Colored Asphalt Concrete Pavement Maintenance Technology and Selection

The colored anti-skid wear layer is a colored thin layer of pavement formed by first applying a single-component or two-component colored paint and then spreading colored aggregate (or artificial colored ceramsite). The colored anti-skid wear layer can be used for the maintenance of colored asphalt concrete pavements or as a separate colored pavement structure layer. The colored anti-skid wear layer is a new type of colored pavement structure, commonly known as "colored anti-slip pavement". A new type of colored anti-skid wear layer is now available—polymer cement mortar colored thin layer, also known as colored sand pavement. Traditional colored anti-skid wear layers typically use large aggregate particles, often artificial colored ceramic, resulting in a high cost. Colored sand pavement, on the other hand, uses sand as the aggregate, reducing its thickness and resulting in a lower cost. The principle behind polymer cement mortar colored thin layer is to formulate a water-emulsion mortar according to a specific formula to create polymer particles with a multiphase structure. By varying the proportions of soft and hard phase components, the final product meets various road performance requirements. The core technology behind this process is modified polymer emulsion CWC. The construction process for colored sand pavement involves mixing the modified polymer emulsion CWC with water, cement, and pigment in a specific ratio to form a fast-drying, strong, hydraulic polymer cement binder. This binder is then sprayed directly onto surfaces such as cement, stone, steel, and asphalt pavement, creating a new repair surface or colored surface layer.

Colored microsurfacing involves mixing appropriately graded aggregates and fillers (cement, lime, fly ash, mineral powder, etc.) with colored emulsified asphalt, pigments, admixtures, and water in a specific proportion to create a colored slurry mixture. This mixture is then evenly spread on the road surface using specialized machinery to form a colored asphalt seal. Colored microsurfacing can be used to maintain colored asphalt concrete pavements.

Colored microsurfacing differs from conventional microsurfacing in two key ways: first, conventional microsurfacing uses modified emulsified asphalt, while colored microsurfacing uses colored emulsified asphalt; second, pigment is incorporated into the mixture.

Currently, color microsurfacing technology is relatively mature. For roads with a shorter design life, colored microsurfacing can replace colored asphalt concrete pavements. Compared to colored asphalt concrete pavements, colored microsurfacing offers a price advantage. Colored micro-surfacing offers the following characteristics: excellent high-temperature stability; the use of colored emulsified asphalt ensures strong adhesion between the binder and aggregate; the colored aggregate exhibits high abrasion resistance; the gradation and raw materials can be adjusted; and noise levels are reduced by over 20% compared to conventional micro-surfacing. Construction is minimally affected by temperature, resulting in rapid construction and completion, shortening the time it takes to open to traffic; reduced energy consumption, zero harmful emissions, and environmental compliance.

Colored micro-surfacing has a designed service life of six years and offers a smooth, dense, uniform surface without loose patches, and is slip-resistant and durable.