SYNERGY OF CRUMB RUBBER SEALING AND GEOTEXTILE IN THE MIDWEST GASCOYNE REGION

As MRWA’s procurement model attempts to increasingly incorporate sustainability with the more conventional metric of ‘value for money’ on its heavily punished rural road network; the combined use of crumb rubber spray sealing and geotextile membranes has gained significant traction in COLAS WA’s 2023 season. Most notably in the Midwest Gascoyne Reseal Contract where we delivered a 38km reseal of this nature.

Utilizing our state-of-art mobile CRB operation in conjunction with our crew’s refined geotextile laying process has given some significant wins to our state road authority as well as CWA’s technical reputation alike.

The benefits of our S45R and S5R seals are well-documented in combating the effects of the thousands of quads and pockets of road trains that are ubiquitous on the WA rural road network. CWA’s usage of these products, in lieu of conventional binders, has increased by circa 300% in the last 3-4 years and is a testament to the product’s quality.

The addition of a geotextile layer to the Crumb Rubber Binder double-seal means the durability and structural integrity of the road are further enhanced. This will result in a road that can withstand heavier traffic loads, have greater skid resistance, resist deformation, minimize differential settlement, and most likely lasts longer than the cheaper conventional alternative treatment.

Though more expensive for a lesser trafficked road (whether measured by traffic count or % of heavies), the extended lifespan of the roads completed by our crews in the Midwest this year translates into safer roads, needing fewer disruptions to maintain, and minimizing inconvenience to road users. A significant boon for a part of the network synonymous with a busy and buoyant mining industry.

As a result, we believe the collaboration between crumb rubber spray sealing and geotextile membranes could quite likely become a preferred treatment in the future. We are also confident that the CWA sealing crews will continue to lead the way in advancing our offering in the coming season.