Background.
Road improvements were needed on 11.5 miles of county owned roadways leading to a new mine site in order for the mining operation to obtain the required operating permit.
Problem.
Eight miles of the roadway runs adjacent to a dry lakebed, creating unstable road conditions in numerous areas. Due to the various types of soils and roadway conditions such as severe potholing, rutting and washboarding, traveling in excess of 10 mph was almost impossible. In addition, the mining company needed daily access for two shifts of mine personnel and the roadway was heavily used by tourists and campers.
Solution.
The roadway was graded smooth and Soil-Sement® was applied and blended into the top 3 inches of loosened soil. The roadway was then rolled with a steel drum roller for desired compaction and a top coat application of Soil-Sement was applied, creating a smooth, hard, dust-free surface.
The smooth running surface allowed much more efficient travel for tourists, campers and mine personnel, and traffic traveled comfortably at the posted 45 mph. Potholing, rutting and washboarding have virtually been eliminated and the once unstable areas have been stabilized for long-term, heavy use.