Contractor Uses FDR to Stabilize Road Damaged by Heavy Trucks

Lisa Cleaver
Created: March 28, 2011

Despite on-going truck traffic from a quarry, Blount Construction performs a successful full depth reclamation project in Tuscaloosa County, AL

The 13-mile-long Wire Road had problems in three distinct stretches of the road. These three areas of the road accounted for 5.85 miles. Problems included alligator cracks and rutted areas due to worn...
The 13-mile-long Wire Road had problems in three distinct stretches of the road. These three areas of the road accounted for 5.85 miles. Problems included alligator cracks and rutted areas due to worn out pavement and an insufficient base.
To overcome the traffic challenge, Blount Construction worked longer days. "When weather allowed, we worked longer days and used both reclaimers to speed up production with a daily goal of 10,000...
To overcome the traffic challenge, Blount Construction worked longer days. "When weather allowed, we worked longer days and used both reclaimers to speed up production with a daily goal of 10,000 yards per day," says David Faust.
Because of the damage to the asphalt and base, it was determined that full depth reclamation was the best solution to stabilize Wire Road.
Because of the damage to the asphalt and base, it was determined that full depth reclamation was the best solution to stabilize Wire Road.

Equipment used on the project included a CMI Terex 800, CMI Terex 650, Cat 140 motor grader, Hamm 3412 padfoot roller, Hamm GRW18 rubber-tire roller, Ingersoll-Rand SD70 vibratory roller, 3,000- and 4,000-gallon water trucks, an Etnyre distributor and a sand spreader truck.

From the time the mixers initially hit the ground to the time the project was striped took place the better half of October 2010, says Faust.

Traffic challenges

Initially, some officials wondered if FDR was the right choice with the high-volume of traffic, some of which comes from heavy truck traffic in and out of a quarry, the road experiences.

"One of the concerns we always get from the different county and city officials is being able to perform the FDR work while running traffic," says Faust.

"One of the key questions we get is, 'Can you perform the FDR on our road with the traffic volume?'" continues Faust. "Wire Road has a Vulcan quarry midway through the job in which a steady flow of trucks ran in and out of. We were able to keep them running with very minimal disturbance other than having to wait a few minutes on a pilot car to lead them through the work zone. We reclaim roads in Metro Atlanta that have a 20,000 ADT count if not higher, so FDR on a high-volume traffic road is totally doable."

To overcome the traffic challenge, Blount Construction worked longer days. "When weather allowed, we worked longer days and used both reclaimers to speed up production with a daily goal of 10,000 yards per day," says Faust.

The outcome & cost savings

The potential benefits for using the FDR process include less maintenance, safer travel conditions and long-term stability of the base material, says Anders.

"On the Wire Road project, the outcome is yet to be seen," he says. "Hopefully it will take 15 to 20 years before we can calculate the total savings.

"Based on the best available information, we are anticipating a 15- to 20-year lifespan of the concrete reclaimed base," Anders continues. "Our records show we have been averaging spending $75,000 per year on this portion of Wire Road, not counting resurfacing. That being the case, we should see a savings between $70,000 (for 15 years) and $450,000 (20 years)."

Total Project Cost for Wire Road

Total project cost = $1,054,121.34

This included 78,757 square yards of 10" thick FDR (56 pounds/square yard of Portland cement), 9,570 square yards of type "L" bituminous surface treatment, 66,569 square yards of type "J" bituminous surface treatment, 6,350 tons of plant mix (binder and wearing combined), and temporary stripe.