30 Year Performance of a Unique Pavement Material
Michael van Koeverden1, Peter Heeley2
1 B.E.(Civil), F.I.E Aust, CPEng, NER, IntPE(Aus), RPEQ, RPE NSW, DBP NSW, Director, CQT Services 2 B.E., Grad Dip (Bus Man), Prof Cert Arb, Professional Associate, CQT Services
ABSTRACT
In 1994 the former NSW electricity utility Pacific Power established an R&D programme looking to develop new uses for power station fly ash. In conjunction with the then NSW Roads and Traffic Authority, (RTA), Lake Macquarie City Council, University of Technology (Sydney) and a range of industry participants, a number of pavements were designed and tested. Accelerated pavement testing, by the then Australian Roads Research Board (ARRB), was carried out using the Accelerated Loading Facility (ALF) machine inside the Eraring power station, Lake Macquarie, NSW in 1995. Several long term trials were also implemented on heavily trafficked roads around the power station.
In 2019 the performance of one of the test pavements at the power station was thoroughly investigated. That pavement comprised trials of 450mm of flyash stabilised with 8% GP cement (92FA: 8C) and 300mm of 92FA: 8C overlain by 150mm of 1.5% cement stabilised DGB20 that was also constructed in 1994.
The trials were both primer sealed and overlain by approx. 50mm of Asphalt (AC). The pavement trials were constructed on a private coal haul road between the local mines and the power station and had been subject of substantial traffic for more than 25 years at the time of testing. The section of pavement was adjacent to the power station weighbridge, which confirmed traffic of over 5 million ESA's had passed over the test section. The pavement concerned was extensively tested by independent consultants, who concluded that its expected life was at least a further 20 years at similar loading.
This paper reviews the original construction and testing, and possible future use of this material in other local projects.
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