The use of naturally available materials not conforming to traditional specifications or standards in the base and sub-base layers of road pavement structures and stabilised with New-age (Nano) Modified Emulsions (NME) have been tested, implemented and successfully verified through Accelerated Pavement Testing (APT) in South Africa. This was made possible through the development and use of a materials design procedure addressing fundamental principles and based on scientific concepts which are universally applicable. The understanding and incorporation of the chemical interactions between the mineralogy of the materials and an NME stabilising agent (compatibility between the chemistry of the reactive agents and material mineralogy) into the design approach is key to achieving the required engineering properties. The evaluation of the stabilised materials is performed using tests indicative of the basic engineering properties (physics) of compressive strengths, tensile strengths and durability. This article describes the basic materials design approach that was developed to ensure that organofunctional nano-silane modified emulsions can successfully be used for pavement layer construction utilising naturally available materials at a low risk. The enablement of the use of naturally available materials in all pavement layers can have a considerable impact on the unit cost and lifecycle costs of road transportation infrastructure.

Good transportation systems are pre-requisites to economic development. Empirically developed, archaic test methods are traditionally used for materials classification used in road construction. This system normally classifies naturally available materials subjected to chemical weathering conditions, as unsuitable for use in the load-bearing road pavement layers. Consequently, design standards normally require the use of imported materials at considerable costs, severely restricting road network development under scenarios of limited funding. The introduction of applicable nanotechnologies has been shown to enable the use of naturally available materials in all pavement layers at a substantial reduction in costs. The successful roll-out of these nanotechnology solutions depends on a sound, scientifically based approach. Aspects such as toxicity, health and safety, etc. must be addressed in a holistic approach together with material compatibility and fundamental engineering requirements. The successes achieved over the last decade, introducing material compatible New-age Modified Emulsions (NME), are based on fundamental concepts that need to be considered in a holistic test, evaluation and implementation strategy. This paper identifies fundamental concepts related to nanotechnology implementation in the context of road pavement engineering, which needs to be addressed to ensure successful implementation. Ad hoc implementation of new-age technologies without adequate scientific evaluation could prove detrimental.

The introduction of any new disruptive technology in a traditionally well-established industry, such as the road construction industry, is usually associated with considerable resistance. This is especially relevant when the new technology is based on the use of granular materials traditionally considered to be of an unacceptable quality in combination with relatively new concepts such as New-age (Nano) Modified Emulsions (NME). In such cases, the fact that the material design methods are based on fundamental scientific principles and have been proven in both laboratories and through Accelerated Pavement Testing (APT) may be of little influence. However, the general acceptance of new disruptive technologies, e.g., telecommunications and Information Technologies (IT), have been based on the considerable advantages it presented. The same principles are applicable to the general acceptance and use of the NME stabilisation/enhancement of materials in the road construction industry. This article is aimed at the practical cost-effective demonstration of the general application of the use of nanos-silane-modified emulsions in the construction of the highest order roads, i.e., inter-city multi-lane highways, lower-order roads (including Low-Volume Roads (LVR)), and even local accesses to farms and in villages/townships. The implementation of NME technologies is directly associated with ease of use, time, and cost savings, and with the addressing and reduction of risks applicable to the use thereof.

Nanoscale organofunctional silanes have been developed, tested and successfully applied to protect stone buildings in Europe against climatic effects since the 1860s. The same nanotechnologies can also be used in pavement engineering to create strong chemical bonds between a stabilising agent and granular material. The attachment of the organofunctional silane to a material also changes the surface of the material to become hydrophobic, thereby considerably reducing future chemical weathering. These properties allow naturally available materials to be used in any pavement layer at a low risk. In the built environment, scientists soon determined that the successful use of an organo-silane depends on the type and condition of the stone to be treated. The same principles apply to the implementation of applicable nanotechnologies in pavement engineering. Understanding the basic chemistry, determining the properties of the stabilising agent and the organofunctional modifying agent and the chemical interaction with the primary and secondary minerals of the material are essential for the successful application of these technologies in pavement engineering. This paper explains some basic chemistry, which fundamentally influences engineering outputs that can be achieved using New-age (Nano) Modified Emulsions (NME) stabilising agents with naturally available granular materials in all road pavement layers below the surfacing.

Good transportation systems are pre-requisites to economic development. Materials used for road construction are traditionally classified based of empirically developed archaic tests, often classifying naturally available materials as unsuitable for use in the load-bearing road pavement layers. Consequently, design standards usually require the use of imported materials at considerable costs, severely restricting road network development under scenarios of limited funding. New technologies and test methods based on sound engineering criteria, incorporating basic material sciences can substantially change this scenario. Nano-silane technologies can be utilised to improve naturally available materials to meet the engineering requirements of all layers in road structures. Material test and design methods have been developed and successfully tested in South Africa to build New-age Modified Emulsion (NME) stabilised layers in roads, meeting all engineering requirements. Accelerated Pavement Tests (APT) done on actual roads, proved the concept. This work is based on a scientific approach and identification of various factors that will impact on the successful application of applicable nanotechnology solutions. This paper aims to identify these fundamental factors that are a pre-requisite for the evaluation of nanotechnology solutions to ensure that new technologies are introduced into pavement engineering designs at a low risk to any implementing.

Emulsion stabilisation of base layers surfaced with chip seals often proves problematic, with chips punching into the base and early distress. This can be aggravated by the use of modified binders that restricts the evaporation of moisture from pavement layers. The introduction of new-age (nano)-modified emulsion (NME) stabilisation has the advantage that water is chemically repelled from the stabilised layer, resulting in an accelerated development of strength. A need was identified to evaluate the early-life performance of selected chip and Cape seals, together with identified modified binders on anionic NME-stabilised base layers constructed with materials traditionally classified as unsuitable, using archaic empirically derived tests. Three different chip seal surfacings with unconventional modified binders were constructed and evaluated using accelerated pavement testing (APT) with the Model Mobile Load Simulator—3rd model (MMLS3). The objectives of the experimental design and testing were to evaluate the binder performance, chip seal performance in terms of early loss of chips before chip orientation, punching of the chips into the anionic NME-stabilised base and deformation characteristics of a Cape seal that was hand-laid using an anionic NME slurry without any cement filler. It was shown that that chip seal surfacings can be used at low risk, on a base layer containing materials with fines exceeding 22%. The selection of specific modified binders can reduce risks associated with chip seal surfacings, which can impact construction limitations. The recommended use of elastomer-modified binders on newly constructed or rehabilitated layers, resulting in moisture entrapment, needs to be reconsidered.