ADVERTORIAL Fibertex
Maximise road lifespan with advanced solutions from Fibertex
Fibertex Nonwovens South Africa is leading the way in road pavement maintenance with advanced solutions, including the manufacture and supply of Fibertex AM-2, a flexible nonwoven paving fabric specially designed for African road engineering conditions.
Reflective cracking and water damage significantly contribute to pavement deterioration in both rigid and flexible road systems. Brian Potgieter, Technical Sales Engineer at Fibertex Nonwovens South Africa, emphasises the impact of existing cracks in old asphalt layers.“ When new asphalt is overlaid, water can infiltrate through these cracks, compromising the overall lifespan and driving quality of the road,” he explains.
Beyond basal stabilisation, Fibertex offers a comprehensive range of geosynthetic products that address various civil engineering challenges. Their experts provide technical advisory and support services throughout Africa, ensuring optimal solutions for every project. ■
To address these challenges, Fibertex has developed Fibertex AM-2, which functions both as a waterproofing membrane and a Stress Absorbing Membrane Interlayer( SAMI).“ As a waterproofing barrier, this advanced solution substantially reduces water permeation through the asphalt overlay and into the underlying pavement structure, mitigating the harmful effects of water ingress. Additionally, it absorbs stress caused by differential loads on the road surface, preventing the propagation of existing cracks from the lower pavement layers to the newly installed overlay,” adds Potgieter.
This dual functionality leads to significant benefits, including extended pavement life and reduced maintenance costs. By minimising reflective cracking, Fibertex AM-2 allows for longer intervals between maintenance projects, resulting in considerable cost savings. The material’ s versatility enables mechanical application for large-scale projects or manual installation for narrower applications.
In addition to Fibertex AM-2, the company offers the F-range nonwoven geotextiles – F34 and F46 – which serve as essential separator layers within the road base. These geotextiles optimise road design by enhancing load distribution and durability, preventing intermixing between engineered fill and subgrade, and allowing for a thinner load-bearing layer design without sacrificing load capacity.
Fibertex geotextiles are UV-stabilised and certified for over 100 years of durability according to the latest EN standards. This long-lasting performance ensures minimal project costs and environmental concerns related to product failure.
Fibertex solutions for road pavement maintenance include the manufacture and supply of Fibertex AM-2, which is a flexible nonwoven paving fabric, specifically developed for road engineering conditions in Africa. Fibertex F-range nonwoven geotextiles – including F34 and F 46 – function as a separator layer within the road base( prism).
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