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Tack Film joins GlasGrid systems

GlasGrid Tack Film, a "ground-breaking" new product, has been added to the GlasGrid's pavement reinforcement systems. According to Saint-Gobain Technical Fabrics (SGTF), which has developed the new geosynthetic material, it contains a patent-pending, highly engineered film that is designed to eliminate the need for traditional tack coat altogether.
February 9, 2012 Read time: 2 mins
roadway improvements with fibreglass grid
GlasGrid Tack Film (GlasGrid TF) is the result of five years of extensive by Saint-Gobain Technical Fabrics
GlasGrid Tack Film, a "ground-breaking" new product, has been added to the GlasGrid's pavement reinforcement systems.

According to 2486 Saint-Gobain Technical Fabrics (SGTF), which has developed the new geosynthetic material, it contains a patent-pending, highly engineered film that is designed to eliminate the need for traditional tack coat altogether.

The fibreglass grid in GlasGrid TF is said to provide protection against reflective cracking while the tack film enhances performance of the overlay, resulting in extended life.

GlasGrid TF is the result of five years of extensive research and development at Saint-Gobain's state-of-the-art R&D facility in Northboro, Massachusetts, USA. It is manufactured in the USA at SGTF's ISO 9001:2000 quality facility in Albion, New York.

"GlasGrid TF was developed by a team of scientists and civil engineers as an improvement upon the use of tack coat, which is a necessary part of the process when laying roadway applications, but presents a number of hindering issues," said the company.

"When using traditional tack coat, proper, even coverage is difficult to achieve, and curing time restricts paving construction. Also, tack can be tracked easily onto clean roads. GlasGrid TF provides the same benefits of tack coat, but without all of these inherent problems." Saint-Gobain claims that the 100% polymer tack film provides complete coverage for true quality control of the bonding interlayer, and that laboratory studies have demonstrated that the bond improvement with GlasGrid's TF is superior to traditional tack materials because the bond strength of GlasGrid TF is engaged as soon as the heat of the asphalt material has activated it.

"Because of this improved bond, GlasGrid TF provides a fatigue life ratio that is roughly five times greater than just asphalt.

"GlasGrid TF also provides 'greener' benefits. Because no tack coat is required, VOCs and emissions are reduced during installation. GlasGrid TF is also recyclable and can be broken up by standard milling equipment.

"GlasGrid is already a long-established pavement reinforcement product in the industry. It has been used in road and airport runways pavement construction to repair and reinforce the asphalt concrete overlays for over 22 years, and has been proven to help reduce and prevent thermal and stress-related reflective cracking in thousands of successful installations worldwide."

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