Fog Seal Treatment Had Multiple Benefits

Trumbull County, Ohio was successfully preserving its road network, primarily with Chip Seals.  However, public perception was that the roads needed to be black to be good.  Without the necessary funding for a large hot mix overlay program, county managers decided to implement a fog seal program.  Six months after applying the chip seal, they fog sealed the recently treated roads.  The roads got a extra measure of preservation from oxidation, got an extra measure of stone retention properties and they looked aestetically pleasing to the taxpayers.


  1. Less expensive than a hot mix overlay
  2. Slows down the oxidation process and improves stone retention.
  3. Aestetically pleasing to the driving/taxpaying public.

Backstory

Trumbull County, Ohio was successfully preserving their road network using primarily Chip Seals.  However, the public perception was that "an asphalt road should be black".

Problem

Trumbull County did not have the funds needed to resurface their road network with hot mix overlays.

Solution

County managers decided to try a fog seal program.  They waited 6 months and applied a fog seal to their recently chip sealed roads.  This accomplished three important things.  First of all, the chip seal got little extra preservation from the fog seal treatment which slows down the oxidation of the chip seal.  Secondly, this particular fog seal adds a layer of chip retention properties to the chip seal.  And third, the pavement was black and the public perceived it to be a better asphalt pavement.

Photos