What is this standard about?
This new British Standard is a first national specification on spray injection patching which is used mainly for fixing potholes on local roads. By adopting this standard, users can make this method of fixing potholes more efficient and reliable.
Who is this standard for?
- Anyone within local authorities with responsibility for employing and contracting third-parties to fix potholes
- Higher education establishments
- Government departments
- Test houses
- Consultancies
- Contractors
Why should you use this standard?
This standard provides local authorities with a way of specifying a pothole repair process and helps them identify the best repairers. This will introduce greater choice in the market, reduce costs and increase quality.
The spray injection patching process is an improvement on current methods on several counts:
- It can be 80 per cent cheaper than a conventional repair
- It is less labour-intensive and hazardous (there’s no hand-arm vibration for contractors)
- It has a lower carbon footprint compared to using hot mix asphalt
- There is no requirement to use jack hammers or saw-cutting to create a straight edge prior to treatment so no waste is generated
- There is no requirement for excavation so the surrounding road surface is not damaged
- It can be installed more quickly and the repair can receive traffic immediately so there is less disruption to road users (leading to reduced traffic management costs)
- There are no noise or dust issues for contractors
Most importantly, because the process is fast it will increase repair frequency, so potholed roads can be treated quicker and roads will be safer for all users in the longer term.
The core end-performance requirement that the standard introduces is that when a defect is treated using this process, the surface profile of the treated area will be substantially similar to the surrounding road surface 12 months after installation.
As such, the standard requires that installers complete a Type Approval Installation Trial (TAIT) and then use this data to declare a level of performance after one year on different road classes in relation to traffic levels. This will lead to better value for money for local authorities as the repairs will be more durable.