ASPHALT EMULSIONS: TACK COAT

1. What is a Tack Coat?

Tack is an adhesive term that relates to a sort of stickiness. A tack bond is a
surface bond created by highly mobile or highly polar material. This is NOT
what is meant by a tack coat in asphalt technology.
In the AEMA emulsion guidelines its defined as A spray application of
Asphalt Emulsion applied to an e!isting asphaltic "ortland cement concrete
pavement prior to a new asphalt overlay# or patching to eliminate slippage
planes and provide a bond between new and e!isting pavement layers.
$ometimes erroneously called a prime coat a tack coat is solely to ensure a
good bond on the ne!t layer.
It need not be done with asphalt emulsion. In some countries cutback asphalt
% asphalt dissolved in solvents such as kerosene or diesel& are used and even
penetration grade % '((pen& asphalt is sprayed neat.
The residual binder is the key to the overall tack coat performance. )owever
retained solvent or over application can have severe conse*uences.
2. How does a Tack Coat work?
The tack coat is a very thin surface. The tack coat is sprayed using a tack
coater spray system. It should be an even coat over the entire substrate to be
overlaid.
The hot mi!ture placed on top should soften the tack coat layer allowing it to
partially fill surface voids in the hotmi!. $o that when compaction occurs it
becomes partially interlocked with the hot mi! layer.
If used before a microsurfacing the tack coat will not be softened but the
emulsion from the microsurfacing will wet the tack coat creating an
asphalt+asphalt bond. %Note in most cases tack coat is NOT re*uired for
microsurfacing e!cept where the surface is a "ortland cement concrete which
is highly polished&.
,ilms of asphalt have a stability based on their cohesion versus the thickness
of the layer. To act as a good tack coat the layer must not shear sideways
under traffic.
This means that thick films have relatively less cohesion. $o over applied
tack coats will cause a shear plane resulting is slippage or shear cracks in the
hotmi!.
Thus application rate is -E./ important. If the surface is absorbent or open
te!tured then more tack coat will be re*uired. The aim is always to get a layer
of membrane about (.01(.'mm thick.
Application .ates.
,or stiffer materials such as asphalt rubber or polymer modified emulsions
the layers may be thicker. )owever as these materials are e!pensive there is
little point.
An e!ception is where the overlay is open graded or has high voids levels. In
such instances e.g. Novachip2 or thin bonded layers# higher levels of tack
coat are used. This is almost always polymer modified to ensure cohesion is
sufficient to prevent shear slippage.
3. Suitable Materials For Tack Coat
Emulsions are the preferred tack coat material. To achieve the low application
rates re*uired emulsions are ideal as they can be diluted.
The emulsion should break before the hotmi! is applied. ,or this reason rapid
set emulsions are used in some countries . )owever 3.$ emulsions with
some emulsifiers s are not stable to dilution and slow set or medium set
emulsions are used.
4here adhesion is problematic or where a thicker layer is desirable# late!
modification may be re*uired.
$uitable emulsions are5
3.$10 % stable&
3M$10
3$$10
3$$10 6(7 emulsion
$$10
M$10
.$10
4here cutback is used it should be at least partially cured before hotmi! is
applied.
M3# $3# cutbacks have been used with success.
4here neat asphalt is used a difficulty in ensuring the application rate is usual
and difficult to overcome.
4. Applicatio!
The emulsion is diluted with water# the compatibility must be checked. It is
important to do a compatibility test as follows.
0. ,ill a can %0 lt & half full with emulsion
'. Add re*uired amount of water
6. Mi! with a non metal spatula
8. E!amine for lumping by pouring through a 09(um prewetted sieve
9. 4ash sieve thoroughly1 any balls of material: )ow much:
;. If more than 07 or so there may be an incompatibility problem1 call
manufacturer.
The water should always be added to the emulsion1 NOT the other way
around.
<o not store the diluted emulsion. =se it straight away %that day&.
4armed water may be used at '919(3 if desired. This will lower viscosity
and make handling easier.
a. Sur"ace #reparatio
As in most processes that involve application to an e!isting surface to achieve
adhesion re*uires a clean substrate. The road must be thoroughly swept so
that all loose material and dust is removed.
)eavy oil drippings must be removed with detergent # burning or dig out.
$ometimes a light water spray on the surface is beneficial % (.; lt+m'&. This
will improve flow of the material into the voids# however it should not be
flooded.
b. $%uip&et
As in most processes that involve application to an e!isting surface to achieve
adhesion re*uires a clean substrate. The road must be thoroughly swept so
that all loose material and dust is removed.
)eavy oil drippings must be removed with detergent # burning or dig out.
$ometimes a light water spray on the surface is beneficial % (.; lt+m'&. This
will improve flow of the material into the voids# however it should not be
flooded.
'. Tack Coats are ot re%uired so&eti&es!
If the surface has been primed# i.e. it is a new construction a tack coat is not
necessary. If the surface has been stabili>ed with an asphalt based dust
suppressant a tack coat is not re*uired. If a new membrane $AMI seal has
been applied only a light tack coat is re*uired.
Microsurfacing or slurry application on "33 pavements that are worn and
absorbent will not re*uire a tack coat. The slurry or microsurfacing mi!ture
can be designed to ensure that the emulsion wets the surface of the pavement
to create the bond re*uired. In $lurry $urfacings of all types the mi!ture is
highly mobile at spreading. Even under higher temperature conditions a spray
of water is all that is needed.
Tack coats are ot tack( ad do ot reall( coat. The( are a brid)e la(er
betwee a e*isti) sur"ace ad a ew sur"ace course. Whe the ew
sur"ace course is a chip seal or slurr( the( will ot be re%uired. Where it
is a hot &i* or cold &i* a tack coat is critical.
4here tack 3oats may not be needed5 primed surfaces# stabili>ed surfaces#
chip sealed surfaces# membrane seals.
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