Soilworks products are the industry’s top standard due to our insistence on creating high performance soil stabilization and dust control products that stand up to rigorous testing – both in the lab and in the field. Our commitment to quality and performance has led to our involvement and testing in hundreds of real-world situations. The following library of reports, presentations, specifications, approvals and other similar documents provide you, our customer, the transparency and dependable assurance that is expected from Soilworks.
Hernando County, Florida evaluated dust control options for its 375 miles of unpaved limerock roads, with emphasis on cost-efficiency, road durability, and suppression effectiveness. The study compared traditional and advanced chemical treatments including calcium chloride, emulsified asphalt, and polymer-based solutions. Among the top-performing treatments, Soiltac and Gorilla-Snot, both synthetic copolymer emulsions manufactured by Soilworks, were analyzed for their ability to bind surface materials, reduce grading frequency, and significantly suppress dust in high-nuisance areas.
Soiltac, applied at a 1:6 dilution rate, required only one application per year and offered the best long-term suppression. Gorilla-Snot, with a 1:3 dilution and six-month duration, delivered strong results for sites requiring medium-term performance. While both solutions showed higher upfront costs than traditional materials, they provided superior dust control and surface stabilization, reducing environmental complaints and long-term maintenance needs. Soilworks’ products are ideally suited for municipalities seeking reliable, non-corrosive alternatives to salt-based suppressants. Contact Soilworks for product selection support based on road type, traffic volume, and regional climate.
LIMEROCK ROAD DUST CONTROL
HERNANDO COUNTY, FL
Presented by Brian Malmberg, P.E.
INTRODUCTION
◉ 375 miles of limerock roads
◉ Low volume local roads are not cost effective to pave with permanent surface at current funding levels
◉ Fugitive dust generated by limerock roads can be an nuisance issue
DUST ABATEMENT
◉ Particles passing No. 200 sieve
◉ Particles form binder in road surface @ Provide agglomeration of particles @ Adhere/bind the surface materials
together
◉ Increase the density of the road material
DUST SUPPRESSANTS
|
Dust Suppression Category |
Typical Suppressants |
Selection for Review |
|
Water |
Water |
Minimal effective duration |
|
Water Absorbing Products |
Magnesium Chloride Calcium Chloride |
Not commonly found in FL Selected for further review |
|
Organic Petroleum Products |
Emulsified Asphalt (sand seal) |
Selected for further review |
|
Organic Nonpetroleum Products |
Animal fats, lignosulfonate, vegetable oil |
Cost prohibitive for large area applications |
|
Electrochemical Products |
Enzymes, ionic products, sulfonated oils |
Cost prohibitive for large area applications |
|
Synthetic Polymer Products |
Polyvinyl acetate, vinyl acrylic |
Cost prohibitive for large area applications |
|
Clay Additives |
Bentonite, Montmorillonite |
Long term constructability Issues, Environmental concerns |
CALCIUM CHLORIDE
◉ Classified as a salt
◉ Deliquescent and Hygroscopic Properties
◉ Applied at 1 to 1.5 lbs/sq. yd.
◉ Scarify, apply, grade, compact
◉ Reduces grading to 3 month cycle
◉ Disadvantages: slippery when wet, vehicle corrosion, degradation of nearby vegetation, potential water pollution
EMULSIFIED ASPHALT
◉ Emulsified asphalt w/ sand coat
◉ Specialized equipment to apply
◉ Forms solid surface and seals roadway
◉ Reduces grading to 4 month cycle
◉ Disadvantages: Must be torn up and completely reapplied at each cycle; potential spills or leaching if not allowed to cure
SCARIFY & REGRADE ROAD
APPLY SUPPRESSANT
FINAL GRADE & COMPACT
COST ANALYSIS
|
Product/ Material |
Limerock Material Cost, $/mile/year |
Suppressant Cost, $/mile/year |
Grading Cycles per Year |
Grading Cost, $/mile/year |
Total Cost, $/mile/year |
|
Crushed Limestone |
$2,275.00 |
$0.00 |
8 |
$239.33 |
$4,189.67 |
|
Calcium Chloride |
$1,137.50 |
$4,375.00 |
4 |
$239.33 |
$6,469.83 |
|
Emulsified Asphalt |
$568.75 |
$4,320.00 |
3 |
$4,320.00 |
$13,528.75 |
|
$682.50 |
$11,314.29 |
2 |
$239.33 |
$23,789.74 |
|
|
$682.50 |
$15,027.69 |
1 |
$239.33 |
$15,949.53 |
Calcium chloride quote – South Eastern Road Treatment Polymer quotes – Soilworks LLC
CONCLUSION
◉ Periodic limerock replacement and grading is most economical
◉ Calcium chloride is most economical dust suppressant but would incur additional costs when compared to current method
◉ Roads under 100 vpd are not cost effective to treat w/ dust suppressant
COMPARISON COSTS
20 Foot Wide Roadway Paving Estimates
ASPHALT PAVEMENT (Cost per mile of Roadway)
|
Description |
Unit Type |
Unit Cost |
Quantity |
Total Cost |
|
Prepare Limerock base for paving |
SY |
$1.90 |
11,733 |
$22,293.33 |
|
Bituminous Prime Coat |
SY |
$0.50 |
11,733 |
$5,866.67 |
|
1-3/4″ FC-9.5 Asphalt |
ton |
$80.00 |
1,129 |
$90,346.67 |
|
|
|
|
Sub-Total: |
$118,506.67 |
35% contingency for permitting, additional limerock & swale work Total: $159,984.00
CHIP SEAL SURFACE TREATMENT (Cost per mile of Roadway)
|
Description |
Unit Type |
Unit Cost |
Quantity |
Total Cost |
|
Prepare Limerock base for paving |
SY |
$1.90 |
11,733 |
$22,293.33 |
|
Double Course Chip Seal |
SY |
$3.90 |
11,733 |
$45,760.00 |
|
Fog Seal |
SY |
$0.30 |
11,733 |
$3,520.00 |
|
|
|
|
Sub-Total: |
$71,573.33 |
35% contingency for permitting, additional limerock & swale work Total: $96,624.00
ESTIMATED TOTAL COUNTY PAVING COST
Asphalt Paving Cost $59,994,000
Chip Seal Application Cost $36,234,000
*Approximately 375 miles of limerock roads in Hernando County.
|
COMPARISON COSTS Yearly Comparison Cost |
|
|
PRODUCT/MATERIAL |
TOTAL COST,$/MILE/YEAR |
|
Crushed Limestone |
$4,189.67 |
|
Calcium Chloride |
$6,469.83 |
|
Gorilla-Snot® |
$23,789.74 |
|
Soiltac® |
$15,949.53 |
|
1-3/4” Asphalt Pavement |
$15,998.40 |
|
Double Chip Seal Surface Treatment |
$13,803.43 |
ASSUMPTIONS:
– South Eastern Road Treatment: 3,500 gallons to treat 1 mile, 20′ wide, @ $1.25/gallon = $4375
– Soiltac® is 1 gal/65 sf with 1:6 dilution, 275 gallon tote cost $2543.75, 12 month duration
– Gorilla-Snot® is 1 gal/35sf with 1:3 dilution, 275 gallon tote cost $1,031.25, 6 month duration
– Assume 10 year life-span on asphalt pavement
– Assume 7 year life-span on double chip seal pavement
REFERENCES
◉ Bolander, P., & Yamada, A. (1999). Dust palliative selection and application guide. United
◉ States Department of Agriculture, Forest Service. Washington, DC.
◉ Brown, G. M. & Haliburton, T. A. (1984). Road dust control with calcium chloride. Vermont
◉ Local Roads Program Fact Sheet. Colchester, VT: Saint Michael’s College.
◉ CPWA, (2005). Dust control for unpaved roads, a best practice by the national guide to
◉ sustainable municipal infrastructure. Canadian Public Works Association, http://www.infraguide.ca/lib/Db2File.asp?fileid=4555, accessed on April 1, 2011.
◉ FDOT, (2010). Standard specifications for road and bridge construction, Florida Department of Transportation. Tallahassee, FL.
◉ Lohnes, R.A. & Coree, B.J. (2002). Determination and evaluation of alternate methods for
◉ managing and controlling highway-related dust. Final report for Iowa Highway Research Board TR449. Iowa Department of Transportation, Department of Civil and Construction Engineering, Iowa State University, Ames Iowa.
◉ Morgan, R. J., Schaefer, V.R., & Sharma, R. S. (2005). Determination and evaluation of alternate
◉ methods for managing and controlling highway-related dust, Phase II demonstration project. Final report for Iowa Highway Research Board TR506. Iowa Department of Transportation, Department of Civil and Construction Engineering, Iowa State University, Ames Iowa.
◉ Sanders, T. G., Addo, J. Q., Ariniello, A., & Heiden, W. F. (1997). Relative effectiveness of road dust suppressants. Journal of Transportation Engineering, Sept/Oct 1997.
