Webinar: Improving the Sustainability of Sprayed Seals

Sprayed seals are a widely used, critical component of the road system in Australia and New Zealand, being the predominant type of sealed road surfacing in both countries. Traditional sprayed sealing practice sees a heavy reliance on non-renewable, virgin materials for the two major components, the bituminous binder, which is refined from crude oil, and aggregate, which is extracted from a quarry.

Austroads has recently completed a project to gather knowledge and increase the understandings about sprayed seal technologies and practices that can be used to improve their sustainability in terms of environmental impact. The project report has identified several opportunities that may be pursued to improve the sustainability of sprayed seals.

This webinar will discuss the findings of the project and provide an overview of the report, which contains:

• a literature review, conducted to identify and evaluate new and emerging environmentally friendly, sustainable technologies and practices, and innovative materials and methods for sprayed seals
• a description of current sprayed seal materials and practice
• alternative approaches to binders (including additives, emulsions and bio-binders), aggregates and precoating, cutter oils, and construction equipment.

The session will also focus on the lifespans of sprayed seals, impacts of climate change and an environmental life cycle analysis to review the impact of different sealing approaches.

The webinar will be presented by Steve Patrick and Robert Busuttil.

There will be question and answer opportunities during the session.

Steve Patrick is a Principal Professional at the National Transport Research Organisation (NTRO). Steve has worked for NTRO for 20 years and has worked in roles in the Data Collection, Heavy Vehicles and Bituminous Surfacings Groups. His main areas of research have included sprayed sealing practices, bitumen sprayer calibration and related field testing, establishing and monitoring of Austroads sprayed seal trial sites at Coober Pedy and Cooma, and preparation of sprayed sealing related guidelines and standards. He has been involved in the ongoing development of the Austroads sprayed seal design method over the past 10+ years.

Robert Busuttil is the Specialist Engineer Pavement Surfacing Technology at the Department of Transport and Planning (Transport Victoria). He is currently the Chair of the Austroads - Bituminous Surfacings Technical Group (BSTG), Australian Standards Committee CH025 (Bitumen and Related Products for Roadmaking) and is the Project Manager for this project. He has worked in the past as a technical expert for the Department for Infrastructure and Transport South Australia and NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi.

No charge but registration is essential. Can’t make the live session? Register and we’ll send you a link to the recording.

Register now!