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TenCate’s geotextile interlayer cited by concrete association
A road construction project in suburban Detroit that incorporated a geotextile fabric interlayer was recently recognized by the Michigan Concrete Association (MCA).
The Little Mack concrete overlay was completed in St. Clair Shores, Mich. from 10 Mile Road to 12 Mile Road. The project included a 4-in. unbonded concrete overlay and was the first of its kind and scope in the state of Michigan utilizing a geotextile fabric interlayer instead of the traditional 1-in. bituminous interlayer.
The MCA selected this project as the winner of the Overlay–Local category in the association’s 2011 Awards of Excellence, recognizing the team involved, including the contractor, owner, and engineer.
This roadway design allowed for little or no change in the final pavement elevation and was more cost-effective than total replacement. Little Mack Avenue is a five-lane urban arterial under the jurisdiction of the city of St. Clair Shores. It consists of five 11-ft lanes with 2-ft separate curb and gutter sections on each side. This section of Little Mack carries approximately 13,000 vehicles per day and contains both residential and commercial properties.
Originally installed in 1995, the existing pavement section included 9in. of nonreinforced concrete on a 6-in. cement-treated aggregate (slagcrete) base. Shortly after its construction, the pavement started to exhibit joint and mid-panel deterioration due to concrete durability issues and alkali-silica reactivity (ASR). Partial depth repairs at the joints indicated that the pavement was sound at a depth of approximately one-third of the slab thickness. However, areas adjacent to the partial depth repairs continued to deteriorate in the following years.
Anderson, Eckstein and Westrick Inc. worked with the owner—the MCA and the Michigan DOT—in the scoping, design, and construction of the project. The project was completed by Florence Cement Co. Inc. starting in April 2011 and completed in September 2011.
The project involved milling the top 4in. of the pavement to remove the unsound concrete, placement of the TenCate Mirafi geotextile separator, and then the installation of the 4-in. concrete overlay with integral curb and gutter.
Local knowledge of the area and history of the pavement was invaluable in the design and construction of the project and in communicating the associated issues to the owner.