Webinar: Appropriate Use of Marginal and Non-standard Materials in Road Construction and Maintenance

This report considers the use of marginal and non-standard materials in road construction and maintenance. It concludes that considerable evidence exists, both nationally and internationally, that supports the wider use of marginal and non-standard road pavement materials in sealed roads. It also identifies evidence from studies of unsealed roads which demonstrate the effective selection of unsealed road wearing course materials, and the benefits of good-quality construction and maintenance practices. The report provides the basis for the use of marginal and non-standard materials in sealed roads and considers the factors affecting performance. It includes national and international case studies which provide supporting evidence of the successful use of marginal materials. Increased focus on the quality of design, materials testing, and construction is seen as a pre-requisite to optimise the use of marginal and non-standard materials. The project findings support the wider use of preliminary materials assessment techniques and the report proposes a materials assessment protocol for low volume roads. Each section of the report provides summarised take-home messages for asset managers to aid the application of the report’s findings in different circumstances.