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Thinlays for Pavement Preservation

Limited infrastructure funding at the local, state, and federal levels has resulted in greater emphasis on the use of pavement preservation techniques to prolong pavement life and reduce maintenance costs. The asphalt paving industry has successfully developed and utilized a suite of thin asphalt pavement mixtures — called Thinlays™ — for pavement preservation. These thin pavements can be placed in thicknesses as little as B|, inch. Thinlays provide a number of benefits when compared to other pavement preservation techniques, including increased life, decreased life-cycle costs, improved ride, and decreased noise. Experience shows Thinlays to provide excellent performance when placed on asphalt pavements that are in good to fair condition. Pavements whose condition has deteriorated beyond fair condition are not suitable for Thinlays as a means of pavement preservation. Though sometimes referred to by other names, Thinlays have been widely used for pavement preservation, and have often proved to be the preferred preservation treatment because of their many benefits. This guide provides comprehensive guidance on using Thinlays for pavement preservation — including how Thinlays fit within pavement management systems, when and how they should be used based on existing pavement condition, how Thinlay mixes should be developed and specified, and best practices for Thinlay construction. This guide also helps users compare the cost and performance of common pavement preservation techniques.

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