Natural paving for a cycle and pedestrian path in Arezzo
In the Municipality of Arezzo, along a stream inside an area designated as a park, a 2,100 m² nature trail for cyclists and pedestrians was built. Instead of the concrete mix specified in the design, the natural aggregates were bound with Stabilpave® (marketed at the time as Soil Sement® New Formula): the paving carries park maintenance vehicles and keeps the original colour of the aggregates.
Task
Build a durable paving able to carry park maintenance vehicles, while keeping the natural look of the path and avoiding asphalt and cement.
Background: a nature trail along the stream
As part of the urban cycle and pedestrian network of the Municipality of Arezzo, a nature trail was built along a stream, inside an area designated as a park. The paving had to carry park maintenance vehicles while keeping the look of an unpaved gravel road, with no asphalt.
The design specified a concrete wearing course with 180 kg/m³ of cement and oxides to mask its grey colour. At the proposal of the contractor, Galli of Monte San Savino (Arezzo), the works supervisor approved replacing it with a liquid polymer binder supplied by Full Service, now marketed as Stabilpave® and sold at the time as Soil Sement® New Formula.
Preliminary tests
Full Service technicians assisted the contractor in selecting the aggregate and setting up the mixing plant. The test, approved by the works supervisor, was carried out on a beige 0–20 mm stabilised aggregate from a quarry in the province of Siena and checked:
- cohesion of the bound aggregate;
- retention of the natural colour;
- bearing capacity (CBR);
- absence of surface dust;
- ease of laying.
The same test set the binder dosage for the site.
Laying: paver and roller, as for an asphalt mix
- Sub-base of compacted quarry stabilised aggregate.
- Plant mixing: for each truck mixer, 8 m³ of aggregate, 56 l of binder and 336 l of water (1:6 ratio).
- Transport with three truck mixers and laying with a paver fitted with cold vibrating screeds, at a loose thickness of 10 cm.
- Compaction with a 7 t roller to a finished thickness of 8 cm.
- Once the surface was dry, a finishing spray of binder diluted in water at a 1:4 ratio.
Results
- 2,100 m² of natural paving, trafficable for park maintenance vehicles.
- Original colour of the aggregates preserved, with no colouring oxides.
- A bound layer more flexible than the rigid slab the concrete mix would have formed.
The project was documented in the Italian trade journal Strade & Autostrade, issue 5/2011.
Assessment for your project
For natural paving on cycle and pedestrian paths or service roads, the Full Service technical department examines the available aggregate and the expected loads, then defines the mix and laying method. Request technical advice.
Full Service can meet every request by recommending the most suitable product for each situation, after assessing the pedological, lithological, morphological and climatic conditions that determine the choice of the most suitable system and components.