Skip to main content

Polish road strengthened by Tensar

Consultants have specified Tensar techology in the rebuilding of a deteriorating Polish highway in order to meet current standards. The use of Tensar geogrids enabled consultants Drotest and Dro-konsult Warsaw to create a stable asphalt pavement quicker and more economically than using conventional construction methods, says Tensar. The 40km long road, which connects Bartoszyce and Ketrzyhn, had exceeded its design life and clearly showed its structural weakness with bad rutting, extensive fatigue crackin
July 31, 2012 Read time: 2 mins
Consultants have specified 340 Tensar techology in the rebuilding of a deteriorating Polish highway in order to meet current standards.

The use of Tensar geogrids enabled consultants 1438 Drotest and Dro-konsult Warsaw to create a stable asphalt pavement quicker and more economically than using conventional construction methods, says Tensar.

The 40km long road, which connects Bartoszyce and Ketrzyhn, had exceeded its design life and clearly showed its structural weakness with bad rutting, extensive fatigue cracking and surface deformation. The 6m wide carriageway was carried on a narrow fill embankment with minimum shoulders and flanked by deep ditches.

Conventional techniques of installing a thick pavement structure to improve the road bearing performance would have required widening the embankment to carry the additional construction. This was an expensive option and not economically possible.

Instead, the Tensar technical design team proposed the installation of a lean concrete base carrying Tensar geogrid composite reinforced asphalt layers. Over the concrete, the contractors PBDiM Minsk Mazowiecki laid a bituminous bond coat, and rolled out the Tensar ARG composite (geogrid bonded to a paving fabric) which was then brushed flat.

Over the concrete road base they laid a new binder course followed by wearing layers of asphalt. The function of the Tensar geogrid composite was to restrict any shrinkage cracking from the concrete layer from reflecting into the asphalt. In addition, its load bearing capability will provide fatigue resistance for the asphalt layers.

For more information on companies in this article

Related Content

  • Interest grows in Kaugummiasphalt cold mix from Macismo
    November 25, 2016
    Asphalt supplier BPH says Czech highway officials have been meeting with autobahn managers from Germany’s Leipzig region to discuss cold path repair methods on concrete surfaces. BPH, founded in 2013 in Königsbrück near Dresden in the states of Saxony, produces and sells Kaugummiasphalt and Macphalt, both products based on the Macfix Technology from Macismo.
  • Extreme climates pose tough duty cycles and challenges for testing procedures
    April 5, 2013
    This month we look at how pavement testing technology is responding to extremes of temperature, showcase concrete testing in Doha and look at how water drops could help identify delaminated bridge decks - Kristina Smith reports One of the biggest challenges that pavement engineers face is how to design for extremes of temperature. Designing for cold weather can result in problems at higher temperatures – and vice versa. In Scandinavia, generally a cold climate, they are facing this problem. In the summer,
  • Compaction in the field
    July 31, 2012
    Special applications require stringent quality control and with compaction machines a key part of the paving process, their contribution can be vital. A high quality finish has helped athletes breaking sporting records on the track at the Shanghai Stadium in China during this year's 2008 Summer Olympic Games. Built in 1997 the stadium has been the venue for numerous major sporting events prior to the Olympics, however its track was showing signs of wear and the local authorities decided that a full refurbis
  • Circuit of the Americas Formula for F1 success
    April 4, 2013
    In November 2012, the new Circuit of the Americas (COTA) in Austin, Texas, hosted the first ever Formula 1 US Grand Prix on a purpose-built track. But, as Jeff Winke and Guy Woodford report, the construction of COTA was just as demanding as competing in an F1 race itself For COTA construction contractor Austin Bridge & Road, L.P., nothing was more vital to the successful building of the 5.5km F1 track than meeting the strict criteria for its asphalt-paved surface. “The amount of stress this pavement will un