FORTA-FI’s asphalt fiber network significantly enhances pavement resilience against environmental and mechanical stresses. It extends pavement life by up to 50%, significantly outperforming traditional asphalt mixes.
FORTA-FI is a versatile solution suitable for a wide range of transportation applications, including airports, streets, highways, interstates, and industrial parking lots.
The longevity and durability of asphalt pavements are critical concerns in construction. Contractors, owners, and engineers face constant challenges in extending pavement life while controlling costs.
We at FORTA® recognize these challenges and have developed FORTA-FI® as an innovative solution. This high tensile strength synthetic fiber blend enhances asphalt mixes, delivering superior performance and extended pavement life.
FORTA-FI is an advanced fiber blend engineered for superior asphalt reinforcement. With a tensile strength five times that of steel, this high-performance fiber forms a 3D reinforcement matrix within the asphalt, significantly reducing cracking, rutting, and overall pavement issues.
The primary objective of FORTA-FI is to provide three-dimensional fiber reinforced asphalt pavements. By creating a robust internal fiber network, FORTA-FI effectively controls and reduces thermal, reflective, and fatigue cracking and mitigates rutting and traveling.
This asphalt fiber reinforcement extends the pavement’s life, enhances its durability, and provides significant cost savings through reduced maintenance and longer intervals between repairs.
Reinforcing asphalt mixes with FORTA-FI offers numerous advantages, such as:
FORTA-FI’s asphalt fiber network significantly enhances pavement resilience against environmental and mechanical stresses. It extends pavement life by up to 50%, significantly outperforming traditional asphalt mixes.
By extending pavement life and reducing maintenance needs, FORTA-FI offers substantial long-term savings.
Rigorous testing and real-world applications have consistently demonstrated FORTA-FI’s effectiveness in improving asphalt performance.
By extending the lifecycle of roads, FORTA-FI contributes to lower carbon emissions.
Compatible with existing asphalt mixing equipment, FORTA-FI does not require significant procedural changes, facilitating a smooth integration into current construction processes.
These synthetic fibers mix well in batch and drum plants without compromising production efficiency. They are typically added during the asphalt production process, either manually using premeasured bags or through automated fiber delivery systems such as FORTA’s Voyager, Big Shot®, or Ranger. These systems can automatically track and record the amount of fiber fed into the batch for quality assurance.
FORTA recommends a dosage of 1 pound of FORTA-FI per ton of asphalt mix for optimal results, though this ratio may change depending on project requirements. We recommend contacting our engineering team for design assistance. To ensure proper FORTA fiber dispersion, maintain minimum mix production temperatures of 220 degrees Fahrenheit for bulk fiber and 275 degrees Fahrenheit for premeasured bags.
To explore how FORTA-FI can enhance your asphalt projects, contact our team of experts. We will provide detailed information and technical support to help you make informed decisions. Experience the FORTA fiber advantage — stronger, longer-lasting pavements that save you time and money.
The 3 keys to FORTA-FI are: (1) Fiber Type — a high tensile strength blend engineered for stress resilience while maintaining flexibility. (2) Dispersion and Distribution — fibers are added in a loose state to promote instant, uniform dispersion throughout the mix. (3) Micro-Fibrillation — aramid fibers develop added fiber offshoots during mixing, delivering higher pullout resistance and tensile capacity.
The standard dosage is 1 pound per ton of asphalt, delivering 19 million individualized aramid fibers per ton. Many agencies and companies have elected to increase dosage for added reinforcement. FORTA also offers X2, which doubles the aramid fiber content to 38 million fibers per ton.
Improvements include better crack resistance (thermal, reflective, fatigue), increased rutting resistance, and improved mix stability — contributing to longer pavement life and reduced maintenance needs.
Real-world side-by-side projects show proven results, with some sections offering more than 15 years of performance data. Research from the National Center for Asphalt Technology, Arizona State University, and MnRoad all support FORTA-FI’s track record.
FORTA-FI adds approximately 10% to the cost per ton of asphalt mix. Researchers found it can save agencies 40% or more based on lifecycle cost analysis due to significant life extension and reduced maintenance.
In side-by-side examples from interstates to local roads, FORTA-FI maintains a significantly higher pavement rating than control areas, leading to a higher network score and less reactive maintenance spending.
No. FORTA-FI works in both batch and drum plants with no modifications to existing equipment.
Fibers (mechanical reinforcement) and polymers (chemical reinforcement) have been used together with great impact worldwide. Fibers show strong benefit without polymers, but also show tremendous benefit when used together.
No. FORTA-FI does not impact the volumetrics of your mix design and can be added to any existing design.
Visit our Resources section for specification guides, technical data sheets, and QA/QC documentation, or contact a FORTA representative directly.
