Very Thin Bonded Cement Concrete (VTBCC) a New Quality Surfacing

There have been significant developments in concrete road pavement techniques in the past decade. To the traditional advantages of concrete pavements such as durability under heavy traffic and low maintenance cost have been added various other reasons for favouring them, such operational availability, aesthetics, architectural integration and contribution to a better environment. Specifically as concerns surfacing, there are special situations in which the aim is to combine the need for good all-weather mechanical stability and the search for a "different" visual and textural enhancement drawing the attention of users. Such is the case, for example, of bus lanes and specialized streets in towns, lorry rest areas on motorways, as well as certain heavy traffic roadways to be distinguished from other roadways from the viewpoint of road operations, and involving severe mechanical requirements. Very thin bonded concrete placed over a biluiiiiiiuus suifacing was developed for this purpose. Inspired by the concept of "white topping", the principle involves the concrete overlay of an existing, deteriorated bituminous layer, providing good bonding between the concrete and the bitumen. The thickness range sought is from 5 to 10 cm. The document describes the first significant applications of this technique, highlighting the value added in terms of quality in the French context in relation to the basic technique. Emphasis is placed on the more sensitive points found in immediate applications and on studies based on a very pragmatic approach to projects and the exchange of experience through partnering arrangements between the industry, various contracting officials, from the municipal as well as the motorway sectors, and the technical network of the French Public Works Ministry.