Asphalt Geotextiles

SAMI’S and ASPHALT REINFORCEMENT

Reflective cracking will appear in asphalt overlays on roads or other paved areas where there exists fatigue cracks, trench reinstatements, concrete expansion joints or subsidence.

The most cost effective solution is to place a Stress Absorbing Membrane Interlayer (SAMI) in the pavement construction to impede the onset of reflective cracking thus extending the life of the pavement.

A SAMI usually consists of a bitumen impregnated geotextile which absorbs the stresses at the end of a crack thereby retarding its growth. If the crack is eventually transmitted through the SAMI, the bitumen provides a waterproof layer to protect the lower levels of road construction.

Composite geotextiles are geotextiles to which grids (usually glass fibre) are attached. They provide reinforcement in varying tensile strengths to the road construction as well as acting as SAMIs.

FCL are suppliers and installers of geotextiles and composites for asphalt overlay. We are one of the most established installers of asphalt geotextiles in the country, beginning to lay asphalt geotextiles in 1993 with an applicator which we designed and built based on a dumper chassis. This design with subsequent minor improvements has become the industry norm for the laying of geotextiles in the UK.

For the tack coat we spray straight run 160/220 bitumen in preference to emulsions to ensure instant adhesion and speedier installation. The paving process can commence immediately we have laid the geotextile. We have bitumen distributors reserved solely for the task of spraying 160/220 pen bitumen which are tested annually for conformance with BS1707 to ensure a correct distribution of tack coat. We also supply geotextiles for installation by others and offer a delivery service. We keep a substantial stock in our warehouse at all times.