STP offers Green and Cost-Effective Solutions for Road Construction & Maintenance

Fiscal year 2016-17 started with big reforms and multi-dimensional growth-oriented measures like budget allocation for infrastructure developments, over 10,000 km of roads, waterways, railways, and port and rural developments. Despite the tough economic scenario, the Government of India is keen to fund infrastructure projects, especially in the road sector. To cut down cost of road maintenance, several initiatives are invited by Ministry of Roads, Indian Road Congress, Central Road Research Institute and other private and non-government bodies. STP’s Green Initiatives

Earlier, road construction meant dust pollution, heating of bitumen, asphalt handling, land contamination, water and air pollution, and depletion of natural resources like stone dust and aggregates. But now, the Government is very sensitive towards the environment and safety measures during construction and maintenance of old and new roads. The National Green Tribunal, many NGOs and regional bodies are also encouraging use of products that are non-polluting, involve no heating and are low cost. Globally too, there is emphasis on environment-friendly green and cold applied products and not on hot applied, hazardous products.

STP Limited, a pioneer in providing high-quality products over a period of eighty years, is continuously exploring innovative, green products for delivering the right solutions for the country’s infrastructure, road construction and maintenance, waterproofing, construction chemicals, anti-corrosive coatings and floorings and adhesives. The company has 6 factories, 26 branch offices, a central R&D facility and regional laboratories. It adapts the latest technology to provide products that are smarter, viable, greener and cost-effective.

STP’s High-tech Products

ShaliSeal RS TC and ShaliPatch EC are two innovative products developed by STP in 2016.

ShaliSeal RS TC is a refined tar-based emulsion that provides a cost-effective preventive top coating for asphalt roads.


Features:

• Formulated specifically to protect new and sound asphalt roads as a top coat road slurry.
• Meets the requirement of ASTM D490.
• Tested in IIT Kharagpur and approved by Indian Road Congress, National Highway Authority of India, and several private organizations.
• Water-based product, does not require heating, hence pollution is reduced during application.
• Seals minor cracks (upto 1 mm) and small pores in roads. Acts as a dust palliative.
• Protects asphalt aggregate surface by preventing water penetration.
• Exhibits outstanding fuel resistance.
• Can be formulated to a wear-resistant coating by blending ShaliSeal RS TC with graded sand and polymer.
• Does not increase height of the road.
• Natural resources like stones and aggregates are saved as ShaliSeal RS TC reduces relaying of roads.
• Cost of maintenance is reduced to half over a period of 15 years.
• Easy application with spray / squeeze. Requires no heavy machinery.

ShaliPatch EC is a three-component, cold applied, polymerized elastomeric concrete with excellent adhesion to substrates for crack filling of 5 - 50 mm in concrete / flexible roads, and surface correction in concrete roads / pavements. It is self-leveling, easily trowel-able into cracks and spalls. It prevents percolation of water and other chemicals thus protecting roads from wearing off.

Features:

• Tough, flexible and durable.
• Rapid cure time.
• Excellent resistance to chemical, saltwater, oil, acids, alkalis, crude oils, fuels and minerals.
• Compatible with both coal tar and asphalt emulsion based sealers.
• Compatible with both concrete and bituminous pavement.
• Excellent for repairing road surface defects.
• Unlike Epoxy and Bitumen, it lasts for a number of years; does not require frequent repairs so less shut downs, reduced maintenance cost, reduced man day loss.
• Has high load bearing capacity.
• Has excellent adhesion to steel and concrete.
• Outstanding anti-spalling properties

Greatest breakthrough

ShaliSeal RS TC has had a significant impact on the construction industry over the last one year. STP Limited has bagged several orders for the product from NHAI approved agencies for NH-8, Honda Car factory, Tapukara and Amoli Toll Plaza Bridge, NH-11 for ShaliSeal RS TC. Successful execution of the product and excellent waterproofing behavior of the applied roads have been observed during the last one year.

ShaliPatch EC has also been giving excellent results in Lucknow airport, NH-11, Amoli Toll Plaza bridge and Adhunik Infrastructure site, and Ghatakpukur, West Bengal, for crack repairing of roads. The Airport Authority of India is also showing interest in the product for spall repair in hangers and taxiways.

Case Study

ShaliSeal RS TC when applied in the pavement in Honda factory, Tapukara, Rajasthan, has resulted in excellent waterproofing and fuel resistance effect in comparison to roads without any treatment. Following this, the Japanese management of Honda awarded STP Limited an order for 22,000 kg of ShaliSeal RS TC for their car factory pavement protection. The job was completed successfully in November 2016.

The Mahipalpur Flyover on NH-8 is still looking fresh and new after application of ShaliSeal RS TC for over one and half years, compared to the newly re-laid asphalt road just along the treated 5-year old road with ShaliSeal RS TC.

About the author

Suprio Sengupta is a Civil Engineer with 37 years of experience in Construction, Sales & Marketing. He has contributed to the development of Mastic Asphalt, Thermoplastic Road Marking etc, namely in Calcutta roads under PWD, KMC, CIT, Vidyasagar Setu, Sambalpur Rourkella Expressway, Jogoghopa Bridge and many other prestigious projects across the country.