EME2: 10 years later

COLAS has played a pivotal role in the development of EME2 since its inception in the 1980s in France. The first EME2 asphalt mix, designed to meet European specifications and utilising local materials, was produced and laid in Australia a decade ago on a Brisbane Council access road. This milestone was achieved through the dedicated efforts of COLAS, which conducted mix design testing at their CORE lab near Paris, and SAMI, which developed and supplied a specialised hard bitumen from their Port of Brisbane terminal.

Adoption by Queensland’s Department of Transport

EME2 has become the preferred asphalt mix for Queensland’s Department of Transport and Main Roads. It has replaced dense graded asphalt in deep lift road projects. Currently, Queensland paves about 1 million tonnes of EME2 each year, which accounts for 10% of Australia’s total asphalt production. Given this success, we expect demand for EME2 to grow in other states, especially for heavy-duty applications like highways, ports, and airports. COLAS in New Zealand is also working to develop an EME2 mix using SAMI’s bitumen that meets European specifications.

Advantages of EME2

EME2 offers significant advantages over conventional dense-graded asphalt. It allows a reduction in pavement thickness of up to 25% while maintaining the same traffic load capacity. This reduction leads to considerable cost savings for clients and decreases the demand for raw materials, benefiting the environment. In the recent Cooroy to Curra upgrade of the Bruce Highway, COLAS produced and laid EME2 with 15% recycled asphalt pavement (RAP), further reducing reliance on non-renewable materials.

The successful transfer of EME2 technology from France to Australia illustrates how COLAS and SAMI leverage innovative solutions. These efforts promote sustainable use of natural resources while constructing roads that support heavier loads at a lower cost to taxpayers.

This development truly represents a win-win for both asset owners and the environment!