History of Roadmaking

Change

A silent revolution is taking place in the road paving industry. Public expectations about road comfort, safety and quality continue to grow and the requirements on road paving techniques and materials have to grow with them. Polymer modification of the bituminous binder has a major impact on road performance helping to make this revolution possible.

As the largest producer of polymers for bituminous road binder modification, Kraton Polymers remains at the forefront of innovation to enable its customers to keep up with these changing times.

Before

Historically, large scale road projects were linked to the need for communication, trade and military movements. The Roman roads and the Inca foot trails are examples of civilizations building links to manage, extend and defend empires. The road materials used were often natural stone slabs.

With the introduction of motor vehicles and heavily mechanized armed forces, many countries embarked on a road construction program to enable their rapid mobilization and transport around the country. The network of 'Autobahns' in Germany and the building of 'Interstates' in the United States responded to that need. Paving materials were required that were cheaper, easier to install and smoother to drive on, while being able to resist the heavier loads. Asphalt and cement concrete have been used extensively.

Industry specialization and a proliferation of new products has resulted in increased "goods" transport. At the same time, increased disposable wealth enabled more commuting and leisure trips by car. Around the world this led to huge increases in the number of trucks and private cars on the roads. Consequently this led to road damage and congestion.

Now

Nowadays, roads infrastructure is under intense scrutiny: congestion, safety and environment are the main topics.

Roads are extended, straightened and widened. Traffic management techniques are used to channel the torrent of traffic. New road maintenance techniques, such as emulsions are applied to minimize installation times.

The residents near to major roads become more sensitive to noise and pollution, as property values, health and quality of life are affected. Special asphalt mixes are being applied to reduce traffic noise.

Road construction and maintenance are also under scrutiny from an environmental point of view. Extending a road's lifetime not just for economical reasons but also for environmental reasons, is now a consideration.

These trends require more advanced road materials and techniques. Kraton® polymers can play a role in helping to advance road performance.

Future

The trends of today will extend into the future. More stringent requirements for road quality, safety and environmental performance will be introduced. The reducing role of the state in some countries will result in a widened responsibility for the private sector.

Advanced maintenance techniques will lead to reduced delays. There is a trend towards more sustainable structural design. The road could then consist of a base structure which is built to last and a wearing course that is replaced occasionally.

For longer lasting roads, new road construction and maintenance techniques will require better performance and versatile construction materials. Kraton D polymers have a critically important role to help make these improvements possible.