Following a two year audit, the RSTA ADEPT guidance ‘Service Life of Road Surface Treatments for Asset Management Purposes’ has been updated to reflect the increased service life for high friction surfacing.
The service life guidance provides an agreed service life of a range of road surface treatment including surface dressing, slurry surfacing and high friction surfacing. It enables highway authorities to undertake proper asset management by providing a recognised baseline for lifecycle planning and asset valuation. A key part of this is awareness of the expected durability and performance of road surfaces that have been correctly specified, designed and installed.
BBA undertook a comprehensive study of 220 high friction road surface sites and found the average service life for cold applied systems to be 12 years and for hot applied systems to be 8 years. Previously the average service life was reported as being 8 years and 4 years respectively. The audit was the first of its kind in terms of scale and independence. It confirmed a much longer life than had been previously perceived.
“The BBA audit has significantly increased the expected average service life for high friction road surfacing. This proves the long-term cost effectiveness of using this surface treatment,” said Howard Robinson, chief executive of the Road Surface Treatments Association. “The service life guidance provides the performance data necessary for highway authorities to make an informed decision.”
‘Service Life of Road Surface Treatments for Asset Management Purposes’ maybe viewed and downloaded free of charge at www.rsta-uk.ork/publications/