Stabilized earth, pros and cons

Although it is now used for the most varied jobs and purposes, the doubts that revolve around it stabilized land there are still many. And to say that it would be sufficient to analyze the pros and cons of this solution to understand that, in the vast majority of cases, it is simply a matter of poor or bad information.

Studying i advantages that stabilized ensures compared to other types of materials used in the construction or maintenance of dirt roads and country roads, it will be easy to understand why this material is so appreciated today. Obviously, before choosing whether to use stabilized earth instead of bitumen or gravel, several aspects must be taken into consideration, and the balance does not always tip in favor of stabilized.

What is stabilized earth and how is it made

Stabilized earth is one “hi-tech” and eco-sustainable solution for the creation of surfaces and floors of various types. Thanks to the use of technologies consisting of eco-friendly certified stabilizers and binders (As all those proposed by Terra Solida Italia), allows you to build roads and avenues that are long-lasting, highly permeable and, what should not be underestimated, have a high aesthetic impact.

Stabilized earth can be made using material already present in situ or with aggregates from quarries or with recycled aggregates. This allows the environmental impact of road works to be significantly reduced and the time required for their construction to be significantly reduced. The first step for for install a layer of stabilized earth (actually to install any wear layer) is to create a thick and compact substrate, on which to then lay the mixture of aggregates and aggregates, including recycled ones, bound using eco-friendly stabilisers. It will then be necessary to compact and level the surface and wait for the mixture to harden. Unlike other solutions, the flooring will be almost immediately passable, allowing the construction site to be closed in a short time.

Possible uses of stabilized earth

Since it is an extremely versatile and easy-to-produce material, stabilized earth can be used for the most varied works. As seen, it is ideal for maintenance and resurfacing of dirt roads: allows you to create a homogeneous, solid and particularly long-lasting flooring. Furthermore, the high degree of permeability facilitates the proper regulation of rainwater, thus avoiding the formation of various holes and puddles.

Due to these characteristics, stabilized earth is highly suitable for the construction of roads and avenues (both vehicular and pedestrian) within farms and wineries, public or private parks, areas subject to landscape restrictions and archaeological areas or sites of historical importance.

Pros and cons of stabilized earth

Going to consider the pros and cons of stabilized earth we realize that, all things considered, the disadvantages of this material they are very few. The biggest obstacle is having to "deal" with new technology and construction techniques that are slightly different from those usually used. At the end of the day, though, it's more than that a cultural obstacle what a material: the simplicity of the stabilized manufacturing process allows the procedure to be easily implemented into the work routine of any group.

On the contrary, the advantages are many, and all worthy of note.

• laying. As already mentioned, one of the major pros of stabilized earth lies in the ease of installation and the short execution times of the work. The construction site can be opened and closed within a matter of days, making the road or avenue immediately passable. The use of recycled material or, in any case, easily available material means that the times for obtaining the "raw materials" are shorter, further facilitating the execution of the works
• Machine maintenance. The use of binders of natural origin allows the creation of homogeneous and particularly robust surfaces. Pavements therefore require less maintenance and have a "life expectancy" that is usually longer than pavements made with asphalt, bitumen and gravel.
• Sustainability. The high degree of permeability and the use of recycled materials already available in situ make stabilized earth an eco-sustainable and “0 impact” material. The absence of chemical catalysts, in fact, means that the stabilized product does not alter the composition of the soil and the underlying aquifers. Furthermore, once the road has reached the end of its "life cycle", the material can be entirely recycled, without producing special waste to be disposed of following legislative requirements
• Costs of the intervention. The possibility of being able to use easily available material directly on site also allows the costs of the stabilized earth work to be contained. The conglomerate can be made with recycled material or waste from building demolitions, thus also reducing the costs deriving from the transport of the material necessary to complete the paving