When roads are reliable, the general population tends to take it for granted. However, when roads can’t withstand high volumes of traffic and must be repaired, the inconvenience of highway closures is glaring.

“The problem with concrete is this: it’s a stiff product so the moment there is slight movement underneath, it will begin to crack, and water gets in, causing it to break apart causing dangerous potholes. To rehabilitate concrete is costly and slow,” says Wynand Nortje, Technical Manager of Shisalanga Road Construction.

To prevent the breakdown of roads, Shisalanga pave with EME (Enrobé à Module Élevé), a high-modulus asphalt originating from France. Recognised as an alternative to concrete, asphalt is easier to recycle and replace when necessary. EME is only applied as a foundational base and must be covered with surface layering to protect it from harsh weather conditions and temperature variations.

Since EME has three times the strength of a normal asphalt, it has a longer lifespan. Shisalanga’s standard grade asphalt gives a stiffness modulus of 7GPa (gigapascal), whereas EME asphalt has 16GPa Min but can go up to 28GPa. EME asphalt is manufactured to be a stiff bituminous base and offers a greater resistance to deformation, especially when exposed to extreme traffic conditions.

Raubex Group conducted the first trials for EME asphalt in South Africa on South Coast Road between (Edwin Swales Drive) Soloman Mhlangu Drive and Bayhead Road the major access road to the Durban Harbour, KwaZulu-Natal. The (M7) Soloman Mhlangu Drive road towards the Bluff was previously paved with concrete, which failed under pressure, hence it is being replaced with EME.

“Because we were involved in the very first EME paving trials in South Africa, we are by far the most knowledgeable about this product,” said Nortje. “The first trials were conducted nine years ago, and it’s still performing very well to this day.”

Currently Shisalanga are paving the GoDurban bus lanes in and around the city of Durban with an EME layer underneath. Since these buses typically have a very high point loading on the tyres, which will cause a lot of pressure on the roads, EME is the ideal paving option.

As innovative leaders in asphalt and road construction, Shisalanga has laid close to a million tonnes of EME asphalt. This milestone has not only helped to perfect their paving processes, but it also puts the company firmly ahead of their competitors in the industry.