Road Stabilisation

Road Stabilisation

Dustex can be applied either by incorporating or mixing the product into the road material during the construction phase or as a spray-on application when treating formed and compacted surfaces.

Method 1

The Dustex “mix-in” method is used to bind and stabilise a layer with a thickness between 50 and 100mm. The lignosulphonate glues the particles together, eliminating the individual particle movement which results in surface deterioration and dust.

The product is incorporated into the road material during the water binding process using conventional road making equipment or a high-capacity road stabiliser.

The quantity of Dustex required is between one and three per cent of the weight of the material to be bound (calculated as dry matter on dry aggregate).

The material to be bound should contain six to eight per cent of fines with a maximum aggregate size of 10 per cent of the target stabilisation depth.

The road is tyned to the required depth, the windrows sprayed with the Dustex solution and the material thoroughly blade mixed to ensure even distribution. The material is then laid out and compacted. A slurry coat of diluted Dustex solution may be applied as a surface seal.

Tips and Tricks

  • During the mixing and compaction procedures it is important to maintain optimum moisture content.
  • Ideally the road should be formed with a 2-3 per cent crown to facilitate rapid drainage.
  • Avoid saturating the road as excessive water could leach the product from the surface.
  • If the treated surface requires grading, first wet the area. Do not grade dry material.
  • If necessary, a diluted Dustex solution (15 ml per square metre) may be applied to restore the integrity of a treated surface after heavy rain, when the surface starts to dust again or to control fugitive dust.

Method 2

The surface spray-on treatment takes longer to achieve effective dust control and stabilisation but field experience has demonstrated that for compact surfaces such as haul roads the method achieves effective penetration of Dustex into the road surface and provides a lower cost option due to reduced equipment requirements. Minimal disruption to traffic is an additional benefit.

The application is simple. Dustex is added to the water cart at the recommended concentration and sprayed directly onto the road surface.

Several passes of the water cart will be required over a two day period as care must be taken to ensure the product has been absorbed into the road before more Dustex is applied and the target concentration reached.

Dustex will:

  • Significantly reduce or eliminate dust
  • Reduce road-water usage by up to 90 per cent
  • Provide a hard, smooth dust-free running surface with excellent traction in wet or dry conditions
  • Significantly reduce road maintenance costs
  • Consolidate and improve the quality of the in situ road material
  • Increase the load-bearing capacity of existing road material