Soil Stabilization – What Is the Process For Asphalt Projects?

New asphalt paving can enhance properties in many ways. When done correctly, paving can last for decades, offering years of durability and strength. However, the paving process is far more complex than most realize. In many cases, contractors must perform soil stabilization.

Soil stabilization in Atlanta ensures that new paving can stand the test of time, creating a stable foundation for decades of traffic. Here’s what you need to know about soil stabilization methods for asphalt projects.

What is Soil Stabilization?

Contractors use full-depth reclamation methods to improve the properties of the soil. While paving is strong, it still needs a robust foundation to sit on. Many sites have soil with poor load-bearing capacities and durability. While teams can still pave over the unstabilized soil, it can lead to awful issues later, such as damage that requires full depth reclamation.

With the right soil stabilization method, contractors can enhance the soil’s overall performance to ensure it offers enough load-bearing capacity and strength to support your needs. Whether your pavement will support standard vehicle traffic or industrial vehicles, soil stabilization is vital in getting you new asphalt paving that lasts.

Why is Stabilization in Atlanta Necessary?

In addition to achieving proper load-bearing capabilities, contractors stabilize soil to prevent issues like soil erosion and settling. After experts stabilize soil, it’s less susceptible to eroding over time. As a result, it maintains stability and avoids costly damage that may require full depth reclamation.

Overall, stabilization also reduces maintenance requirements. Poorly stabilized soil will settle, resulting in significant cracks and buckling. If left unaddressed, those cracks allow water to enter, resulting in major foundational damage that may need full depth reclamation or full-blown reconstruction.

Finally, you want to stabilize soil to maximize longevity. With the right stabilization method, teams can prepare a pavement foundation that keeps surfaces in good shape for decades.

What are the Most Common Soil Stabilizations Available?

There are several ways to approach stabilization. The most common is mechanical stabilization, which involves amending the soil with cement, lime, fly ash and other materials. After thoroughly mixing it, teams will compact the soil to build the foundation.

Another soil stabilization method is simple compaction. Sometimes, soil doesn’t need additional materials; it only requires compaction to remove air voids and compress the soil.

Depending on your site’s needs, contractors may use additional soil compaction methods, such as chemical or polymer stabilization. Both involve adding materials that change the soil’s properties.

How Do Contractors Perform Full Depth Reclamation?

Not all properties need stabilization in Atlanta. Therefore, contractors always approach asphalt projects with a comprehensive site analysis. Teams analyze the soil, taking note of its compaction capabilities, composition, etc.

From there, experts can determine which of the many soil stabilization methods available are appropriate for your property. Typically, mechanical stabilization is the go-to. Contractors will decide what materials to add and how much your soil needs.

Then, they’ll bring the additive materials onto the site and use state-of-the-art equipment to mix the stabilization components into the soil. Compaction is the next step. It’s also the most crucial. Teams will compact the soil to remove air pockets, increase density and improve load-bearing capacity.

When you need full depth reclamation in Atlanta, The Surface Masters is here to help! We’re Atlanta’s most trusted paving contractors, offering several services to meet your needs. We do new asphalt paving, pavement repairs, crack sealing, sealcoating, pavement markings, concrete curbing and more.

Our goal is to deliver long-lasting results, no matter how complex your project is. We choose the appropriate stabilization method for your property and take every precaution to construct a surface that will stand the test of time.

Reach out to The Surface Masters today for your free quote. You can reach us through our online contact form, email Info@TheSurfaceMasters.com or call (770)250-6392.