IPWEAQ

Sprayed seals are the predominant road surface across the Australian road network, covering over 80% of all roads. Providing a network of sealed roads has necessitated the development of specific skills in low-cost road construction and maintenance techniques, particularly the use of thin sprayed bituminous treatments on pavements constructed from locally available materials (often of marginal quality) or crushed rock. There are a number of factors that impact on the life of a seal, including the choice of treatment, quality of materials, operational aspects of construction, as well as traffic number and type of vehicles.

Acknowledging the importance of sprayed seal surfacings for the Australian road network, Austroads released a new single document titled, “Guide to Pavement Technology Part 4K, Selection and Design of Sprayed Seals” in October 2018. To improve awareness of this new Austroads Part 4K document, IPWEAQ in conjunction with a practical expert in the area of bitumen sealing, is offering a one-day workshop.

This one-day workshop will provide a practical overview of the new Austroads spray seal selection and design methodology. This will assist asset managers in the selection of the most effective use of sprayed seals and provide participants with an understanding of the factors that may lead to seal failures. It will also assist in the development and formulation of yearly bitumen resealing programs. Content can be tailored to meet local needs.

This workshop is primarily aimed at staff involved in the areas of road planning, design, construction and maintenance of roads including, but not limited to:

• Asset Managers
• Civil Engineers
• Designers
• Road Inspectors
• Technical Officers

• Lectures
• Case studies
• Group discussion
• In-class activities and exercises

• Types of sprayed seal treatments
• Selection of surfacings based on traffic
• The importance of traffic in sealing works
• Overview of the current seal design system
• Worked Example of a seal design
• Understanding risks – review of recent sealing works
• Case study – seal failure investigation
• Common causes in spray seal failures

Participants may wish to bring along a copy of the Guide to Pavement Technology Part 4K, Selection and Design of Sprayed Seals (2018), available for free download via the Austroads website. Course handouts will provided to all attendees.