Use of reflective surfaces on roadway embankment

• Main Authors: Jørgensen, Anders Stuhr, Doré, Guy
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: 2007
• Subjects: Reflective surface; Active layer; n-factor; GPR; Roadway embankment; Cold Regions; Greenland; Kangerlussuaq
• Online Access: https://orbit.dtu.dk/en/publications/66f01bac-bca4-49ef-938f-b508e34575ad

Temperature measurements have been used to study the effect of two reflective surfaces on a roadway embankment in Forêt Montmorency, Québec, Canada. Both tested materials, Mapelastic (from MAPEI) and Colored Slurry (from Tech-Mix), have lead to a reduction in n-factor and proved to have very good adherence characteristics for roadway use. In Kangerlussuaq Airport, western Greenland, ground-penetrating radar (GPR) has been used to compare the variation of the frost table underneath a normal black asphalt surface and a more reflective surface (white paint). The GPR results have shown a clear correlation between the use of a reflective surface and a reduced depth to the frost table. Thus the change in active layer thickness due to the increased reflectivity of the surface amounts to a reduced thaw depth of 23-24% in late summer.