11-Mile State Highway Repair Project in Texas
Problem
State Highway TX-385, which connects Corpus Christi with North Padre Island, was originally paved with asphalt over a weak base of sand and gravel. Over time, pavement settlement created rough and unsafe driving conditions. The Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) knew it had to address TX-385, but it could not afford to completely replace the asphalt with concrete pavement. URETEK was hired to repair an 11-mile section of TX-385 that was severely damaged.
Analysis
Four overpasses on TX-385 had settled as much as six inches. Additionally, the deteriorated base of the highway created serious cracking in the lanes, on the shoulder, and especially at bridge approach and departure slabs.
Solution
The URETEK Deep Injection® (UDI) process offered TxDOT a way to regain control of one of their most headache-inducing highways without the high cost of replacing asphalt with concrete. The 11-mile section of Highway 358 was completely repaired by sealing the edges with URETEK 486®. This also prevented further erosion of the road from water infiltration. Sixteen bridge approach slabs were stabilized and supported using UDI.
Result
By using URETEK and UDI, TxDOT saved time and money, minimized roadway disruption, and gained a permanent solution to their TX-385 problem. URETEK undersealed and re-aligned asphalt at a speed impossible for a “rip-and-replace” crew and without any excavation. When asked what they appreciated about URETEK’s approach, a TxDOT employee remarked, “URETEK saved us in the neighborhood of several million dollars. These cost savings were considerable, especially in conjunction with the amount of time saved and disruption averted thanks to innovative URETEK processes. What’s more, using the UDI process solved the settlement problems at their source: the road base.”
URETEK Deep Injection® (UDI)
Widely referenced throughout our industry, UDI involves the injection of structural polymer into base and subgrade soils to increase the load bearing capacity. This is achieved by injecting the polymer through small holes drilled directly through the pavement structure to depths determined by site-specific analysis. Our URETEK 486 Star® material flows easily into voids and weak zones within the soil mass below. Through a controlled chemical reaction, the expanding polymer compacts surrounding soils and applies a controlled pressure on targeted areas of the affected pavement above. If needed, a multiinjection design plan is utilized to gently return the pavement to its original grade. The composite material quickly cures into a strong, dimensionally stable, and water-resistant geomaterial, providing years of reliable service.
URETEK 486 Star®
URETEK 486 Star® polymer is a two-component, high-density, expanding thermoset polyurethane system. It was developed to be the ideal solution for under-sealing, void filling, lifting of settled pavement, stabilization and stiffening of weak soils, and for encapsulating and sealing buried infrastructure. URETEK 486 Star® is environmentally inert, non-toxic, and resists underground water erosion or weakening due to its industry-leading hydrophobic properties.
