Road Construction

Expanded Shale makes an excellent cold mix asphalt product
to patch pot holes
First introduced to the asphalt market over 45 years ago, lightweight aggregates including Expanded Shale have been used in over 20 American states to build roads, highways and freeways. Its total installed costs are competitive with normal weight aggregates, but lightweight aggregate provides many more advantages. When bonded to asphalt, Expanded Shale creates an advanced road surface that is safer, more economical and longer lasting than those created with traditional natural sands, stone and gravels.

The benefits include:
  • Safety is increased because lightweight aggregate road surfaces provide superior skid resistance, wet or dry. 
  • Roadway service life is extended because of Expanded Shale's unique and superior ability to bond with asphalt. When bonded to the asphalt, lightweight aggregate presents a tough, durable pavement that holds up well under traffic and outlasts most pavements made with natural aggregates. 
  • Expanded Shale has superior freeze-thaw resistance and durability to de-icing salt corrosion.
  • If snow-plow damage occurs, Expanded Shale is far more resistant to being displaced than natural aggregate because of its superior bond.

Pot Hole Patching
Expanded Shale can be mixed with an emulsified asphalt to produce a cold mix asphalt product for use in road maintenance applications such as pot hole patching.  Because Expanded Shale naturally bonds incredibly well with asphalt, it produces a more durable pot hole fill. 

Traction on Icy Road Surfaces
Due to its greater skid-resistance, Expanded Shale works extremely well as a de-slicking grit and can be used to reduce dangerous skids on icy road patches. Because it is half the density of comparable aggregates, once the ice melts and the moisture evaporates, the remaining Expanded Shale will blow off the road under normal traffic conditions without damage to automobiles. This saves on costly sweep and cleanup costs.

Read more about Better Pavements Through Internal Hydration