Tapatio Springs Recycles Their
Roads
By Donald H. Taubert, Director Promotion &
Technical Service, Capitol Cement
  Tapatio
Springs, a world-renown golf resort located just west of Boeme,
Texas, in the Texas Hill country, recycled some of its roads with
full-depth recycling, using portland cement. The job was done in
only 10 days, at about one-third the cost of removal and replacement.
Travis
Cannon, president of Tapatio Springs Homeowner's Association, recommended
to the board of directors that Tapatio Springs recycle its failed
asphalt pavement with a method called full-depth recycling. Tapatio
Springs is a planned community, centered around a world-class 27-championship-hole
golf course located just west of Boeme, Texas, nestled in the picturesque
hill country.
The
association elected to recycle two streets. Wild Turkey Boulevard
and Whitetail Drive, for a total of about one-half mile of work
on the 24-foot-wide streets. Capital Excavation, headquartered in
Austin, has an area office in San Antonio and was awarded the contract.
Bill Sheppard was project superintendent on the job, which started
on April 30.
 "It
is a pretty simple process, actually," said Jerome DeSalrne,
area manager for Capital Excavation. "We didn't have to bring
in any additional equipment. We completed the project in 1,300-foot
to 1,400-foot sections and always maintained one-way traffic control."
The
simple process began with the pavement being scarified with a motor
grader to a depth of about 8 inches. Then Portland cement was applied
at 4 percent by volume. This amount is lower than is ordinarily
used for traditional cement-treated base.
 "We
used dry cement, not slurry, straight out of the truck and applied
with the spreader bar," explained DeSalme.
 After
the cement was applied, water was added, and the combined materials
were mixed with a rotary pulverizing mixer. Typical gradation requirements
are 100 percent passing the 2-inch sieve and 55 percent to pass
the number 4 sieve. The next step was crowning and shaping, followed
by ordinary compaction, and a prime coat of MC-30. Wheeler Coatings
and Asphalt laid 1-1/2-inch Type "C" asphalt for the wearing
surface. The project completely recycled all in-place paving materials,
both surface and base material. There was no excavation or disposal
of old base, no disposal or trucking fees, finally, no new base
material!
 The
reclaiming, addition of the cement, and compaction was easily accomplished
in one day, according to DeSalme. By evening, residents had a suitable
driving surface through their neighborhood until Wheeler Coatings
and Asphalt was able to come in a few days later to prime and lay
the asphalt. "We waited to have them apply the asphalt until
we had finished our work on the roads so that they would have to
come out only one day," said DeSalme.
Cannon
concluded, "We have a much better road now. It cost us about
one-third of what a traditional road reconstruction would cost,
and we didn't have to worry about disposal. It should last us a
significant number of years. We couldn't have spent our money better.
Capital Excavation did an excellent job. Bill Sheppard promised
he'd be through in 10 days and he was. We're proud of our roads.
Cities and counties should look at this as a way of saving taxpayers
money."
Back to the top
|
