Overview
In Pulau Indah, Selangor, Malaysia, the Persiaran Sungai Pinang Road Repair project tackles major road rehabilitations.
Wet monsoon periods and frequent tropical thunderstorms, road infrastructure is one of the many operations Solmax solutions are designed to protect and improve.
Road repair and rehabilitation was the task. Since water is the most destructive force behind road decay, it wasn’t a surprise to find cracked, rutted and potholed pavement. Between heavy rainfall and frequent industrial traffic, experts selected MIRAFI H2Rx to stabilize the subgrade.
Challenge
Malaysia’s clay-rich soil leaves the subgrade — a natural foundation that serves as the composition’s first defense, susceptible to environmental pressures.
Excess moisture is a persistent challenge. Moisture accumulation reduces the strength and stiffness of the subgrade, causing deformation to the pavement structure. Contractors recorded water emerging during the excavation of the existing pavement, indicating high groundwater table. Inadequate drainage is proven to be the primary cause for pavement failure.
Rutting, cracking and potholes poses a safety risk to road users and heightens traffic congestion. Subject to rapid deterioration, the road requires a routine maintenance cycle to be completed every 5 to 6 months — raising economic costs for both the city and residents.
Core, underlying issues within the pavement composition need to be addressed; a quality subbase installation is a critical intervention. MIRAFI H2Rx wicking geotextile was installed to address moisture-related pavement deterioration.
Solution
MIRAFI H2Rx is a high-performance wicking geotextile, specifically designed for deteriorated roads quite like this. This diverse engineered geotextile combines three operations that would otherwise stand alone: separation, mechanical stabilization, and advanced moisture management.
Rather than alternative geoengineered solutions, our polypropylene yarns weave a unique design: a biaxial formation. The biaxial structure provides high tensile stiffness in both longitudinal and transverse directions. The innovative design distributes the pressure of loads and reduces localized stress concentrations.
The patented wicking loops actively draw any collection of existing moisture before it weakens the subgrade.
Following rainfall, MIRAFI H2Rx rapidly removes excess water and equalizes the subgrade moisture to restore resilient modulus.
Even during relatively drier seasons like June, July, and August, MIRAFI H2Rx continuously transports and equalizes moisture within the subgrades to maintain basecourse performance and limit surface cracking.
The Public Works Department’s goal was to reduce rutting, improve subgrade stability, and manage moisture collection. 7 months after installation, the repaired roadway show no signs of cracking, rutting, or deterioration. Contractors reported no maintenance activities were required within those months. The Persiaran Sungai Pinang Road Repair project extended the maintenance cycle, improving pavement stability under heavy industrial traffic and heavy moisture conditions.
