Cool and Long-Lasting Pavements with Geosynthetic Reinforced Chip Seals

Pavements absorb a large amount of solar radiation. High pavement temperatures in warm climates cause problems such as rutting and accelerated aging of the mix, the urban heat island effect, and deterioration of air quality. This paper discusses, with models and experimental results, the concept of using an insulation layer, such as a geotextile, and aggregates with higher reflectivity in chip seals to reduce the conduction of heat through an asphalt pavement and increase the reflectivity of the surface. Reductions of temperature in the range of 8-10 °C were noted at the surface and 75 mm below the surface with the use of a 2.4 mm thick Petromat geotextile with chip seal. The study showed that a significant improvement in temperature reduction can be achieved with the use of a thicker insulation layer and/or an insulation of lower conductivity.