Flexiplast is a crack inhibitor system developed by Eurovia to prevent cracks in pavement from propagating. It uses a thick polymer-modified bitumen membrane reinforced with microsurfacing fibers to separate pavement layers and prevent cracking while maintaining adhesion between layers. Over 3 million square meters have been applied worldwide over 20 years with success in preventing cracking and extending pavement lifespan. It can be used on all pavement types and traffic levels.

1. CRACK INHIBITOR SYSTEM
FLEXIPLAST
®
Keeping the cracks
in their place

2. FLEXIPLAST®
CRACK INHIBITOR SYSTEM
When pavement materials treated with hydraulic binders are laid without pre-cracking, they crack
and can cause damage to surface courses. The techniques employed to avoid these problems must
prevent cracks from propagating to the surface over time while maintaining all pavement qualities
such as inter-layer bonding, structure waterproofing and rutting resistance.
Flexiplast®, developed by Eurovia, is one of the few multi-purpose solutions available to provide such
characteristics.
key benefits
key figures
U
sed to repair cracked pavements
C
an be applied to all types of structures
A
process suitable for all types of traffic
Near 3
million m2
applied to date
A
solution to prevent cracking
20 years of technical success
Setra certified since 1998
Certified by the Quebec Ministry
of Transport in 2004
French Technical Opinion
renewed in 2006

3. a RECOgnised
INNOVAtive proces
aN
unequalled
flexibility
Flexiplast® combats reflective crack propagation
through the layer(s) of asphalt mix that cover it. It
separates the layers between which it is laid, while
maintaining perfect adhesion between them to
avoid premature structural fatigue.
Flexiplast® is primarily used to repair cracked
pavements. The process is laid at high speed and
can be applied to all types of structure, whatever
the traffic level.
The structure is a two-layer complex made up of
a thick membrane of bitumen highly modified with
a polymer and a microsurfacing Gripfibre®. The
complex is covered with a bituminous structure
of a type and thickness appropriate to the traffic
level (40 mm minimum). The membrane is made
with a binder that remains very elastic even at
very low temperatures when the cracks are at
maximum opening. Gripfibre® provides thermal and
mechanical protection of the membrane’s integrity
during asphalt mix laying.
Flexiplast® was selected by the French Direction
des Routes highway department as part of
the Road Innovation Charter. A certificate
was issued by Sétra following conclusive
demonstration projects.
Flexiplast® is especially recommended for the
maintenance of semi-rigid pavements using
materials treated with hydraulic binders and rigid
concrete pavements (slab rocking 30/100 mm).
Flexiplast® extends the service life of pavements by
reducing the harmful effects of cracking.
The behaviour of the process on the jobsites
corroborates the results obtained in the laboratory.

4. The first layer of the Flexiplast® complex is a
membrane of SBS (Styrene Butadiene Styrene)
elastomer-modified bitumen, which has excellent
elastic properties and very low thermal sensitivity.
Penetration at 25 °C (EN 1426) ≥ 70 mm/10
Ring and ball softening point (EN 1427) ≥ 80 °C
Fraass breaking point (EN 12593) ≤ -17°C
Direct tensile strength at -10 °C and 10 mm/min
(EN 13587)
ultimate tensile stress
ultimate elongation
≤ 2 MPa
≤ 400 %
The membrane is applied hot to a clean dry
substrate by means of a spreader fitted with a
heated spray bar. The spread rate is adjusted
according to the cracking status of the substrate,
the type of materials in which the cracks were
initiated and the local weather conditions. It lies
within a 2 to 3 kg/m2 range.
The membrane is protected by a dense-graded 0/6
Gripfibre® microsurfacing. The average spread rate
is approximately 12 kg/m2 producing a thickness of
6 to 8 mm.
Gripfibre® is manufactured and laid by a special
machine which can operate in batch or continuous
mode and is equipped with water sprayers to wet
the tyres and prevent them from sticking to the
membrane.
A
N OUTSTANDING
TRACK RECORD
Ability to prevent reflective cracking is determined
by the shrinkage bending test at the Laboratoire
Régional des Ponts et Chaussées in Autun. The tests
show that Flexiplast® has a remarkable ability to
slow crack propagation, even at the maximum crack
opening allowed by the test equipment (7 mm).
Structure
Efficiency
20 mm sand + 60 mm asphaltic
concrete
1
Flexiplast® + 60 mm asphaltic
concrete
- with 2 kg/m2 membrane
1.53
- with 3 kg/m2 membrane
2
Flexiplast® samples having undergone the
shrinkage-bending test were subjected to
tests which proved that the complex retains its
waterproofing properties even after cracking of the
surface course.
On the Flexiplast® complex covered with 60 mm of
asphaltic concrete, the depth of rutting measured
by the rutting test (EN 12697-22 standard) is 8% at
30,000 cycles at a temperature of 45°C.
Flexiplast® has been patented and is covered by French
Technical Opinion No. 143 issued in September 2006.
Flexiplast® is a registered trademark.
TECHNICAL DEPARTMENT
18, place de l’Europe - 92565 Rueil-Malmaison Cedex
Tel. : 33 (0)1 47 16 38 00 - Fax : 33 (0)1 47 16 38 01
www.eurovia.com
technique@eurovia.com
- March 2013 - photos credit : photolibrary Eurovia
C
OMpound
PERFORMANCE