Forward-thi​nking cities and towns are looking to cut road maintenance costs while relieving the headaches caused by sags, ruts and potholes in traditional asphalt paving.

Responding to this trend, Prairie Material and the Chicago Metropolitan Chapter of the American Public Works Association (APWA) recently demonstrated a better way to pave at Toyota Park in Bridgeview, Illinois.

Hosted in partnership with Illinois State Senator and Bridgeview Mayor Steve Landek, the invitation-only event gave more than 120 attendees a closer look at roller compacted concrete (RCC) – a durable, cost-effective material that is fast gaining ground as an alternative to asphalt. Attendees included municipal public works directors and engineers from Illinois and Indiana, along with members of the Illinois and Chicago Departments of Transportation and the O’Hare Airport Modernization Program.

Towns see lower costs, longer service

Attendees heard from Matt Mann, chief engineer for the Village of Streamwood, Illinois, who appeared in a video outlining why RCC has becom​e the material of choice for his town’s road rebuilding program.

“So far, we see nothing but advantages,” Mann said. “RCC is cheaper than asphalt, lays down just as easily and provides a stronger road base for years of additional service. And we found our crews could place it with very little additional training.”

Growing use in Indiana

The event also featured a presentation by Jerry Larson, executive director of the Indiana Ready Mixed Concrete Association, who noted that more than 21 counties in the Hoosier State had built roads using RCC.

“As a road building material, RCC has real advantages,” Larson told the group. “It requires no forming or finishing, yet it is incredibly strong, with compressive strengths routinely reaching 9,000 psi.”

Toward smoother riding surfaces

Currently, most cities and towns use RCC as a durable road base, applying a thin layer of asphalt to create a smoother riding surface. However, steady advances in mix technology may soon deliver new finishing options, said Wayne Adaska, director of pavements for the Portland Cement Association (PCA), who also addressed the group.

“We’re exploring various toppings to create the riding surface the driving public expects,” Adaska told the group. “Chip seal, very thin lifts of asphalt and cementitious slurry coats are all being evaluated.”

Live demo shows ease of placement

The Toyota Park demo gave municipal decision-makers the chance to see RCC placed by road crews, who worked with the same equipment used for asphalt paving. Following excavation of asphalt grindings, crews from Orange Crush, LLC placed a section of RCC between the park’s practice fields.

Cindy Williams, quality assurance manager for the Chicago Department of Transportation, was impressed with RCC’s potential. “We’re definitely looking at ways to lower costs,” she noted. “This looks like a good alternative to conventional asphalt, and we hope to identify the best applications for our city.”

Prairie is ready to help you succeed with RCC

Although RCC is easy to place with standard asphalt paving equipment, contractors do need to be aware of best practices to achieve smooth finished surfaces, says TheronTobolski of Prairie’s technical sales team. “Compacting RCC to accomplish optimum density is one key to achieving a durable pavement,” he says.

Prairie is ready to help you learn best practices for successful RCC placement. To get started, contact Tobolski at 708-563-4745 or ttobolski@prairie.com.