FAQ’s

No, FORTAfied asphalt is placed and compacted exactly as conventional asphalt pavement.

FORTA-FI is a blend of several different fibers that each play an important role in the reinforcement of asphalt. The high-temperature fibers are among the strongest fibers made, and are only 1/10th the diameter of a human hair. Some fibers are designed to melt into the asphalt mixture aiding in the dispersion and adhesion of the of the high-temperature fibers while enhancing both the cold and hot properties of your asphalt design. The combination of these fibers in the recommended dosage creates a significant improvement in tensile strength with over 18 million fibers per ton of asphalt mix.

Research and our many projects around the world have shown that the recommended dosage of one (1) pound of FORTA-FI fibers per one (1) ton of asphalt is optimal in most circumstances. While there may be cases where different dosages may prove to be beneficial, those projects will need to be consulted and verified for each individual application.

Both the asphalt savings and increased longevity were calculated utilizing performance testing results conducted by Arizona State University and the Mechanistic-Empirical Pavement Design Guide (MEPDG).

FORTA Corporation patented this technology in 1982 and has successfully used fiber-reinforcement in asphalt in several projects around the world.

Yes, the new packaging assures that FORTA-FI will disperse uniformly in both batch and drum plants.

Provided the proper production temperatures are maintained, FORTA-FI will disperse uniformly in seconds at all production speeds.

There are several options to feed FORTA-FI into an asphalt mix. FORTA offers an automated fiber feeder that continually measures the feed rate of loose fibers, called the Voyager. The FORTA Big Shot® feeds whole bags into the mix and has an optional counter to record the amount of fiber that is fed. Manual feeding can be accomplished by using the FORTA Little Shot or by placing the bags on the RAP belt for smaller projects. To learn more about FORTA’s fiber feeders, visit www.fiberfeeders.com.

Immediate cost savings are made possible by a reduction in asphalt thicknesses up to 35%. Additional savings are realized through shorter construction schedules, fewer trucks, fewer lifts, etc.

FORTAfied asphalt of the same thickness and your conventional asphalt will last more than 50% longer. Longer life results in less maintenance and resurfacing over the design life of the asphalt.

FORTA-FI is the newest generation of fiber-reinforcement for asphalt and has been designed for use in all three types of mixes.

No, FORTA-FI is typically packaged in a one (1) pound bag per one (1) ton of asphalt dosage (bag and all). While different bagged dosages are available for batch mixing if necessary, the process still requires no measuring.

FORTA-FI has been rigorously tested in various real-world and controlled environments since its creation. For example, FORTA-FI has been tested by The Arizona State University and the reports can be provided as requested by contacting us at www.forta-fi.com/contact/. In addition, FORTA-FI has numerous real-world asphalt pavement projects around the world with extremely successful results. To read more about these, please visit our website.

FORTA-FI fiber mixes three-dimensionally within the asphalt pavement. Woven mats are located underneath the base of the asphalt pavement. Because cracks can happen anywhere within the asphalt, FORTA-FI fiber-reinforcement aids in strengthening the asphalt and reducing cracking wherever it may occur. Another advantage of FORTA-FI is it’s much easier to use. No additional construction steps equal labor savings!

Yes, FORTAfied asphalt will not negatively impact your RAP and can be milled in the same way as standard asphalt.

Yes, less FORTAfied asphalt is required per job reducing the thickness and/ or better performance and longer pavement life reducing lifecycle costs, and it can be recycled—RAP.