Earth Materials Catalyst Stabilization for Road Bases, Road Shoulders, Unpaved Roads, and Transportation Earthworks

Frequency of use of concentrated liquid stabilizers to improve stability of aggregate and soil materials in constructing roads and other transportation-related structures is increasing. Concentrated stabilizers are formulated specifically for modification, improvement, and stabilization of aggregate and soil materials and require dilution in a water solution before application to allow for adequate dispersion. Applied costs of treatment are generally much less than conventional chemical stabilization treatment, because application is much simpler and product and transportation costs are less. Treatments are applied to aggregate materials to reduce base course and subbase structural sections and to strengthen resistance to repetitive loading and environmental factors. Gravel loss and maintenance frequency have been greatly reduced for unpaved roads and road shoulders. A report of these findings is timely, because both public and private sectors are seeking cost-effective treatments to improve long-term performance of conventional pavements and to help use limited budgets to address environmental regulations mandating dust control and sediment control for road shoulders and unpaved surfaces. Representative case studies of federal and state agency projects that used an earth materials catalyst (a concentrated liquid stabilizer) document the benefits of appropriate application of concentrated liquid stabilizer technology.