Georgia County Government - July 2008 - (Page 28)

COWETA COUNTY continued from page 27 process. The complete recycling process can be finished quickly, and traffic can be maintained throughout construction. The old asphalt and any existing base material are pulverized, mixed with Portland cement and water and compacted to produce a strong, durable base for either an asphalt or concrete surface. FDR uses the old asphalt and base material for the new cement stabilized roadway base. There is no need to haul in aggregate or haul out old material for disposal. Construction truck traffic is greatly reduced, and there is little or no waste of materials from the original roadway investment. FDR conserves virgin construction materials, saves fuel and reduces any potential damage to existing roads by eliminating needless trucking. This process of reusing roadways and saving resources is moving Coweta County to a leadership role in sustainability. The process starts by evaluating the condition of the existing pavement including the sub-layers and mix design. Next, pulverization sizes the materials back down to a two-inch minus material. An exact amount of Portland cement and water is blended into the pulverized material. Reshaping, proper compaction, grading and curing follow. Th is gives the new base the strength and durability to achieve long-lasting, costeffective pavements. By addressing the entire pavement section, FDR is able to correct delinquent cross sections, widen roads, increase the load-bearing strength of the base and utilize 100 percent of the existing materials. Substantial savings can be attained while meeting environmental goals. Cement stabilization increases the stiff ness and strength of the base material. A stiffer base reduces deflections due to traffic loads, which results in lower strains on the asphalt surface and sub-grades. A cementtreated base also forms a moistureresistant layer that keeps out water that routinely destroys untreated aggregate bases, resulting in potholing and alligator cracking. FDR provides higher load carrying capacity utilizing the cement-treated component. Crown and slope corrections, drainage problems, reflective cracking, rutting and potholing are all corrected. Road widening can easily be accomplished during the FDR process, creating a much safer road. According to a 20-year research study of the FDR process by the Portland Cement Association, roads that were reconstructed using the FDR process had a life expectancy up to three times that of non-treated roadways. “Even before the cost of asphalt went sky high, FDR with cement was a better value than deep patching,” Landrum said. “With the cost of oil now at $100 per barrel pushing asphalt prices to the mid $50 to $60 ton and beyond, we are even more cautious on how we spend our road dollars. By utilizing FDR on our major roadways providing a stabilized rigid base, we are expecting our asphalt investment to double or perhaps triple in longevity.” The county plans on bidding an additional 10-plus miles of FDR this year. ■ 28 GEORGIA COUNTY GOVERNMENT http://www.shawhankins.com

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Georgia County Government - June 2008

Georgia County Government - June 2008 Contents President’s Message County Matters Laurens, Treutlen and Wheeler Counties Work Together to Leverage Economic Development 2008 Hurricane Season Forecast to be Active GDEcD: Georgia Is Bolstering International Marketing Efforts U.S. Communities Announces Auto Parts Service Contract Energy Innovation Center Opens in Warner Robins Coweta County Uses Innovative Road Construction Techniques Counties & The Law: An Analysis of Ten Commandments Displays in Georgia Courthouses Georgia’s Grand Old Courthouses: Talbot County Extension News: Youth Summit Teaches Civic Engagement Research Corner: Train Me! NACo News: NACo Seeks Obesity Prevention Programs County Parade Index of Advertisers

Georgia County Government - June 2008

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