Foundation is the basis of any structure. And if the foundation is strong, the building lasts long. Same is the case with roads. When the base is made strong the road is able to last long in perfect conditions without sinking or developing cracks. So how do you get the perfect base and what is the process involved? The base layer is made strong by laying wet mix macadam. What is wet mix macadam?
Wet mix macadam is a pavement layer needed to make the base strong and stabilize the soil before the bituminous layer or the asphalt layer is added on the top. So this can be called as the base or the sub base layer. What are the materials used to prepare wet mix macadam? Here crushed graded aggregates and screeners are mixed with binding material with some water in a mixing plant and then laid on the roads. The screeners are the aggregates of smaller sizes and are usually soft gravel. Binders used are usually lime stone dust, stone dust, quarry dust or cement; these are used in some cases when the binders are not locally available. The correct ratio mix of all the aggregates, screeners and the binding material, optimum moisture content, proper mixing and a correct compaction help in providing a strong and smooth base layer. What is the process of obtaining wet mix macadam? Wet mix macadam plants help in preparing the mixture. The final product obtained after the mixing process is the ready-to-use mixture which is then laid on the roads. There are basically two steps involved: 1. Production and preparation of the correct size aggregates. The machines required for crushing and preparing the aggregates include stone crushers, bin feeders, vibratory screeners, control panel and conveyor belts. First the aggregates are crushed using stone crushers to get the desired size. They are then stored in bin feeders. The bin feeders may be 3 or 4 depending on the number and size of the aggregates and screeners. The aggregates are then moved on conveyor belts through a vibrating screen wherein the oversized aggregates are segregated and removed from the mix. The sorted aggregates are passed through a conveyor belt where it is weighed and the measurements are received on a control panel. The water and binders which need to be added are decided depending on the weight measured. The aggregates now enter a pugmill. 2. Mixing of the aggregates, screeners and binders with water. The machines required for the mixing processare a pugmill, water drum and water pump arrangement if necessary. The pugmill consists of a paddle mixer where uniform mixing takes place. The process of adding water through sprayers, feeding of aggregates and binders and mixing are all continuous procedures in the pugmill. Note that drum rotation is not used here and instead twin-shaft pugmill is used to achieve uniform coating of binders and moisture on the aggregates. The prepared mixture in a wet mix macadam plants is thus stored in silos and transported in trucks to the place where it has to be spread and laid. Wasn’t the process interesting? After all every country needs well-built roads.
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