Methods for Fog Seal Field Test with Polymer-Modified Emulsions

Abstract

Findings from a laboratory evaluation of fog seal emulsions are presented. Curing time and adhesive behavior of polymer-modified emulsions (PMEs) were compared with those of unmodified emulsions as fog seal materials. The study showed that polymer modification could improve certain properties of emulsions, such as an increase in adhesion. The evaporation test and the pneumatic adhesion tension testing instrument were used to investigate emulsion curing and adhesive behavior. Also, the rolling ball test and the damping test were developed as in situ test methods to determine an appropriate traffic opening time for roadways treated with fog seals. Finally, the third-scale Model Mobile Load Simulator was employed to compare the performance properties of the fog seal emulsions. The following main findings are presented: use of PMEs improved the emulsion bond strength and lessened the time a road was closed to traffic; PMEs showed more effective emulsion curing rates than did unmodified emulsions; strong relationships existed between the bond strength and both the measured rolling distance (from the rolling ball test) and the measured percentage of stained area (from the damping test); field test methods could be used to help determine whether emulsions were fully cured; and PMEs exhibited better aggregate retention and bleeding performance properties than did unmodified emulsions as a fog seal.