Hercules Way Greenville, South Carolina

Owner
Greenville County
Designer
Transco/Greenville County/SE Cement Promotion Association
General Contractor
King Asphalt
Paving Contractor
Andale Construction/King Asphalt
Mixing Plant
Ready Mix plant/Auxiliary Stephens Mixer
Completion Date
June 2021

Project Details

The South Carolina Technology and Aviation Center (SCTAC) required a durable pavement solution for a site originally built in the 1940s as a taxiway for USAF bombers. To meet modern demands, project stakeholders saw the completion of the first-ever unbonded Roller-Compacted Concrete (RCC) overlay on an existing concrete pavement. The new RCC overlay measures 6 inches deep, 24 feet wide and 2,860 linear feet long.

Engineers specified a troweled and broomed finish on the surface to reduce permeability while improving smoothness and texture. The concrete mix included an ASTM 494 admixture, which increased plasticity and density. To prevent reflective cracking from the old pavement, the design team used a geotextile fabric as both a water transmission medium and a bond-breaker. A shorter spaced control joint pattern further protected the new surface.

The construction team worked at a rapid pace to minimize disruptions. Crews placed the RCC over two shifts on a Thursday and Friday, and they opened the road to unrestricted traffic by Monday. SCTAC selected RCC for its cost-effectiveness, fast schedule and high sustainability. Most importantly, it was the only pavement option capable of supporting the heavy loads from new electric buses and the nearby Lockheed Martin maintenance facilities.

While this approach was atypical for conventional RCC construction, it proved highly successful. Proper design, exact specifications, strict quality control and strong collaboration among all parties made this innovative project possible.