Stephenson Drive
Tensar Asphalt Reinforcement systems were used by Leicester City Highways Department to mitigate the potential for reflective cracking on Stephenson Drive.
Benefits
- Mitigate against reflective cracking
- Reduce maintenance by a factor of at least two
- Experienced Tensar asphalt reinforcement installer with Foster Contracting Ltd
The reflective cracking that had previously appeared in busy Stephenson Drive, a bus route close to Leicester city centre, was accompanied by potholes and widespread surface deterioration. The principle cause was the instability of the concrete paving slabs underneath the asphalt surface course, due to rainwater infiltration into the founding support. There was also evidence of asphalt fatigue and rutting, extensive patching over fractured slabs, potholes, numerous service trenches, movement due to tree roots and some potential subgrade driven failures.
To mitigate the effects of the reflective cracking in the new asphalt surface layers, Tensar proposed Glasstex composite asphalt interlayer as a stress absorbing membrane interlayer (SAMI) to help dissipate the stress from potential movement in the unstable concrete foundation and as such, potentially halve the road maintenance requirements.
