Is Lightweight Concrete All Wet?
Lightweight concrete is occasionally
thought to be the primary culprit
in moisture-related failures...Learn more!
Lightweight Aggregate for Highways and Roads
Wet or dry, road surfaces containing ES&C lightweight aggregate provide superior skid resistance. This resistance is maintained throughout the surface life, because ES&C does not polish as it wears. Additionally, due to its lightweight properties, ES&C often provides cost advantages to the contractor during shipping and handling.
Furthermore, damage to windshields, headlights, and paint caused by flying stones is virtually eliminated with ES&C, thus avoiding costly insurance claims and motorist complaints.
Common Uses
- Surface treatments (chip seal, seal coat, etc.)
- Plant mix seal overlay and open-graded friction coarse
- Hot mix surface coarse
- Microsurfacing (slurry seal)
- Cold mix (pothole patch, minor repairs, etc.)
- De-icing aggregate
De-icing Aggregate
When used as an ice chat, rotary-kiln lightweight aggregate delivers excellent performance to efficiently provide traction on icy roadways and bridges. The application of de-icing aggregate helps motorists avoid unsafe driving conditions and allows for a faster, safer return to normal roadway usage during and after a winter storm.
De-icing aggregate provides significant benefits, including:
- Truck load volumes almost double limestone or sand loads
- Easy to spread
- Dark color alerts motorists to icy conditions
- Free-flowing (wet or dry)
- Freeze resistant because of insulating properties
- High skid resistance due to particle properties
- Does not harm vehicle windshields, paint or body
- Leaves minimal residue for easy post-storm clean up
- Does not clog storm drains
- Does not create dust clouds during application
- Can be a carrier for magnesium chloride
As a multi-use aggregate for other street maintenance projects, lightweight aggregate is used in squeegee, strip, scrub, edge and chip seals; air injection pot hole patching machines; bleeding asphalt pavement treatment; hazardous spill control; and filler in blade-mixed or pug-milled oil dirt.
Lightweight aggregate avoids many of the storage and spreading issues associated with commonly used sand and limestone screenings. Due to its long-term storage feature, municipalities nationwide appreciate having de-icing aggregate available before the storm arrives. When storms are predicted or in progress, it is often too late to place an order and safely deliver the material to the storm area.
To effectively respond to winter storms, place your order today for TXI ES&C de-icing aggregate.
Case Studies
Better Pavements through Internal Hydration
TXI's Ice Chat Improves Safety From Winter Weather
Featured Projects
Seal Coat Program Armstrong Road
Heritage Hills - Going Green, Residential Streets Repavement
Benefits of Using Lightweight Aggregate in Pot Hole Machines
District Wide Preventative Maintenance Seal Coat Project
NDOR Uses Expanded Shale Lightweight Aggregate on Nebraska’s Highway 2
Additional Resources
Chip Seal – Best Practices
Recommended Pavement Preservation/Sealcoat Annual Schedule
Determining Design Rates
Use of Sweep Test for Emulsion and Host Asphalt Chip Seals
