Skip to main content

Spanish contractor Sorigué has the edge with VÖGELE SprayJet

Spanish contractor Sorigué, the first to use the SUPER 1800-3i SprayJet from Vögele, has pioneered paving thin overlays and the development of new mixes. The company won the contract for rehabilitating the surface course of the 3km-long dam, 10m-wide promenade in the Catalonian port city of Tarragona. Sorigué’s idea was to overlay the existing surfacing with a thin layer applied to a spray seal of polymer-modified bitumen. The spray seal prevents water penetrating inside the structure – a major advant
March 21, 2016 Read time: 3 mins
Spanish contractor Sorigué, the first to use the SUPER 1800-3i SprayJet from 1194 Vögele, has pioneered paving thin overlays and the development of new mixes.

The company won the contract for rehabilitating the surface course of the 3km-long dam, 10m-wide promenade in the Catalonian port city of Tarragona. Sorigué’s idea was to overlay the existing surfacing with a thin layer applied to a spray seal of polymer-modified bitumen.

The spray seal prevents water penetrating inside the structure – a major advantage for a dam promenade which is regularly flooded with seawater because of strong winds and heavy seas. Sorigué says the process is cost-effective because the thinner layer significantly reduces milling and material costs. There is no need for costly adjustments and the installation of new curbs. It is also time-saving because spraying the high-quality polymer-modified bitumen and paving the surface course can take place in a single pass.

Lastly, pavement rehabilitated by paving thin overlays are exceedingly durable. The sprayed binder forms a continuous film on the lower layer, effectively sealing the road structure against water and significantly extending the service life of the new pavement.

The job was done in less than two days.  

In order to produce a particularly high-quality bond between layers when overlaying the surface course, Sorigué used an emulsion called ELASTAM. It was developed by the company itself and contains 65% polymer-modified bitumen and 35% water. The polymer-modified emulsion guarantees very rapid “breaking” so that the film of emulsion can be overlaid with hot asphalt immediately after spraying.

The SprayJet module ensures that the emulsion is sprayed in the right quantity. Unlike the case when using conventional methods, job site vehicles and paver do not drive over the film of emulsion, so that it remains intact over the full width.

The set rate of spread was relatively high, at 1.1kg/m². “Using a high rate of spread produces a reliable tack coat on all bases and ensures a strong bond between the layers,” said Alfredo Bobis, product developer for Sorigué. “It also allows more bitumen to be mixed into the asphalt retroactively. All this extends the service life of the new surfacing in line with demands for sustainable road construction.”

The Dash 3 SprayJet module and automatic functions calculates optimum pave speed on the basis of the installed nozzle size and the selected rate of spread, guaranteeing perfect application of the emulsion.

Operation of the SprayJet module has been consistently integrated into the ErgoPlus 3 operating concept. The central element is the colour touch screen, positioned on the emulsion tank so it is easily be seen and reached by the paver operator. All preparatory, spraying and cleaning functions can be selected and started in a few swift moves via various menus. Settings for the work flows are mainly performed automatically. This assures the machine’s availability and long-term value and prevents potential operator errors.

For more information on companies in this article

Related Content

  • On track for excellence in asphalt plants
    May 30, 2013
    While one leading asphalt plant company has played a key role in the creation of the new Circuit of the Americas F1 racetrack, others have been releasing new plants and plant-related technology onto the market, some of which has been exhibited at major world industry shows. Guy Woodford reports. Astec played an important role in the new Circuit of the Americas Formula 1 racetrack in Austin, Texas. The asphalt base, binder, and surface courses for the 5.47km asphalt road course, which staged its first F1 rac
  • New pavers for 2016
    October 28, 2016
    The list of manufacturers introducing new asphalt pavers in 2016 is long, with improved units for both European and US markets being made available. Note that this section summarises new models mentioned in the March and May issues of World Highways. Designed to meet European requirements, there are three new models from Ammann, the ultra-compact wheeled AFW150-2 for tasks such as road repairs as well as the larger AF 350-2 and AF 500-2, which are available in both wheeled and tracked variants. Atlas
  • ENH bitumen in-line plants destined for the Congo
    May 19, 2015
    ENH Engineering has broken into the market in the Democratic Republic of the Congo by selling two in-line bitumen emulsion plants. The plants, of which each can be built into a 12m container, were sold to the Congolese oil exploration and refining company Socir in the capital city of Kinshasha, said ENH's managing director Erik Haugaard. The in-line plants can produce all known bitumen emulsion types, from the simplest tack-coat to high-grade slurry emulsions. "The emulsion market in West Africa is gr
  • Innovative surface treatment for concrete road
    July 30, 2019
    An innovative surface treatment approach by Foster Contracting Limited has been developed for use on a £745million roads project in Aberdeen, Scotland. The specialist contractor, Foster Contracting Limited (FCL), has played a key role in a major project, to build the Aberdeen Western Peripheral Route/Balmedie-Tipperty (AWPR/B-T). AWPR Construction Joint Venture, the contractor appointed to design and construct the project, approached FCL to provide a customised treatment to remove the latency from the sl