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A good reason to choose concrete is durability. Concrete lasts a long time and with virtually no maintenance. Asphalt is somewhat more flexible and more favorable in price during construction. But what if we combine the qualities of these two materials? That brings us to White Topping. Schagen Infra presented this innovative concrete product during the Infra Relatiedagen in Hardenberg in 2019 and will follow it up in 2020.
Looking back, Schagen Infra - part of the Schagen Group - had everything it needed to develop the innovative concrete product - White Topping. The Hasselt site has a concrete plant, an asphalt plant and a laboratory. In the latter, a continuous process examines how existing concrete types can be improved and new concrete types developed. The developments in the laboratory are directly linked to the so-called "with-the-legs-on-table discussions. During these monthly brainstorming sessions, delegates from all layers of Schagen Infra jointly think about products that the market can use.
"White Topping is the result of one such with-the-legs-on-table conversation," says Ronald Diele, head of Advice, Research and Development. "The topic was 'the repair of battered asphalt bike paths,' for example due to root pressure. As a rule, a new layer of asphalt is then applied. However, chances are that the problem will soon reoccur. In repair with White Topping, the old asphalt surface layer is milled and covered with 12 cm of White Topping, or concrete that has fibers. Thanks to these fibers, the concrete layer is stronger and is 5 to 7 cm thinner than the regular concrete layer for a bike path. The collaboration between asphalt and concrete provides a material savings of 25%."
Meanwhile, Schagen Infra has applied White Topping to the asphalt bike path along the N355 between Leeuwarden and
Tytsjerk. She was awarded this contract because the new product came out on top in innovation, price and lifespan in a competition. Diele: "We are quite proud of that. The price ensured
Moreover, for publicity and led
immediately to more orders." Recent visits have since revealed that the
White Topping to the bike path along the N355 and other projects excellent
fulfills.
At this moment Schagen Infra brings its innovative concrete product widely under the attention. This happens, inter alia, during 20th edition of the Infra Relatiedagen in Hardenberg, the networking event for ground, road and hydraulic engineering professionals.
