Project Description

In 2015, NY District 4 wanted to find a substitute for their costly deep mill repair used to fix their transverse reflective cracking problem caused by an old (1930s) concrete base. FORTA-FI was placed in the west bound driving lane of Route 383 – this section of highway experiences heavier truck traffic than the control side, 70% of which is in the driving lane. The fiber side received a mill/fill instead of the traditional 6” deep mill to be filled with polymerized asphalt. All other lanes had typical joint repairs and the standard HMA overlay. Using FORTA-FI saved over 4 weeks of construction time, in lieu of the deep mill repair.

Update:

After 2 years, both lanes had benefited from a crack seal. However, the FORTA-FI reinforced side did not have cracks, but the typical joint repairs and the standard HMA overlay did. After 7 years and 2 inspection cycles, this composite roadway was inspected again to determine the current PCI (Pavement Condition Index). The average for the FORTAfied™ side was about 8 points higher than the east bound control side. This confirmed that the cracking was delayed by at least 2 years. Using FORTA reinforcement fibers saved 10% in initial project costs and has been confirmed to be more effective in stopping reflective cracking. These savings also do not include reductions in traffic control or savings to the general public.