also be used.

• Site Investigation – The site should be investigated to determine the cause of failure.
Cores or test holes should be used to determine layer thicknesses and to obtain
samples of the material to be recycled (which can include asphalt surface, base course
aggregate, and subgrade).
GeoStab FDR Process

• Lab Evaluation – Material samples from the site should be pulverized

in the lab to create an aggregate-soil mix that will be similar to that
expected from the recycling process. The mix design procedure is the
same as that performed for soil-cement. Refer to PCA publication
EB052, Soil-Cement Laboratory Handbook. This includes the
determination of maximum dry density and optimum moisture
content. If unconfined compressive strength is used to determine
cement content, a 7-day strength of 300 to 400 psi (2.1 to 2.8 Mpa) is
recommended.
GeoStab FDR Process

• Pulverization – The first step in construction is to pulverize the roadway

with a machine similar to a giant roto-tiller. It pulverizes and blends the
asphalt surface with the base. There are several manufacturers that
produce machines especially designed for quality full-depth
reclamation. Pulverization is usually 6 to 12 inches deep, which on
secondary roads will typically include all of the surface and base, plus
some part of the subgrade. To achieve the proper gradation after
pulverization, more than one pass of the equipment may be necessary.
The particle distribution should have 100 percent smaller than 2 inches
(50 mm) and 55 percent passing a No. 4 (6-mm) sieve.
GeoStab FDR Process
• Shaping And Grading – The pulverized material is shaped to the desired cross-section
and grade. This could involve additional earthwork in order to widen the roadway.
Final base elevation requirements may necessitate a small amount of material removal
or addition.

• Spreading Cement – Cement is spread in a measured amount on the surface of the

shaped roadway, in either dry or slurry form.

• Water Application – Water is added to bring the aggregate-soil mixture to optimum

moisture content (water content at maximum dry density as determined by ASTM
D558), either in front of the pulveriser/reclaimer or in the mixing chamber.
GeoStab FDR Process
• Mixing – The aggregate soil-cement-GeoStab-water mixture is combined and
blended with the pulverizing/reclaimer machinery. Depending on the type of
mixing equipment, uniform blending of materials can usually be achieved in one
pass of the mixer.

• Compaction –Although requirements vary, the mixture is compacted to a minimum

density of 96 percent to 98 percent of standard Proctor density (ASTM D558). The
compaction is usually performed with smooth-wheeled or sheep’s-foot vibratory
rollers. A pneumatic-tired roller may follow to finish the surface. Final compaction
should take place no more than 3 hours past initial mixing of the cement. The field
density and moisture are monitored for quality control purposes.
GeoStab FDR Process
• Curing –On light-traffic roads, the compacted base can accept traffic almost
immediately after construction. For proper hydration, the soil cement is kept
moist by periodically applying water to the surface. Curing begins
immediately after final compaction and is continued for several days. The
application of the prime coat should occur as soon as possible to ensure that
moisture is sealed inside the base.

• Pavement Surface –The new pavement surface consisting of a chip seal, hot-
mix asphalt, or concrete is constructed to complete the recycling process.
GeoStab FDR Process
• Quality Control –Recycling with the GeoStab process follows the same basic
procedures used for normal soil-cement operations. The success of a
recycling project depends upon the careful attention to the following control
factors:
• Adequate pulverization
• Proper cement content
• Proper moisture content
• Adequate density
• Adequate curing
GeoStab FDR Process

• Traffic Control –All operations can be performed under normal

construction traffic control. Disruptive road closures are not required.

• End Result –A high-quality, long-lasting, inexpensive road that was

reconditioned in a minimal amount of time with a minimum degree of
inconvenience to its users
Emulsion Asphalt FDR
• Using an asphalt emulsion with the FDR process leads to a complicated reaction with the
reclaimed asphalt. The emulsion will “rejuvenate” some (but not all) of the old asphalt cement,
leading to a possibility that more emulsion may be available than what is desired. If too much
emulsion is present, the mix becomes too “rich” and will not compact or cure properly. On the
other hand, if there’s too little emulsion the particles in the mix will not bond together and
ravelling can occur. In contrast, using cement and GeoStab as the stabilizing agent simply treats
the reclaimed asphalt as “black gravel”, and no rejuvenation of the old asphalt cement occurs.
This leads to more uniform construction and fewer surprises in the field when different
amounts of old asphalt are encountered in the reclaimed mix.

• One of the drawbacks of using asphalt emulsions is the relatively long period of waiting
required for curing, before which the hot mix asphalt (HMA) binder and surface courses could
be laid down.
Foamed Asphalt FDR

• Foamed Asphalt FDR stabilizing agent is created by mixing hot asphalt

emulsion under pressure with cold water, which foams the asphalt
before it is mixed with the reclaimed materials. This process is very
sensitive to the mix of reclaimed materials (pro-portions of old
asphalt, gravel, sand, and fines)
Foamed Asphalt FDR
• Density of foamed asphalt reclaimed pavement is crucial to achieving a good performing base with sufficient
stiffness and durability. An increase in modulus was observed with an increase in dry density.
• Because of the variable nature of thick pavement layers, a high variation in density and asphalt content of
foamed asphalt reclaimed layers can be expected. Presence of plus 50 mm size aggregate particles most
likely lowered density and stiffness.
• Variation in density of layers can affect stiffness significantly.
• Foamed asphalt mixes were not found to be inferior to emulsion plus lime mixes with respect to moisture
induced damage.
• Falling weight deflectometer results show that adequate surface layers of Hot Mix Asphalt (HMA) on the
reclaimed layers can increase stiffness of existing pavements and reduce cost per percent increase in
stiffness, significantly.
• Back calculation analysis with FWD data from 10 month old pavement showed a modulus of 1,055 Mpa for a
foamed asphalt layer of 200 mm thickness, with 60 % RAP, 15 % granular material, 25 % crusher dust and 1.5
% cement (with 2.5 %foamed asphalt).
GeoStab FDR
Typical Unconfined Compressive Strength (UCS)
• UCS at 1 day. Result = 2.6 Mpa
• UCS at 7 days. Result = 4.4 MPa

Note: The UCS would normally be 1.0 – 1.5 MPa for a cementitious modified material
(usually requires 2% to 3% cementitious binder by mass) or 2.0 – 2.5 MPa for a fully bound
material (usually requires 4% - 5% cementitious binder by mass) for deep lift stabilization.

The above result of 4.4 MPa was achieved with only 2.5% cementitious binder and is twice
that expected for fully bound deep lift stabilization requiring 4% - 5% cementitious binder.
GeoStab FDR

Modified Texas Triaxial Compressive Test (Texas

TXL)
• Texas TXL Classification No. = 1.2
• Note: Test result of 1.2 puts our GeoStab stabilization process using
only 2.5% cement to soil ratio suitable for Traffic Category 1. (Roads
with design traffic equal to or exceeding 107 equivalent standard axel
(ESA) repetitions
How does GeoStab modify
Standard FDR?
• Increase modulus of elasticity through connecting cement-coated FDR particles by
what could be described as numerous ‘micro rubber bands’

• The water-holding nature is useful during curing process

• Protect FDR stabilization against harmful effects of chemical compounds in the road to
undergo FDR, e.g. sulphate

• Prevent penetration and capillary rise of water within the FDR stabilization

• Reduce the effects of moisture migration – a major cause of pavement deterioration

• Encapsulates items that would normally be considered harmful to concrete

How does GeoStab modify
Standard FDR?
• Increase modulus of elasticity through connecting cement-coated FDR particles by
what could be described as numerous ‘micro rubber bands’

• The water-holding nature is useful during curing process

• Protect FDR stabilization against harmful effects of chemical compounds in the road to
undergo FDR, e.g. sulphate

• Prevent penetration and capillary rise of water within the FDR stabilization

• Reduce the effects of moisture migration – a major cause of pavement deterioration

• Encapsulates items that would normally be considered harmful to concrete

How does GeoStab modify
Standard FDR?
How does GeoStab modify
Standard FDR?
Shortage of water in conventional soil stabilization during curing

Cracks !

Soil Cement
Base course

GeoStab
water No
storage Cracks !
How does GeoStab modify
Standard FDR?

Free capillary rise of water Blocked capillary rise of water

GeoStab Stabilized –Soil Surface

Soil-Cement Surface
Micro pores

Capillary action (bleed) in Reduced bleeding in

Normal Soil-Cement GeoStab Polymer Concrete
What is GeoStab Modified Soil-
Cement?
Adding 5% GeoStab™ 101 Polymer (by weight of cement) will produce a
mixture on site which upon compaction and curing will harden to give an
impermeable durable structural concrete slab with high elastic modulus &
flexibility and at the same time possesses improved compressive and
tensile strength characteristics to resist today’s critical load conditions
experience by pavements.
GeoStab
Cement (3-7% by GeoStab (5-10%
In-situ Soil = Soil
wt. Of dry soil) by wt. Of cement)
Stabilization
GeoStab Stabilization Assume use Calculate Quantity
Dry Soil 1 cu.m.(dense) = 1 x 2,000 = 2,000 kg
Cement required 5% = 2,000 x 5/100 = 100 kg
28
GeoStab 5% = 100 x 5/100 = 5 Litres
What is GeoStab Modified Soil-
Cement?
Adding 5% GeoStab™ 101 Polymer (by weight of cement) will produce a
mixture on site which upon compaction and curing will harden to give an
impermeable durable structural concrete slab with high elastic modulus &
flexibility and at the same time possesses improved compressive and
tensile strength characteristics to resist today’s critical load conditions
experience by pavements.
GeoStab
Cement (3-7% by GeoStab (5-10%
In-situ Soil = Soil
wt. Of dry soil) by wt. Of cement)
Stabilization
GeoStab Stabilization Assume use Calculate Quantity
Dry Soil 1 cu.m.(dense) = 1 x 2,000 = 2,000 kg
Cement required 5% = 2,000 x 5/100 = 100 kg
29
GeoStab 5% = 100 x 5/100 = 5 Litres