The main mineralogical properties of rock materials used in road construction are described from a technical perspective in this VTI report. It is the quality of the rock material in combination with pavement design that determines future maintenance needs and technical lifetime of road construction. The report also presents a microscopic method for the determination of rock quality.
Road structures are composed of aggregates of different size fractions. Unbound aggregates are used for sub-base and base course layers. These layers should act as a foundation to be able to handle traffic loads and climate variations without deformation and break down. The properties of the unbound layers are largely determined by the rock quality (mineralogy, e.g.), grading curve and particle shape. Inferior materials can be used in less sensitive parts of the structure, while materials with high quality should be used in the more sensitive upper parts of the structure. In this way one can use the resources of rock quarries in the best way. The quality of the rock material and manufacturing determines future maintenance needs and technical lifetime of road construction.
The report contains a brief literature review in which the main mineralogical properties of the rock are described from a technical perspective.
The report presents a microscopic method for the determination of rock quality. It is designed to assess the technical characteristics of the rock for use as unbound material in road constructions. The method can be used in other contexts where technical characterizations of rock material are important. The method presents the quantitative assessment of mineralogy, grain boundaries, grain size, foliation and micro cracks. Appendixes contain examples of a completed analysis and pictures to facilitate the assessment and quantification of thin sections under microscope.