USAGE OF THERMOPLASTIC

COATING FOR PAVEMENT

MARKING
INTRODUCTION
ROAD PAVEMENTS

• ONE OF THE LARGEST INFRASTRUCTURES NOWADAYS.

• IT CREATES AN ACCESS FROM ONE PLACE TO ANOTHER AND PLAYS A

VITAL ROLE IN CONTRIBUTING TO THE ECONOMIC STATUS OF A NATION.

• COMPOSED OF SUPERIMPOSED LAYERS OF SELECTED AND

PROCESSED MATERIALS WHICH ARE PLACED ON THE SUB GRADE.
 TYPES OF
PAVEMENT

FLEXIBLE PAVEMENT
• DEEP FOUNDATION/ MULTI LAYER CONSTRUCTION
• ENERGY CONSUMPTION DUE TO TRANSPORTATION OF MATERIALS
• INCREASING COST OF ASPHALT DUE TO HIGH OIL PRICES
 TYPES OF
PAVEMENT

RIGID PAVEMENT
• SINGLE LAYER

• GENERALLY LAST LONGER

• MAY REQUIRE ASPHALT DUE TO NOISE / COMFORT ISSUES

FUNCTION OF PAVEMENT
• ADDITIONAL STRESSES ARE ALSO IMPOSED BY CHANGES IN THE
ENVIRONMENT. IT SHOULD BE STRONG ENOUGH TO RESIST THE STRESSES
IMPOSED ON IT AND IT SHOULD BE THICK ENOUGH TO DISTRIBUTE THE
EXTERNAL LOADS ON THE EARTHEN SUBGRADE, SO THAT THE SUBGRADE
ITSELF CAN SAFELY BEAR IT

• SUPPORTING THE WHEEL LOADS APPLIED TO THE CARRIAGEWAY AND

DISTRIBUTING THEM TO THE UNDERLYING SUB GRADE IS THE MAIN
STRUCTURAL FUNCTION OF A PAVEMENT
• ONE OF THE COMMON MARKING IS “THERMOPLASTIC PAVEMENT MARKINGS”. IT IS
USES A BLOCK AND GRANULAR MATERIAL AND MELTS IT SO THAT IT CAN BE
SPRAYED, GRAVITY EXTRUDED, OR PRESSURE EXTRUDED (OFTEN CALLED RIBBON
EXTRUDED) ONTO PAVEMENT AS A LINE. THERMOPLASTIC IS A BLEND OF SOLID
INGREDIENTS THAT BECOME LIQUID WHEN HEATED AND MELTED.

• ANOTHER VARIATION OF THERMOPLASTIC PAVEMENT MARKINGS IS CALLED PROFILE

THERMOPLASTIC, WHICH OFFERS IMPROVED DURABILITY AND BETTER VISIBILITY IN
WET PAVEMENT CONDITIONS

• WHILE MELT-IN-PLACE PREFORMED THERMOPLASTIC TAPE IS A PREASSEMBLED

THERMOPLASTIC LAMINATE, WHICH IS PLACED ON THE PAVEMENT SURFACE AND
THEN MELTED INTO THE SURFACE VIA A HEAT SOURCE SUCH AS A PROPANE TORCH
HISTORICAL BACKGROUND
• BEFORE CHRIST (BC)
IN ROME, RECESSED BRICKS OR ROCKS WERE USED IN THE
CENTER OF THE ROADS TO KEEP CHARIOTS ON THEIR OWN SIDE
OF THE ROAD.

• AFTER 350 YEARS

LIGHT-COLORED ROCKS IMBEDDED IN THE CENTER OF THE
ROADS IN MEXICO WERE USED FOR THE SAME PURPOSE.

• EARLY 1900’S
THE FIRST STRIPING IN THE UNITED STATES IS CREDITED TO
EDWARD HINES, A ROAD COMMISSIONER IN WAYNE COUNTY,
MICHIGAN
• 1921
A BLACK STRIPE WAS PAINTED BY HAND FOR ONE BLOCK OF MADISON,
WISCONSIN BECAUSE THE HIGHWAY COMMISSION CONCLUDED THAT THE
STRIPE KEPT TRAFFIC ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE ROAD.

• IN EARLY DAYS OF 1921

THE FIRST STRIPING MACHINE WAS INTRODUCED AND CONSISTED OF:
• WHEELBARROW FRAME
• A FIVE GALLON TANK
• A CANVAS-WRAPPED WHEEL WITH WHITE PAINT IN THE TANK
CHANNELED TO DROP ONTO THE WHEEL.
• MAY 1924
AN ISSUE OF ENGINEERING NEWS - RECORD REPORTED THAT THE OHIO
HIGHWAY DEPARTMENT PLACED WHITE BRICKS IN THE CENTER OF A BRICK
ROAD AT A COST OF $185 PER LANE MILE.

BRASS CUPS OR BRASS CIRCLES WERE ALSO USED IN AN ATTEMPT TO FIND

A MATERIAL THAT WAS EASY TO SEE AND WOULD HAVE BETTER WEAR ABILITY.
RADIOACTIVE INGREDIENTS WERE ALSO MIXED WITH TRAFFIC PAINT TO TRY
AND GET A BETTER LINE.
• LATE 1930’S
• IN THIS TIME, THE IDEA OF USING REFLECTIVE BEADS BECAME
WIDELY KNOWN WHEN THE CANADIAN ENGINEER PUBLISHED A
PAPER ON “LUMINOUS MARKING FOR HIGHWAYS.”

“GOOD VISIBILITY OBTAINED AND ALSO THE HIGH ABRASION

RESISTANCE OF THE FINAL PRODUCT, MADE USE OF GLASS
SPHERES ADVANTAGEOUS.”

• EARLY 1940’S
• DURING WORLD WAR II, REFLECTIVE BEADED LINES WERE USED
ON HIGHWAYS TO EXPEDITE TRAFFIC DURING BLACKOUTS.

• ALSO, WORLD WAR II WAS LARGELY RESPONSIBLE FOR THE

WIDESPREAD ACCEPTANCE OF BEADS TO PROVIDE NIGHTTIME
DELINEATION DUE TO THE BLACKOUT CONDITION IMPOSED.
• IN EARLY 1940’S
GLASS BEADED PAINT COST ABOUT THREE TIMES AS MUCH TO PUT DOWN A
BEADED LINE AS IT DID TO PUT DOWN A STANDARD NON-REFLECTORIZED
PAVEMENT MARKING.

• 1942
ENGINEERING NEWS - RECORD WROTE, “PAINT SURFACED WITH REFLECTIVE
BEADS HAS BEEN FOUND SUPERIOR TO ANY OTHER TYPE PAINTED PAVEMENT
MARKING. FIVE HUNDRED MILES OF THIS TYPE HAVE BEEN LAID IN
PHILADELPHIA AND FOUND TO BE VERY SATISFACTORY. ALTHOUGH GLASS-
BEADED PAINT COSTS MORE, EXPERIENCE SHOWS THAT IT WEARS FOUR TO
FIVE TIMES AS LONG.”
• 1940’S UNTIL TODAY
ADVANCES IN TECHNOLOGY IN THE REFLECTORIZED PAINT FIELD HAVE
BROUGHT THE PRICE DOWN SIGNIFICANTLY. HOWEVER, EVEN WHEN
REFLECTORIZED PAINT WAS FIRST INTRODUCED, THE GREATER DURABILITY OF
THE PAINT LINE MADE THE REFLECTORIZED PAINT MORE COST EFFECTIVE.
ADDING REFLECTIVE BEADS MADE SUCH AN IMPROVEMENT IN THE TRAFFIC
LINES THAT A REFLECTORIZED LINE BECAME THE STANDARD. TODAY, WE USE
BOTH REFLECTORIZED CENTER AND EDGE LINES FOR GREATER SAFETY.
ADVANTAGES
PAVEMENT MARKINGS
• USED TO CONVEY MESSAGES TO ROADWAY USERS.
THEY INDICATE WHICH PART OF THE ROAD TO USE, PROVIDE
INFORMATION ABOUT CONDITIONS AHEAD,
AND INDICATE WHERE PASSING IS ALLOWED

• PAVEMENT MARKINGS ARE INSTALLED TO KEEP PILOTS,

MOTORISTS, AND PEDESTRIANS SAFE. THE NEED FOR SAFETY
INCREASES EVEN MORE AT NIGHT
GLASS BEADS

• THE BEADS - EMBEDDED IN THE LIQUID BINDER - BEND LIGHT,

AND THAT COMBINATION CREATES RETRO REFLECTIVITY OF THE
PAVEMENT MARKINGS.

• THESE BEADS ARE MOST OFTEN USED ON CROSSWALK

INTERSECTIONS, HIGHWAY, AND AIRPORT MARKINGS.

• GLASS BEADS ARE FIT FOR PAVEMENT DESIGNS AS IT EFFICIENT

RESPOND TO TEMPERATURES AND FRICTION.
ADVANTAGES:

GLASS BEADS

• INCREASES THE VISIBILITY OF PAVEMENT MARKINGS

• GLASS BEADS CAN BE MADE OUT OF RECYCLED GLASS, THIS
WILL HELP MAKE THE PRODUCT COST- EFFECTIVE AND
ENVIRONMENTAL FRIENDLY.
• EXCELLENT CHEMICAL AND HEAT RESISTANCE, THERMAL
STABILITY, LOW OIL ABSORPTION.
THERMOPLASTICS

• FAST PROCESSING
• EASY REWORK
• NO CURING REQUIRED
• NO CHEMICAL REACTIONS OCCUR DURING APPLICATION
• RESIST HUMIDITY AND OTHER HARSH ENVIRONMENTS
DISADVANTAGES
DISADVANTAGES:

GLASS BEADS
• MAINTENANCE ISSUES
• COSTLY
• REMOVAL AND REPAINTING OF MARKINGS WITH GLASS BEADS IS
NOT THE SAME AS REGULAR PAINT OR THERMOPLASTIC
MARKINGS
THERMOPLASTICS

• LIMITED SERVICE TEMPERATURE PERFORMANCE.

• TEND TO FORM WEAKER ADHESIVE BONDS
HOW IT WORKS
 CRITERIA FOR SUCCESSFUL THERMOPLASTIC APPLICATION
• SPECIFICATIONS SHOULD BE CAREFULLY PREPARED.
• USE PROPERLY MAINTAINED EQUIPMENT.
• TOTALLY UNDERSTAND JOB REQUIREMENTS.
• MAINTAIN DAILY APPLICATION & INSPECTION RECORDS.
• CLEAN AND DRY PAVEMENT IS REQUIRED.
• PAVEMENT AND AIR TEMPERATURES SHOULD BE ABOVE 50F.
• APPLY PRIMER (WHERE RECOMMENDED) AND THERMOPLASTIC AT CORRECT
THICKNESS.
• RESIDUAL PRIMER SOLVENT MUST EVAPORATE PRIOR TO THERMOPLASTIC
APPLICATION.
• DO NOT OVERHEAT MATERIAL.
• VERIFY MATERIAL TEMPERATURES & CALIBRATE KETTLE THERMOMETERS.
• APPLY MATERIALS AT PROPER BONDING TEMPERATURES.
• MONITOR DROP-ON GLASS BEAD APPLICATION RATE AND EMBEDMENT.
• OBSERVE FINISHED APPEARANCE AND BONDING.
• MAXIMIZE MATERIAL AND TRAFFIC SAFETY PROCEDURES.
APPLICATION EQUIPMENT
APPLICATION EQUIPMENT SHOULD MEET THE CRITERIA OF THE SPECIFICATION. THE
ENGINEER MAY BE RESPONSIBLE FOR APPROVING SUCH EQUIPMENT, WHETHER IT BE
MOBILE OR PORTABLE, PRIOR TO THE START OF WORK. EQUIPMENT USED TO APPLY
PRIMER/SEALERS AND CLEAN THE PAVEMENT MAY ALSO BE INSPECTED AND APPROVED BY
THE ENGINEER.
A CONTRACTOR’S EQUIPMENT COMPONENTS SHOULD MEET THE FOLLOWING CRITERIA:
A. MELTING KETTLE(S) MUST BE CAPABLE OF:
• HEATING THERMOPLASTIC MATERIAL TO ITS APPLICATION TEMPERATURE EVENLY,
WITHOUT SCORCHING;
• MAINTAINING TEMPERATURES ABOVE 400F. THE HEATING MECHANISM OF THE KETTLE
MUST EMPLOY A HEAT TRANSFER MEDIUM CONSISTING OF OIL OR HOT AIR.
• THE BURNER FLAME MUST NOT CONTACT THE MATERIAL VESSEL SURFACE.
• A TEMPERATURE GAUGE MUST BE VISIBLE ON THE OUTSIDE OF THE KETTLE TO INDICATE
THE TEMPERATURE OF THE THERMOPLASTIC MATERIAL. THE MATERIAL GAUGE MUST NOT
BE CONFUSED WITH THE HEAT TRANSFER MEDIUM (OIL TEMPERATURE) GAUGE.
• MATERIAL TEMPERATURES SHOULD BE MONITORED FREQUENTLY WITH AN EXTERNAL,
CALIBRATED THERMOMETER.
B. MIXING AND AGITATING EQUIPMENT- MELTING KETTLES AND PORTABLE
APPLICATORS:
• MUST BE EQUIPPED WITH MATERIAL AGITATORS.
• MUST BE CAPABLE OF THOROUGHLY MIXING THE MATERIAL AT A RATE
WHICH WILL ENSURE EVEN DISBURSEMENT AND MAINTENANCE OF UNIFORM
TEMPERATURE DISTRIBUTION.

C. PRIMING EQUIPMENT – ON PAVEMENT SURFACES THAT ARE TO BE

PRIMED BEFORE THE APPLICATION OF THE THERMOPLASTIC MATERIAL, THE
PRIMER MATERIAL SHALL BE SPRAYED ON THE SURFACE AT THE SPECIFIED
RATES RECOMMENDED BY THE MANUFACTURER OF THE PRIMER/SEALER
MATERIAL. THE SPRAY EQUIPMENT FOR THE PRIMER APPLICATION MAY BE
MOUNTED DIRECTLY ON A MOBILE TYPE THERMOPLASTIC APPLICATOR OR MAY
BE A SEPARATE, PORTABLE PUSH- OR MOBILE-TYPE SPRAY MACHINE. ALL OF
THE PRIMING EQUIPMENT SHOULD BE INSPECTED AND CHECKED TO ENSURE
THAT IT IS COMPLETELY OPERATIONAL AND CAPABLE OF DISBURSING THE
PRIMER/SEALER AT THE RATE PRESCRIBED BY THE MANUFACTURER.
 D. GLASS BEAD DISPENSER – BOTH MOBILE AND PORTABLE THERMOPLASTIC
APPLICATION EQUIPMENT ARE REQUIRED TO BE EQUIPPED WITH A DROP-ON OR
A PRESSURE-TYPE BEAD DISPENSER. THE GLASS BEADS ARE TO BE EVENLY
DROPPED-ON TO THE HOT THERMOPLASTIC STRIPE IMMEDIATELY AFTER ITS
APPLICATION, EMBEDDING AND ANCHORING AT A DEPTH OF 60%. THE PURPOSE
OF GLASS SPHERES IS TO PROVIDE INITIAL NIGHT TIME RETROREFLECTIVITY OF
THE PAVEMENT MARKING WHICH, WITHOUT THEM, WOULD BE BARELY VISIBLE
TO THE MOTORIST. THE BEAD DISPENSER SHALL BE INSPECTED FREQUENTLY TO
ENSURE PROPER OPERATIONS AND TO ENSURE UNIFORM RATES OF BEAD
APPLICATION OVER THE ENTIRE MARKING SURFACE.

E. EXTRUSION DISPENSING DEVICES – USED TO SCREED/EXTRUDE

THERMOPLASTIC MATERIAL ONTO THE PAVEMENT. THE FRONT AND SIDES OF
THE DEVICE SHOULD BE IN DIRECT ROAD CONTACT TO SHIELD FROM AIR AND
WIND.
• F. RIBBON DISPENSERS - HEATED AND SUSPENDED ABOVE THE ROAD
SURFACE, APPLYING A FORCED EXTRUSION, WELL-DEFINED THERMOPLASTIC
LINE.

• G. SPRAY DISPENSING DEVICES - THERMOPLASTIC SPRAY PATTERN SHALL

RESULT IN A UNIFORMLY THICK, WELL-DEFINED AND SECURELY-BONDED
STRIPE AS SPECIFIED. COMPRESSED AIR MUST BE DRY WHEN MIXING WITH
MOLTEN THERMOPLASTIC.
THERMOPLASTIC MARKING WORK
IT IS ESSENTIAL THAT THE CONTRACTOR’S APPLICATION PERSONNEL BE COMPLETELY FAMILIAR WITH
THE CONTRACT RESPONSIBILITIES AS WELL AS THE PERFORMANCE SPECIFICATIONS.
BASIC WORK CONSISTS OF:
1. PAVEMENT CLEANING
2. PRIMER APPLICATION (IF REQUIRED)
3. MELTING AND EXTRUDING OR SPRAYING THE THERMOPLASTIC MATERIAL ON TO THE PAVEMENT IN
A MOLTEN STATE AT TEMPERATURES BETWEEN 400F AND 440F, AND 4) AN IMMEDIATE GLASS SPHERE
DROP-ON APPLICATION PROPERLY APPLIED AT THE RECOMMENDED RATE ACCORDING TO THE
SPECIFICATION.
 
A THERMOPLASTIC LINE, PROPERLY PLACED WITHIN THE SPECIFICATION REQUIREMENTS, WILL MELT,
WET AND FUSE WITH UNDERLYING PAVEMENT TO FORM A POSITIVE PHYSICAL LOCK WITH THE BINDER
PORTION OF THE BITUMINOUS MIX OR THE PRIMED PORTLAND CEMENT. IF THE PAVEMENT IS UNCLEAN
OR WET; OR IF AIR, SURFACE AND MATERIAL TEMPERATURES ARE LOWER THAT SPECIFIED OR IF
OTHER REQUIREMENTS ARE NOT MET; THIS MECHANICAL BONDING WILL NOT BE ACCOMPLISHED. IF
THIS OCCURS, THE FULL-SERVICE LIFE OF THE MARKING WILL NOT BE REALIZED. IT IS ESSENTIAL
THAT THE ENGINEER NOTIFY THE CONTRACTOR ON A TIMELY BASIS OF ANY WORK DEFICIENCIES.
CONTRACTOR AND PROJECT ENGINEER SHOULD BOTH MAINTAIN A COMPREHENSIVE DIARY
RECORDING DAILY WEATHER PATTERNS, ROAD CONDITIONS AND WORK PERFORMANCE.
 
COMPLETED APPEARANCE
THE APPLIED THERMOPLASTIC MARKINGS SHOULD BE INSPECTED
CONTINUALLY FOR OVERALL WORKMANSHIP. MARKINGS SHOULD BE OF THE
SPECIFIED WIDTH, WITH CLEAN CUT EDGES. WHITE, YELLOW, RED, BLACK,
AND OTHER COLORS SHOULD APPEAR DISTINCT. THE DROP-ON GLASS
SPHERE APPLICATION SHOULD APPEAR UNIFORM ON THE ENTIRE MARKING
SURFACE. OVER SATURATION WITH GLASS SPHERES CAN CAUSE EXCESSIVE
LIVE EMBRITTLEMENT AND PREMATURE ABRASION. THE HARDENED
THERMOPLASTIC SHOULD RESIST DEFORMATION, DIRT PICK UP, ETC. BY
TRAFFIC WITHIN 2 TO 10 MINUTES OF APPLICATION.
THE MARKING SHOULD BE FIRMLY BONDED TO THE PAVEMENT SURFACE. IF THE
THERMOPLASTIC MARKING CAN BE EASILY REMOVED FOR THE PAVEMENT WITH
THE USE OF A PUTTY KNIFE, AND LITTLE OR NO BITUMINOUS SUBSTRATE IS ON
THE BACK OF THE MARKING, THEN IT CAN BE ASSUMED THERE IS NOT A
SUFFICIENT BOND TO THE SUBSTRATE. THERE MUST BE FUSION WITH THE
BITUMINOUS PAVEMENT TO ENSURE MAXIMUM MECHANICAL BOND STRENGTH.
CONCRETE BOND STRENGTH CAN BE CHECKED BY ATTEMPTING TO FORCE
SEPARATION WITH A STIFF PUTTY KNIFE.
STRETCH MARKS IN SCREED EXTRUDE LINE USUALLY RESULT FROM TOO
LOW APPLICATION TEMPERATURE. THESE STRETCH MARKS MAY ALSO BE
PRESENT IF THE EXTRUSION DEVICE IS NOT MAINTAINING TEMPERATURES TO
ENSURE MAXIMUM FLOWABILITY AND LINE UNIFORMITY.
SAFETY
SAFETY AND THE PROTECTION OF OTHERS IS OF PRIMARY IMPORTANCE.
THINK AND PRACTICE SAFETY ALL THE TIME. IF THERE IS AN ACCIDENT, NO
MATTER HOW MINOR, IT MUST BE REPORTED IMMEDIATELY.
RESPONSIBILITIES SHOULD BE MET IN A PROFESSIONAL MANNER.
IN CASE OF ACCIDENTAL CONTACT WITH HOT THERMOPLASTIC, USE
COLD OR ICED WATER TO IMMEDIATELY COOL AFFECTED AREAS. BRING THE
PERSON WHO CONTACTED A HOT THERMOPLASTIC IN THE NEAREST
HOSPITAL IMMEDIATELY.