Abstract
New-age (Nano) Modified Emulsions (NME) for stabilising marginal materials used in the upper-pavement layers of roads have been proven in laboratories, through accelerated pavement tests (APT) in the field as well as in practice. In addition, materials design methods have been developed based on the scientific analysis of granular material mineralogy and the chemical interaction with the binder to design a material-compatible anionic NME stabilising agent for naturally available (often marginal) materials. However, any new disruptive technology that is introduced into a traditionally well-established industry, such as the road construction industry, is usually associated with considerable resistance. This is especially relevant when the new technology enables the use of granular materials traditionally considered to be of an unacceptable quality in combination with relatively new concepts such as an anionic NME stabilising agent. In practice, few road construction projects are without problems. New technologies are obviously easy targets to blame for any non-related problems that may arise during construction. In this article, we aim to assist in pre-empting, recognising, preventing, and resolving material or non-material related construction problems by correctly identifying the cause of the problems and recommending the best, most cost-effective ways to correct any deficiencies on site.
Highlights
In the built environment, nano-silane products have been used in Europe since the1800s [1–3] for protecting stone buildings against harsh environmental effects
The type of stone is related to the primary minerals comprising the stone, while the condition of the stone is a function of the presence of secondary minerals as a result of weathering due to chemical decomposition
Many buildings that have been successfully treated by scientists since the 1800s are still in everyday use, more than 150 years after a first treatment
Summary
1800s [1–3] for protecting stone buildings against harsh environmental effects. These products have proven to be especially successful for protecting against water damage. Initial contradictory results soon enabled scientists to identify that the successful application of a specific product was a function of the type of stone and the condition of the stone [3]. The same basic concepts that scientists developed by trial-and-error in the 1800s have been used in the modern era (after development of the advanced instruments in the 1980s/1990s that enabled scientists to manipulate atoms at a nano level, for example, atomic force microscopes (AFM) [4]), to develop nano-silane products that are generally used in the built environment in numerous products, including silicon sealants, adhesives, and paints
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