Manual - Otta Seal

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0277
93
Publication
no
A Guide
to the Use of
Otta Seals
Road Technology Department (NRRL)

0278
Publication no. 93
By Charles verby
A Guide to the Use of

Otta Seals
Directorate of Public Roads

Road Technology Department
International Division
Oslo, August 1999
0279
Front cover design:

Front cover picture:
Layout:
Photo:
Editing-/production co-ordinator:
Printed by:
Edition:
ISBN
ISSN
Svein Aarset
Charles verby, NPRA
Jan Edvardsen, ICG, Oslo, Norway
Charles verby, NPRA. T. Rees, Haas Consult, Botswana
Charles verby, NPRA
Allkopi AS, Oslo, Norway
3000
82 91228 03 5
0803 - 6950
Reproduction of extracts from this Publication may be made

subject to due acknowledgement of the source. Although this
Publication is believed to be correct at the time of printing, the
Norwegian Public Roads Administration does not accept any
contractual, tortious or other form of liability for its contents or
for any consequences arising from its use. Anyone using the
information contained in the Publication should apply their own
skill and judgement to the particular issue under consideration.
Norwegian Public Roads Adm.
A Guide to the Use of Otta Seals
0280
PREFACE
The first Otta Seal surfacing was constructed in Norway during the years 1963 - 1965 based on an innovative
and experimental approach. The main objective was to develop a method that could effectively improve the
quality of the gravel roads to a cost equal to the gravel road maintenance. In 1965 the Norwegian Road Research
Laboratory had successfully developed a sprayed bituminous seal using graded gravel and soft binder at a relatively
high binder content. During the next 20 years, more than 12000 km of unpaved roads were surfaced by the Otta
Seal method, comprising about 20% of the total paved road network in Norway. The Otta Seal rapidly proved to
be very cost-effective and durable, and its performance much better than originally expected.
During the next 25 years Norwegian engineers has been promoting this type of sprayed bituminous seal at
various parts of the world, adopting appropriate specification, matching the local environment. The reported
experiences have without doubt been very successful ranging from areas of freezing cold to hot/wet and dry/very
hot climate. In many cases, strict adherence to the more conventional standards for bituminous surfacings would
either prohibit the project or made it unnecessarily costly. However, the lack of information regarding the Otta
Seal, properties, design (previously the design of Otta Seals was based on empirical methods, rather than the
more rational methods used for Chip Seals), construction and performance and the reluctance from the construction
industry to embrace new technology, has so far limited the use of this type of sprayed bituminous surfacing.
The two main objectives of this Publication is to provide the following:
Provide a ready, practical reference for the engineers and technicians who design and execute the sprayed
bituminous work.
Summing up 25 years experiences with the global use of the Otta Seals providing technical evidence and
economical justifications that the Otta Seals have no other limitations than other types of sprayed bituminous
seals.
It is my sincerely hope that this Publication will provide the required confidence in using this type of innovative
type of sprayed bituminous surfacing, as well as to be a guidance to the practitioners, governmental engineers
and technicians, contractors and consultants in situations that will favour this type of sprayed bituminous surfacing.
Oslo, 10th of August 1999
Olav Sfteland
Director General of Public Roads
This Publication no 93 from the Road Technology Department at the Directorate of Public Roads was presented at the
PIARC XXIst World Road Congress at Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, 3 - 9th October 1999.
0281
AKNOWLEDGEMENTS
This Publication was compiled simultaneously with the preparation of Guideline No. 1. The design, Construction
and Maintenance of Otta Seals (1999), Roads Department, Botswana under the Institutional Co-operation between
Roads Department, Botswana and the Norwegian Public Roads Administration (NPRA).
The number of persons that contributed to that Guideline is also highly credited for their inputs to this Publication.
0282
TABLE OF CONTENTS
page
Preface...................................................................................................................................................................3
Acknowledgement................................................................................................................................................4
1
INTRODUCTION
1.1
Background ............................................................................................................................................. 7
1.2
The Guideline, purpose and scope .......................................................................................................... 7
1.3
Structure of the Guideline ....................................................................................................................... 7
BITUMINOUS SURFACINGS
2.1
Role and function .................................................................................................................................... 9
2.2
Surfacing types ........................................................................................................................................ 9
2.3
Factors affecting choice ........................................................................................................................ 10
ORIGIN OF OTTA SEALS

3.1
Background ........................................................................................................................................... 11
PERFORMANCE CHARACTERISTICS
4.1
Description and types ............................................................................................................................ 12
4.2
Mechanism of performance .................................................................................................................. 12
4.3
Performance characteristics .................................................................................................................. 13
4.4
Relative advantages and disadvantages ................................................................................................ 14
AGGREGATES
5.1
Key properties ....................................................................................................................................... 16
5.2
Screened and crushed aggregate ........................................................................................................... 16
5.3
Aggregate for sand cover seals ............................................................................................................. 17
5.4
Aggregate requirements ........................................................................................................................ 17
BINDERS
6.1
Desirable characteristics ....................................................................................................................... 19
6.2
Types ..................................................................................................................................................... 19
6.3
Properties .............................................................................................................................................. 20
6.4
Blending on site .................................................................................................................................... 20
6.5
Temperatures for storage and spraying ................................................................................................. 23
6.6
Anti-stripping agent .............................................................................................................................. 23
6.7
Prime ..................................................................................................................................................... 24
SURFACING SELECTION CRITERIA

7.1
Factors influencing choice of surfacing ................................................................................................ 25
7.2
Life expectancy ..................................................................................................................................... 25
7.3
Economic assessment of Otta Seals versus Chip Seals ........................................................................ 26
DESIGN
8.1
Factors influencing design .................................................................................................................... 28
8.2
Selection of Otta Seal type .................................................................................................................... 28
8.3
Preferred aggregate grading .................................................................................................................. 29
8.4
Type of binder ....................................................................................................................................... 30
8.5
Binder spray rates ................................................................................................................................. 30
8.6
Aggregate application rates ................................................................................................................... 32
0283
CONSTRUCTION
page
9.1
General .................................................................................................................................................. 33
9.2
Preparation of base course .................................................................................................................... 33
9.3
Sealing operations ................................................................................................................................. 33
9.4
Follow-up inspections ........................................................................................................................... 34
9.5
Immediate post-construction care ......................................................................................................... 34
9.6
Traffic management .............................................................................................................................. 35
9.7
Additional considerations for Double Otta Seal and combination seals .............................................. 35
9.8
Important construction details .............................................................................................................. 36
10
MAINTENANCE
10.1
General .................................................................................................................................................. 37
10.2
Use of Otta Seals as reseals .................................................................................................................. 37
11
CONTRACTUAL ISSUES
11.1
General .................................................................................................................................................. 38
11.2
Contractual issues ................................................................................................................................. 38
12
THE GLOBAL USE

12.1
General .................................................................................................................................................. 40
12.2
Norway .................................................................................................................................................. 41
12.3
Sweden .................................................................................................................................................. 42
12.4
Iceland ................................................................................................................................................... 42
12.5
Kenya .................................................................................................................................................... 43
12.6
Botswana ............................................................................................................................................... 44
12.7
Zimbabwe .............................................................................................................................................. 45
12.8
Bangladesh ............................................................................................................................................ 45
12.9
South Africa ........................................................................................................................................... 46
12.10
Australia ................................................................................................................................................ 47
12.11
Historical summary ................................................................................................................................ 47
REFERENCES
LIST OF TABLES
4.1
Relative differences between Otta Seals and conventional Chip Seals ................................................ 15
5.1
Material requirements for Otta Seals .................................................................................................... 17
5.2
Aggregate strength requirements for Otta Seals ................................................................................... 18
6.1
Cutters ................................................................................................................................................... 21
6.2
Typical blending properties to produce medium curing cutback bitumen ........................................... 22
6.3
Recommended storage and spraying temperatures .............................................................................. 23
7.1
Life expectancy for various types of Otta Seals and Double Chip Seal ............................................... 25
7.2
Relative construction costs of a Double Otta Seal and a Double Chip Seal ........................................ 26
7.3
Maintenance intervention for lifetime cost comparison of different type of seals .............................. 27
8.1
Recommended type of Otta Seal in relation to traffic levels ................................................................ 29
8.2
Preferred aggregate grading for Otta Seals ........................................................................................... 30
8.3a-b Design procedures for Otta Seals .................................................................................................. 31 - 32
9.1
Minimum rolling requirements ............................................................................................................. 34
12.1
The global use of the Otta Seal method ................................................................................................ 40
12.2
Total length of Single and Double Otta Seals in Norway at the end of 1998 ....................................... 41
LIST OF FIGURES
2.1
Schematic illustration of various types of bituminous surfacings .......................................................... 9
4.1
Mechanism of performance, a single Otta Seal compared to a single Chip Seal ................................. 13
5.1
General grading envelope for Otta Seal aggregate ............................................................................... 18
8.1
Flow chart for the design procedures of Otta Seals .............................................................................. 29
12.1
The global use of Otta Seals ................................................................................................................. 40
APPENDICES
A
Mass / Volume conversion tables .......................................................................................................... 50
B
Abbreviations ........................................................................................................................................ 54
0284
INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background
Budgetary constraints for the provision of sealed low volume roads both in
the industrialised and developing countries have for many years forced the
road engineers to search and develop innovative methods of road design,
construction and maintenance in order to maximise the utilisation of the
available funds. In this effort, very often consideration has to be given to the
use of local materials, although the material may be non-standard or marginal to the more rigid specifications. Strict adherence to the more conventional
standard specifications would either prohibit the project or make it
unnecessarily costly.
One area where cost savings can be made in road construction is with the
judicious choice of bituminous surfacing. Normally, the selection of the
most cost-effective surfacing would be based on a life cycle analysis of
appropriate surfacing types in which the influence of a range of factors is
investigated. One type of surfacing which has proven to be eminently costeffective in appropriate situations is the Otta Seal using graded aggregate.
For more than three decades has this type of bituminous surfacing proved to
be very cost effective both in Scandinavia, Iceland, East and Southern Africa
and partly also in Bangladesh.
Unsealed roads very often provide an unsatisfactory driving comfort and associated high
maintenance and operational costs. Dust pullotion
is also a problem in urban areas. (South Africa).
A bituminous surfacing protects the base course

layer and provides good riding quality. Hence, low
operational costs. (Zimbabwe).
1.2 The Guideline, purpose and scope

The main purpose of this Guideline is to provide practical guidance on the
design, construction and maintenance of Otta Seals. The Guideline also summarises the experience that has been gained in the use of the Otta Seal for
the last three decades in a global perspective. In so doing, the intention is to
improve the understanding of this type of road surfacing and to promote its
use under similar environments where optimum use has to be made from
limited funds available for road construction and maintenance.
It is emphasised that this Guideline should be used for the purpose intended,
i.e. as a guideline and not as a prescriptive approach or standardised way of
designing, constructing or maintaining Otta Seals. Some judgement will
always have to be exercised in arriving at decisions regarding the parameters that are incorporated in particular designs.
The Guideline is intended for use by the various organisations associated
with the design, construction and maintenance of Otta Seals. These
organisations include employers, consultants, contractors and materials
suppliers.
1.3 Structure of the Guideline

The Guideline contains twelve main chapters, following the general
introduction, which is given in this Chapter, Chapter 2 gives an overview of
the role and function of bituminous surfacings. The origin and the innovated
approach for the Otta Seal is given in Chapter 3. Chapter 4 provides details
of the Otta Seal, description and performance characteristics. This is followed
by the Chapters 5 and 6 which describe the materials constituents of the
Otta Seal. Chapter 7 then outlines the various selection criteria affecting the
0285
choice of surfacing followed by the Chapters 8, 9 and 10 which deal with

the design, construction and maintenance of Otta Seals respectively. The
various contractual issues associated with the use of Otta Seals is described
in Chapter 11. Finally, Chapter 12 describes the global use of the Otta Seals
as case histories, followed by a historical summary.
Two Appendices are provided, Appendix A and B gives Mass/Volume conversion tables and Abbreviations, respectively.
0286
BITUMINOUS SURFACINGS
2.1 Role and function
Bituminous surfacings are an integral component of paved roads and perform a number of functions that offer many advantages over unsealed roads.
These include:
l Provision of a durable, impervious surfacing which seals and protects

the pavement layers from moisture ingress and consequent loss of pavement strength and degradation;
l Provision of a skid-resistant surface which can resist the abrasive and

disruptive forces of traffic and the environment;
l Prevention of the formation of corrugations, dust and mud which generally permits relatively safe travel at higher speeds and lower vehicle
operating and maintenance costs.
As for all bituminised roads, the pavement strength must be adequate to
carry the anticipated traffic loading.
2.2 Surfacing types

Various types of bituminous surfacing have been and are used on the global
Public Highway Network. These included:
l
l
l
l
l
Sand Seals
Surface Dressings (Chip Seal)
Cape Seals
Otta Seals
Asphaltic Concrete (varying thickness)
The above seal types are illustrated in Figure 2.1.

SAND SEAL
1 Prime
2 Binder
3 Sand
SINGLE CHIP
SEAL
1 Prime
2 Binder
DOUBLE CHIP
SEAL
1 Prime
2 Binder
3 Large stone
4 Binder
CAPE SEAL
1 Prime
2 Binder
3 Stone
4 Slurry
Figure 2.1
SINGLE OTTA
SEAL
No Prime
1 Binder
2 Graded aggregate
2
1
3
2
5
4
DOUBLE OTTA
SEAL
No Prime
1 Binder
2 Graded aggregate
2
1
2.layer
1.layer
4
3
1
ASPHALT
CONCRETE
1 Prime
2 Asphalt Premix
2
1
Schematic illustration of various types of bituminous surfacings.
0287
2.3 Factors affecting choice

The choice of bituminous surfacing in any given situation will depend on a
number of factors which include the following:
l Type of pavement (strength, flexural properties, etc);

l Economic and financial factors (funds available, life cycle costs, etc.);
l Riding quality required;
l Operational factors (traffic, surface stresses, geometry, etc.);
l Safety (surface texture, interference with traffic, etc.);
l Environmental considerations (climate, noise, etc.);
l Construction and maintenance strategies;
l Characteristics of available materials (aggregate, binder, etc).
Subject to the surfacing meeting various technical and environmental
requirements, a life cycle cost comparison of alternative surfacing types
should be carried out as a basis for determining the most cost-effective
solution. Such a comparison would normally consider not only initial
construction costs, but also maintenance and vehicle operating costs.
10
0288
ORIGIN OF OTTA SEALS

3.1 Background
In the early sixties about 50% or 40 000 km of the total public roads in
Norway were unpaved gravel roads with low bearing capacity, carrying an
AADT between 50 - 500 vehicles. During the spring thaw period many road
sections were unpassable for both light and heavy vehicles. These roads, at
that time, according to the current practise were considered to be completely
reconstructed prior to applying bituminous surfacing. However, the progress of the rehabilitation programme was slow due to budgetary and heavy
construction plant constraints. In 1963 the Norwegian Road Authorities had
identified a need to develop a method or treatment that could effectively
improve the quality of the gravel roads to a cost equal to the gravel road
maintenance. The two main goals, based on economical and technical aspects
that had to be achieved were as follows:
The unpaved road network was in a poor condition

in Norway in the early sixties. During the thaw
period often un-passable for both light and heavy
vehicles. (Norway).
l The investments should be earned back in a few years through reduced

maintenance cost only;
l The road user should find the quality and performance of the surface
close to other conventional bituminous surfacing.
In order to satisfy these two overruling main goals the surfacing should
preferably comply with the following requirements:
-
Be cheap and easy to carry out anywhere in the country;
Utilise locally available screened natural aggregates;
Be impervious to prevent water into the water susceptible base material;
Be very flexible, durable and easy to maintain;
In 1963 the Norwegian Road Research Laboratory (NRRL) was

commissioned to develop a bituminous surface treatment that applied to a
situation the before mentioned economical and technical requirements.
During the years 1963 - 65 trials were carried out in the Otta Valley where
its name derives from.
Initially intended for use as a temporary "bituminous maintenance seal" for
gravel roads its good performance led to its adoption also for newly
constructed and existing bituminous roads for both low and medium traffic
situations. Since its inception, the method has had an extended use, from
being an economical maintenance seal on gravel roads, to a fully fledged
bituminous surfacing. This surfacing type is today considered to have no
other limitations regarding traffic volumes than one would apply to any
sprayed bituminous surfacing.
The Otta Seal originates from the Otta Vally in

Norway where it was first used. (Norway).
The lack of information regarding the Otta Seal,
properties, design, construction and performance
and the reluctance of the construction industry to
embrace new technology has so far limited the use
of this type of bituminous surfacing.
0289
11
PERFORMANCE
CHARACTERISTICS
4.1 Description and types
Otta Seals consist essentially of a 16 - 32 mm thick bituminous surfacing
constituted of an admixture of graded aggregates ranging from natural gravel to crushed rock in combination with relatively soft (low viscosity) binders, with or without a sand seal cover. This type of surfacing contrasts with
the single sized crushed aggregate and relatively hard (high viscosity) binders used in conventional surface dressings e.g. Chip Seals.
There are various types of Otta Seals in terms of number of layers, type of
aggregate grading and whether or not a cover sand seal is used. These various
types may, in general, be summarised as follows:
1.
Single Otta Seal

aggregate grading open, medium or dense
with sand cover seal
without sand cover seal
2.
Double Otta Seal

aggregate grading open, medium or dense
-
All types single surfacing seals demand very high

standards of workmanship to perform well and therefore carry higher risks of performing unsatisfactorily.
with sand cover seal

without sand cover seal
The choice of type of Otta Seal is dependent on a number of factors which

are described in Chapter 7.
4.2 Mechanism of performance

The mechanism of performance of Otta Seals is quite different to that of the
more conventional Chip Seals. These differences may be summarised as
follows:
Otta Seal: Graded aggregate is placed on a relatively thick film of
comparatively soft binder which, on rolling and trafficking, can work its
way upwards through the aggregate interstices. In this manner, the graded
aggregate relies both on mechanical interlocking and bitumen binding for
its strength - "a bit like" a bituminous premix.
The mechanical interlocking, and bitumen
binding of the Otta Seal is "a bit like"
bituminous premix. A Double Otta seal.
Trafficking of the seal immediately after rolling is desirable and its final
appearance is formed after 4 - 8 weeks giving a premix like appearance in
the wheel paths. Priming of the base is normally not required.
Chip Seal: In the case of the conventional Chip Seal surfacing, aggregate is
placed on a film of comparatively hard binder with the objective of gluing
the former to the latter. Thus, the Chip Seal relies very much on the bond
between the binder and the aggregate for its strength. If this bond is
insufficient (e.g. due to the use of a too thin binder film or the occurrence of
in-service embrittlement due to binder oxidation) then ravelling will occur.
Moreover, the selection of the respective aggregate sizes is critical to ensure
interlocking between the first and second layers. Traffic on the surfacing
needs to be carefully controlled until the binder is finally set. Priming of the
base is normally required.
12
0290
The concept of bleeding should also be viewed quite differently between

Otta Seals and the more conventional Chip Seals. In the former, if excess
bitumen works its way to the surface during rolling or trafficking, it can
simply be blinded with fine aggregate or coarse to fine sand. The fine
aggregate (or sand) tends to be fairly readily coated by the comparatively
soft binder and work its way into the interstices of the graded aggregate to
produce a tight, closely knit surface which looks very much like a
conventional premix. In contrast, bleeding of Chip Seals can be more
problematic due to the difficulty of coating the fine blinding aggregate (or
sand) with a relatively harder binder.
Due to the differences in the mechanism of performance between Otta Seals
and Chip Seals, it is important to recognise that their respective methods of
design and construction should not be assumed to be similar.
Figure 4.1 illustrates the difference in make-up and mechanism of
performance of a Single Otta Seal in comparison to a Single Chip Seal.
The dense, closed texture of Otta Seals generally
promotes impermeability and protects the binder
from direct solar radiation and associated oxidation
and embrittlement.
Single Otta Seal (0-16 mm). Thickness: minimum 16 mm
If the procedure for design and construction of a

Chip Seal is adopted for an Otta Seal, the result will
be disastrous!
Single Chip Seal (13,2 mm). Thickness = ALD (8 to 10 mm)

Figure 4.1 Mechanism of performance, a single Otta Seal compared to a single
Chip Seal.
4.3 Performance characteristics

General
The performance of Otta Seals depends (as for all other types of surfacing)
on a number of factors such as:
l type of Otta Seal, (texture, durability etc.)

l bearing capacity of the pavement
l traffic using the road
Close-up of the graded aggregate used in the

Otta Seal. Note the dense matrix and interlocking.
Durability - texture
The dense, closed texture of an Otta Seal, which is further enhanced with
the use of a cover sand seal, is particularly advantages in the hot temperature
conditions that occur in the country. In such conditions, high solar radiation
significantly increases the rate of oxidation of the surfacing binder which
occurs less quickly with Otta Seals as compared with the more conventional
Chip Seals.
Otta Seal with sand cover seal, where the dense
matrix is further enhanced. (Botswana).
0291
13
Flexibility
The influence of aggregate shape, strength and
grading is of moderate importance due to the
mechanism of behaviour of Otta Seals in contrast to
the significance of these properties in conventional
Chip Seals.
Long service lives experienced in Norway and Kenya with Otta Seals placed
on pavements with relatively high Benkelman Beam deflections (in excess
of 1.25 mm) indicate that this type of seal exhibits excellent flexibility.
Visual evidence of the performance of Otta Seals

under varying levels of traffic indicates that traffic
volumes higher than 500 vpd are, in fact,
advantageous to the performance of the seal.
Traffic
The Otta Seal concept is not considered to have any limitations regarding
traffic volumes than would not also apply to any other type of sprayed
bituminous surfacing.
4.4 Relative advantages and

disadvantages
Otta Seals differ in many respects from conventional sprayed bituminous
surfacings such as Chip Seals.
The possible use of natural occurring gravel,
including the fines, are some of the factors that
favoure the use of Otta Seals. (Kenya).
One of the major advantages offered by Otta Seals is their ability to perform
well with aggregates of relatively low quality in terms of strength, shape,
texture and dust content, giving rise to cost savings which can be considerable depending on project location, availability of aggregates and bitumen
price. However, as with other types of bituminous surfacings, Otta Seals
possess both advantages and disadvantages that are described below.
Advantages
Some of the factors favouring the use of Otta Seals include situations were:
A newly laid Otta Seal (with a high fines content)
will for the first 2 - 4 weeks give dust pollution.
(South Africa).
Road construction is taking place in remote areas where, for example, only
natural gravels occur, and where it may be prohibitively expensive to set up
crushing facilities;
l Workmanship may be of indifferent quality;

l Flexibility and durability of the surfacing are required to tolerate, for
example, comparatively low quality, low bearing capacity pavements
with high deflections;
l There is a low maintenance capability;

l High solar radiation levels prevail.
Disadvantages
An Otta Seal will for the first few months after
opening to traffic exhibit a rich bitumen appearance, which initially appears non-uniform and
inferior compared to the conventional Chip Seal.
(Botswana).
After some months in service the Otta Seal beds

down and provide an uniform appearance.
(Botswana).
14
One of the main disadvantages of Otta Seals is their initial, inconsistent and
somewhat patchy appearance during the first 4 - 6 months of their service
life. During this stage, the surface may appear rich in bitumen or may even
bleed, necessitating the spreading of sand or crusher dust over the affected
area to absorb the excess of bitumen. This tends to give the erroneous
impression to the lay person that something is wrong with the surfacing or
that it is of inferior quality to the more traditional Chip Seal. However, this
is certainly NOT the case. After some 8 - 12 weeks of trafficking the surfacing
will start to bed down and will provide a more uniform and consistent
appearance which looks somewhat like the more expensive Asphaltic
Concrete that is generally used on very heavily trafficked roads.
Another disadvantage with the use of Otta Seals is with regard to the need
to consider a number of additional contractual issues that need to be specially
dealt with in the Contract Documents. These issues are discussed in Chapter 11.
0292
Table 4.1 describes the relative differences between Otta Seals and
conventional Chip Seals and indicates the qualitative differences between
the two types of surfacing.
P arameter
Otta S eal
C onventional C hip S eal
Aggregate quality
R elaxed requirements for:

- s trength
- grading
- particle s hape
- binder adhes ion
- dus t content
Maximis es us e of locally available natural
gravel or of the crus hed product.
S tringent requirements for:

- s trength
- grading
- particle s hape
- binder adhesion
- dus t content
Maximis ed us e of the crus hed product is
difficult, us e of natural gravel is in practice
inappropriate
R elatively hard binders are required for
neces sary s tone retention: (80/100 pen.
grade under hot conditions ).
Binder
R elatively s oft binders (low vis cos ity) are

required: 150/200 penetration grade or
MC 3000 or MC 800 cutback bitumen.
E mpirical approach to des ign. R elied earlier
to a large extent on experience and site
trials .
E mpirically bas ed rational des ign methods .
Design
Construction
technique
R elatively little sensitivity to s tandards of

workmanship. Labour intens ive methods
eas y to apply if des ired.
S ens itive to s tandards of workmans hip.

Labour intensive methods difficult to apply.
Constrution costs
In mos t instances cos ts are lower than C hip

S eals, up to 40% depending on the
availability of aggregate.
C os t competitive only where good quarries

are located nearby; the bitumen price is
high and the traffic volumes are high
(> 500 vpd).
Contractual matters
Additional contractual is sues need to be

res olved.
C ontractual iss ues well-known
Aesthetics
An appealing, uniform appearance can be

difficult to achieve. However, s uch an
achievement is not neces s arily an indicator
of a good res ult for Otta S eals .
R anges between a very appealing and a

poor appearance depending on quality of
cons truction workmans hip.
Skid resistance in wet

weather
P oorer than a C hip S eal that is well des igned

and cons tructed using large chipping.
However better than S lurry S eals and
As phalt C oncrete.
R anges between the extremes of excellent

and very poor depending on quality of
cons truction workmans hip.
Use on fresh
bituminous base layers
Not s uitable due to the need for high bitumen

contents required for quick ris e of the binder
through the aggregate inters tices .
S uitable, but requires careful design and

cons truction if exces s ive bleeding is to be
avoided.
Periodic maintenance
between reseals
G enerally little need for periodic

maintenance between res eals.
R ejuvenation with emuls ion fog spray

between reseals is normally required for
maintaining s tone retention.
Durability of the seal
T he us e of relatively soft binders and a

dense matrix enhances durability of seal.
T he us e of relatively hard binders reduces

the durability of the s eal.
Typical service life
T ypical s ervice life:

- Double Otta S eal: 12 - 15 years
- S ingle Otta S eal with a s and cover s eal:
- 9 - 11 years
T ypical s ervice life :

- Double C hip S eal: 8 - 10 years
- S ingle C hip S eal: 5 - 6 years
Adequately workmans hip is es sential
Table 4.1 Relative differences between Otta Seals and conventional Chip Seals.
0293
15
AGGREGATES
The general approach is to select the appropriate
binder viscosity type and binder application rates to
suit the available aggregate. Although the aggregate
strength requirements are relaxed, it is always good
practice to select the best quality of materials that
are economically available in the project area.
Experience has shown that the best performance
of an Otta Seal may be obtained when 30% of the
aggregate is crushed. However, this should not be
considered as a rule of thumb.
5.1 Key properties

A large variety of material sources can be used for the production of graded
aggregate for use in Otta Seals. The following typical materials have been
used as aggregate for Otta Seals with excellent performance:
l screened natural gravel from weathered granitic rocks;

l crushed and screened gravel from sandstone and lake deposits;
l screened river/lake gravel and sand;
l crushed, screened rock from a variety of rock types such as igneous
rocks and pedogenic deposits of calcrete, silcrete and ferricrete.
l moraine, screened only and/or crushed;

l laterite and decomposed granite, screened to remove oversize;
l coral stone
As dug material which in many cases only
requires screening of oversize materials, can
successfully be used in Otta Seals. (Kenya).
Aggregate strength
Aggregates of relatively lower strength may be used for Otta Seals, compared
to those typically specified for conventional Chip Seals (See Table 5.2).
Grading
Labour based methods can effectively be used in

producing aggregate for use in Otta Seals.
(Bangladesh).
The aggregate grading for Otta Seals is relatively relaxed and allows for a
rather wide grading envelope. However, the grading curve of the aggregate
should fall within the designated area and should be as smooth and parallel
to the envelopes as possible. Table 5.1 gives the general grading requirements
for Otta Seals.
5.2
Screened and crushed aggregates
As-dug gravel should be screened to remove oversize particles and excessive

fines. A low moisture content in the material is desirable to avoid clogging
of the finer mesh of the sieve. If moist material cannot be avoided, it may be
necessary to increase the mesh size of the sieve. The presence of fines in the
screened material is acceptable provided appropriate compensation is made
for the binder viscosity, binder application rate and construction methodology.
Sophisticated and expensive crushing plant is
normally required to produce aggregate for Chip
Seals. (Norway).
Crushed gravel
The wide grading envelope requirement of Otta Seals allows a relatively
higher proportion of the crushed product to be used compared to Chip Seals.
Crushing allows a better utilisation of the gravel sources and generally
improves the quality of the aggregate. The bulk of the crushed gravel product
is normally utilised in Otta Seals resulting in little or no wastage. However,
high establishment costs may prohibit crushing of gravel on smaller projects.
Crushed rock
The aggregate used in an Otta Seal make allowances
for a wide range of particle sizes, from 16 mm and
down.
16
Crushed rock is usually the most widely used type of aggregate for any
surfacing in the country, including Otta Seals. A general rule of thumb is
that any crushed material acceptable in the base course layer can be used to
produce aggregate for an Otta Seal surfacing.
0294
5.3
Aggregate for sand cover seals
A sand cover seal is normally recommended to apply over a single Otta Seal
instead of using a double Otta Seal for low volume roads (< 500 AADT).
The aggregate for the sand cover seal will normally consist of crusher dust
or screened river sand or alternatively, fine pit sand can be used if no better
material is available within an economical haulage distance.
5.4
Aggregate requirements
General
Where fine pit sand is used for the sand cover

seal, this often results in a fatty appearance
during the early life of the surfacing. However, the
appearance improves with time and traffic to a
good, coarse textured surface. The fine sand
cover seal continues to protect and enhance
retention of the aggregates in the underlying Single
Otta Seal throughout its service life. Sand cover
seals made of crusher dust or river sand are
considerably more durable than the fine pit sand
seal and provide an excellent finish.
The preferred aggregate grading will, to some extent, depend on the traffic
volume at the time of construction, as well as during the two months
immediately following the sealing operation, as this contributes significantly
in forming the Otta Seal.
Maximum particle size

The preferred maximum particle size is 16 mm, but 19 mm can be accepted
in the first seal where a double seal is to be constructed.
Fines content
The use of aggregate with a maximum size larger

than 16 mm should preferably be avoided where possible as this may lead to loss of stones during service.
This is specifically relevant when a Single Otta Seal
is considered with only a sand cover seal on top.
The amount of fines (<0.075 mm) should preferably not exceed 10%. A
higher fines content may result in construction problems, as the binder tends
to coat the finer particles before the larger ones, and may lead to a less
durable surfacing with inferior surfacing characteristics. However, aggregate
with fines contents up to 15% have performed well on some projects, and
no surfacing defects have yet been recorded due to excessive fines contents
on any of these projects.
General grading envelopes and aggregate strength

Table 5.1 shows the general material requirements for an Otta Seal and
Figure 5.1 the general grading envelope. The aggregate strength requirements
are shown in Table 5.2
Material
properties
Requirements
The fines content should ideally not exceed 10%.

However, aggregate with fines content up to 15%
has performed well in Otta Seals. (Botswana).
Soft binders (e.g. MC800) are preferable where
the fines content is relatively high.
AASHTO or
BS Test
Designation
Plasticity Index
max 10
T 90-61
Flakiness Index
max 30 (applies only for crushed

material)
BS 812
Sieve sizes
[mm]
Overall grading requirements

[% passing]
19
16
13,2
9,5
6,7
4,75
2,00
1,18
0,425
0,075
100
80 - 100
52 - 100
36 - 98
20 - 80
10 - 70
0 - 48
0 - 38
0 - 25
0 - 10
T 146-49
Table 5.1 Material requirements for Otta Seals.

0295
17
Percent passing
100
100
90
90
80
80
70
70
60
60
50
50
40
40
30
30
20
20
10
10
0
0,075
0,425
1,18
Sieve (mm)
2,0
4,75
6,7
9,5 13,2 16 19
Figure 5.1 General garding envelope for Otta Seal aggregates

The required aggregate strength for Otta Seals is
lower than that of a Chip Seal. Lower strengths can
be tolerated because the graded particle matrix
results in less internal pressure caused by stone to
stone contact. The soft binders used in Otta Seals
are, in addition, able to surround, coat and hold in
place any particle that may break during rolling.
Aggregate strength
requirements
Vehicles per
day at the time
of construction
< 100
Min. Dry 10% FACT

Min. Wet/Dry strength ratio
90 k N
0. 60
BS Test
Designation
>100
110 k N
0. 75
BS 812
Table 5.2 Aggregate strength requirements for Otta Seals.
Flakiness
No requirement for flakiness is specified for natural gravel or a mixture of
crushed and natural gravel in Otta Seals. For crushed rock, it is preferable
that the weighted Flakiness Index does not exceed 30. The weighted Flakiness
Index is determined on the following fractions:
9,5 - 13,2 mm,
6,7 - 9,5 mm
and
4,75 - 6,7 mm
Sand cover seals

Material for a sand cover seal used in Otta Seals can be crusher dust, river
sand or fine pit sand or a combination of these materials. The material should
be free from organic matter and lumps of clay and should be non-plastic. All
material should preferably pass the 6,7 mm sieve.
18
0296
BINDERS
6.1 Desirable characteristics
The correct choice of binder for Otta Seals is critical for its performance and
a good result requires that both the binder type and application rate are
tailored to the aggregate properties. Binders used for Otta Seals should:
1.
be soft enough to initially coat the fines in the aggregate;
2.
be soft enough to rapidly move up through the matrix of aggregate

voids by the action of rolling and traffic;
3.
remain soft long enough to continue moving up through the matrix of

aggregate voids over a period of 4 to 8 weeks;
4.
be able to be applied in a large enough quantity in one spray operation.
In addition to the above, the following binder properties are desirable in any
bituminous seal. The binder must:
l be viscous enough to provide sufficient stability after the initial curing

of the seal;
l be durable enough to give the expected service life;

l be able to be used with available equipment and skills;
l be environmentally friendly to the greater possible extent;
The selection of the binder type will depend on the

aggregate properties, as well as the prevailing
temperature conditions, rolling capacity and traffic
volumes.
The graded aggregate used in Otta Seals

possesses inherent stability making it easy to
achieve the necessary stability of the seal without
having to resort to the use of hard binders.
Type of binders of paramount

importance.
Correct viscosity range:
Normally MC 3000 or MC 800
but also pen. bitumen grade 150/200
80/100 pen. bitumen grade

shall NEVER be used.
l be economical in use.
6.2 Types
A general description of selected binder types and their potential use in Otta
Seals is given below.
Penetration grade bitumen

80/100 or 150/200 penetration grade bitumen is normally used with
conventional Chip Seals does not meet the requirements for Otta Seals and
should NEVER be used for such surfacings. The hardest type of bitumen
that can be used for Otta Seals is the 150/200 penetration grade which can
be used under hot climate conditions (similar to summer periods on the
African continent).
Cutback bitumen
Cutback bitumen in the MC 3000 and MC 800 viscosity range are the most
commen binder used in the Otta Seals. MC 800 more often in northern Europe.
Bitumen emulsion
Emulsions have never been used for Otta Seals on the African continent,
although it has been used in the Scandinavian countries with limited success.
Emulsions are generally difficult to apply in a large enough quantity without
run-off along the roads cross fall or gradient, and do not remain soft for
long enough unless produced especially for this purpose. Specially made
emulsions from suppliers are, however, unlikely to be economical. Moreover, production of any type of emulsion on site is a specialised operation
that entails quality control problems, hence this process is not recommended.
0297
19
Tar
Tar has not been used in Otta Seals because it tends to harden much more
rapidly than bitumen, thus compromising the service life of the seal.
Furthermore, tars have serious environmental disadvantages and their use
in road surfacings is not recommended.
Modified bitumen
Recent reports from South Africa (Louw &
Jacobs, 1999) suggest that a semi-priming
modified binder (SPMB) may be suitable for use
with Otta Seals and could offer some advantages
over conventional binders.
Binders modified with rubber, SBS, SBR, PVA or other constituents have
not been tried in Otta Seals. Any modified binders that are known on the
market have too high a viscosity for use in Otta Seals and are therefore
generally not suitable. In theory, however, there is no reason why a modified
binder cannot be specially tailored to provide the properties that Otta Seals
require, but such applications can only be recommended for trials.
6.3 Properties
Applicable binders for Otta Seals
The range of acceptable binder viscosities for Otta Seals is provided by the
following standard types:
l MC 800 cut back bitumen
(softest)
l MC 3000 cut back bitumen
(medium)
l 150/200 penetration grade bitumen
(hardest)
These binders are very often available and are supplied directly from the
refineries. The process of manufacture at the refineries varies. The 150/200
is often a softened (fluxed) 80/100 straight run bitumen. The cutbacks are
frequently produced from a blown stock harder than 80/100 which has been
cut back with a type of kerosene known locally as power paraffin to give the
required viscosity.
Durability of cutback bitumen

The long-term durability of manufactured cut back bitumen (MC 3000 and
MC 800) that is available locally is not always acceptable. This is due to the
production process which entails blending from a hard base bitumen.
Improved durability is achieved by producing cut back bitumen on site from
a softer base bitumen such as 150/200 or 80/100 penetration grades, rather
than using cutbacks supplied directly from the manufacturers.
6.4 Blending on site

General
Blending of bitumen on site may be desirable for one or more of the following
reasons:
l to obtain the required viscosity of cutback bitumen (by cutting back

with an appropriate cutter);
l to enable use of a preferred type of base bitumen;

Cutting back to improve the viscosity and binder
properties is possible, even under primitive
conditions. (Bangladesh).
20
l to permanently soften a penetration grade bitumen that is too hard (by

fluxing);
0298
l to improve the durability of a bitumen (by fluxing);

l to simplify handling and storage where a number of binder types are
required on the same site (by cutting back or fluxing).
Cutters
Cutting back is the addition of volatile oils to produce a temporary reduction
of the binders viscosity. The volatility of the cutter used will influence the
type of cut back bitumen that will be produced in terms of whether it is
rapid, medium or slow curing.
Table 6.1 shows the cutters that produce the respective types of cutback
bitumen.
Grade of the
produced
cutback
Cutter
RC
(Rapid Curing)
Petrol
MC
(Medium Curing)
Kerosene (Power paraffin

Illuminating paraffin, JetA1
aviation turbine fuel)
SC
(Slow Curing)
Diesel or heavy fuel oils
Notes
The viscosity of the medium curing (MC) cutback

bitumen (e.g. MC 3000, MC 800, MC 70, MC 30)
is determined by the amount of cutter used, not
the type of cutter.
The type of cutter used determines the length of
time (Rapid, Medium or Slow) required for evaporation of the volatiles to take place, producing
RC, MC or SC grades.
Under normal circumstances MC cutters will
evaporate from the seal within 8 - 12 weeks.
Hazardous, should not

be used
Suitable for Otta Seals
Curing process too

slow for Otta Seals
Diesel as a cutter will produce a slow curing (SC)

cutback bitumen that remains soft over a long period.
Evaporation may take in excess of six months to
occur and will cause unnecessarily prolonged bleeding and, at worst, instability of the seal.
Table 6.1 Cutters.
An Otta Seal will in most cases require a cutter that produces a medium
curing (MC) cutback bitumen. Power paraffin is normally preferred among
the cutting oils producing a MC cutback bitumen. Illuminating paraffin and
JET A1 may also be used depending on the prevailing price.
Flux oil
Fluxing is the addition of heavy oil that affects the long-term viscosity and
durability of the binder. Fluxing slows down the hardening process of the
bitumen and, within certain limits will produce a more durable seal. Engine
oil, unused or used, is suitable for this purpose. Fluxing should be carried
out in moderation, as there is a risk of disintegration of the seal if the binder
is excessively fluxed.
Blending proportions
The cutter proportions presented in Table 6.2 are indicative for blending
with the penetration grades 80/100 or 150/200 respectively.
Safety precautions
Blending of cutback bitumen on site may be hazardous. Correct procedures
should be followed during blending and appropriate safety precautions
against fire and hot bituminous spray should be taken to safeguard personnel
involved in the operations. Precautions are also necessary to ensure that the
public is kept at a safe distance from the blending site.
0299
21
Required
product
Cutter (power paraffin) in percent of total

mixture
80/100 base
bitumen
150/200 base
bitumen
150/200
3-5% (flux oil is used

instead of cutter)
MC 3000
8 - 10 % *)
5-8%
MC 800
18 - 20 % *)
15 - 18 %
*) The durability of the binder can be improved by replacing 3% - points of the cutter with
flux oil where the 80/100 penetration grade is used as base bitumen.
Table 6.2 Typical blending proportions to produce medium curing cutback

bitumen.
The following safety precautions should be adhered to:
l The blending site shall be located at a minimum distance of 100 metres

from installations, homes or places that people occupy
l No open fire or smoking shall be allowed during the blending operation

within a radius of 100 metres. This includes heaters in bitumen tanks;
l The blending site should be at least 100 metres away from cutter and
fuel storage tanks.
Correct procedures must always be followed when
cutting back on site as such operations may be
hazardous. Otherwise, fire may be the result.
(Bangladesh).
It is emphasised that the blending process shall be kept fully under the
responsibility of qualified personnel.
Blending operations
Cutter or flux oil should not be mixed with bitumen having a higher
temperature than 140oC. This is due to the hazards of flammable gas emission
from the tank. The correct procedure is to pre-heat the bitumen to 140oC
and either pump the cold cutter or flux oil into the bottom of the tank through
the designed hose and valve, or to pump the hot bitumen over in a new, cold
tank already containing the cutter or flux oil. The following precautions
should be strictly adhered to as the blending operation is a hazardous one
and causes considerable risk of explosion and fire.
The manhole should NEVER be used for adding cutter or flux oil to hot
bitumen;
l Cutter or flux oil should NEVER be pumped into an empty tank that is
still hot after having contained bitumen;
Flux oil is less flammable than cutters,
nonetheless, for safety reasons on site, it is good
practice to always handle both flux oils and
cutters with similar precautions.
l The bitumen level in the tank should NEVER be allowed to fall below
Some re-heating may be necessary to reach spraying

temperature after blending of the bitumen. However,
if prime is the desired product then re-heating is normally not necessary.
After combining bitumen with cutter or flux oil the mixture shall immediately
be circulated for 1 hour in order to ensure a homogenous product.
22
that specified by the manufacturer while the heaters are in operation.

This is normally a minimum of 150 mm above the highest point of the
heater pipes.
0300
6.5 Temperatures for storage and

spraying
Recommended temperatures for storage and spraying of binders are shown
in Table 6.3.
Bitumen
product
150/200
MC 3000
MC 800
Storage temp. oC
< 24 hours
165
155
120
> 24 hours
Spraying
temp. oC
115
100
75
165 - 180
135 - 155
110 - 135
Cutback bitumen should not be held at spraying

temperature for periods exceeding 12 hours. This
will cause loss of light oil fractions and an
undesirable change in binder properties.
Table 6.3 Recommended storage and spraying temperatures.
6.6 Anti-stripping agent

General
The adhesion between bitumen and aggregate depends on close contact
between the two materials. Stripping is the breaking of the adhesive bond
between the aggregate surface and the bitumen, normally by water displacing
the bitumen because water has greater surface tension than bitumen. By
adding a comparatively small quantity of anti-stripping agent to the bitumen, the surface tension of the water is reduced and the bitumen is able to
wet aggregate surfaces. In general, adhesion agents are intended to:
Anti-stripping agents are expensive products and

should only be used when absolutely necessary.
Anti-stripping agents are sold under a variety of
brand names.
l promote adhesion of binder to wet aggregate;

l prevent loss of adhesion under influence of immediate rain after
construction;
l provide satisfactory adhesion during construction.

The use of anti-stripping agent is always recommended when using natural
gravel with a high fines content. However, good performance has been
reported without the use of additives. When crushed material is used,
appropriate laboratory testing should be carried out to identify the need for
anti-stripping agent.
Handling and dosage of anti-stripping agents

Anti-stripping agents are usually corrosive and require the use of protective
gloves and eye goggles during handling. Liquid agents can easily cause
splashing and require special care. Some solid agents may appear in a
liquid form, depending on ambient temperature, and should be treated with
equal caution.
Normal dosage of anti-stripping agent is 0,5% to 0,8% by weight of bitumen. Appendix A gives the Mass/Volume conversion tables.
The most common method of achieving the admixture is to pour the
calculated amount of additive into the bitumen distributor immediately before
the spraying operation is to start and to allow 30 minutes of circulation to
ensure a homogenous mix.
A wire basket suspended inside the bitumen

distributor will ease the dissolving problem if a solid
anti-stripping agent is used.
Anti-stripping agents that have been kept hot in the bitumen distributor for
more than five hours should be considered stale. An additional dosage would
then be required, amounting to half of the originally specified percentage.
There are a variety of anti-stripping agents on the

market, of which some are less adversely affected
by high temperatures than others
. Guide to the Use of Otta Seals

A
0301
23
6.7 Prime
General
I wonder if this
priming is necessary,
when they are
putting
down an
Otta Seal ????
Priming of base courses made of non-calcareous material is normally not

required when using Otta Seals. However, when using calcrete of any type
in the base course, priming is warranted due to the high amount of bitumen
absorption.
Types of prime
Cutback bitumen with a viscosity in the range 30 - 140 cSt (MC 30 or MC
70) is normally used for priming. Tar primes have serious environmental
disadvantages and are not recommended for use as primes.
Application rate
A prime is normally applied at an application rate of between 0.8 and 1.2 l/m2.
Calcareous base courses require application rates in the high range and a
lower viscosity of the prime than other types of base course material. High
soluble salts content in the base course require high application rates or the
use of an emulsion tack coat.
Priming can, in some instances, provide practical
benefits for reasons such as wet weather conditions,
problems with traffic control or as a preferred
construction procedure for operational reasons.
However, Otta Seals do not require priming of the
base course to function well.
24
0302
SURFACING SELECTION
CRITERIA
7.1 Factors influencing choice of
surfacing
There are a number of factors that need to be taken into account when
selecting the most appropriate type of bituminous seal. This will always be
the case whether it is new construction, rehabilitation or reseal work. The
initial construction cost for various types of bituminous surfacings depends
on a variety of factors including the cost of prospecting for aggregate and
the construction methodology adopted. In addition to initial construction costs,
maintenance and vehicle operating costs should be considered as well (e.g.
life-cycle cost) as a basis for selecting the most cost-effective surfacing
type.
7.2 Life expectancy

Different types of surfacings will provide different service lives for given
site conditions. Table 7.1 shows the life expectancy for the various types of
Otta Seal and a Double Chip Seal. These have been derived from experience
gained in Norway, Kenya and Botswana.
Type of Otta Seals
Expected service life

[years]
5-6 *, but may variy
depending on type of
surfacing and quality of
workman-ship
Single Otta Seal
No cover seal
Single Otta Seal with a

sand cover seal
Fine sand in the sand

cover seal
9 - 11
Crusher dust or river

sand in the sand cover
seal
10 - 12
Double Otta Seal
12 - 15
Double Chip Seal
6 - 10
Frequency of rejuvenation (fog spray)
2-3
A single Otta Seal with a sand cover seal. After

more than 9 years in service and without any surfacing maintenance the surfacing performs
excellently. (Botswana).
Otta Seals have proved to be more durable than
other conventional surface treatments in appropriate
circumstances.
* As experienced in Norway
Table 7.1 Life Expectancy for various types of Otta Seals and a Double Chip
Seal.
0303
25
7.3 Economic assessment of Otta

Seals versus Chip Seals
An economic assessment of the alternative surfacing seals should always be
carried out in order to select the most cost-effective solution.
As different seals vary in construction cost, and give varying maintenancefree lives, an economical comparison between a Double Chip Seal and the
various type of Otta Seals should not only consider the initial construction
costs, but also include the cost of required future maintenance such as
rejuvenation (fog spray) reseals and road markings over an appropriate
analysis period.
This Guideline does not describe in detail the
procedures required to calculate total life-cycle costs,
but such calculation models are readily available in
handbooks for pavement management and
rehabilitation.
In order to obtain life-cycle costs for alternative surfacing types the following
are required for the calculations:
l Initial construction cost;

l Fog sprays (number required and cost);
l Reseals (number required and cost);
l New road markings after each intervention (number required and cost);
l Discount and inflation rates.
The relative construction cost of a Double Otta Seal with a cover sand seal
compared with a Double Chip Seal (cost factor 1.0) may in general be
described as presented in Table 7.2. However, this relative construction cost
comparison may differ considerably from country to country, as well as
between projects. The figures in Table 7.2 is based on data from Botswana.
High traffic
Low traffic
AADT > 500
AADT < 500
Long haulage of acceptable

chipping (> 100 km)
0, 8
0,7
Quarry sites for chipping are close

to project ( < 25 km)
1,1
1,0
Project Features
Note: The cost of a Chip Seal = 1,0
Table 7.2 Relative construction costs of a Double Otta Seal and a Double
Chip Seal .
All types of surfacing seals will normally lend themselves to simple, although
different maintenance techniques such as fog spraying, resealing or slurry
sealing. Fog sprays with diluted emulsion have been found to be cost-effective
for Chip Seals where the seal is beginning to ravel. If this is done before the
seal starts to disintegrate, the service life of the seal can be prolonged.
The life-cycle maintenance strategy for Otta Seals and Chip Seals have been
compared and may in general be described as is in Table 7.3. Again, this
may differ considerably between the different countries. The figures in Table
7.3 is based on maintenance intervention adopted in Southern Africa.
26
0304
Life expectancy,
activities and
construction costs
Life expectancy
(years)
Maintenance activities
(years)
Initial relative cost of

construction
Otta Seals
Single + sand
cover
Double
Double
Chip Seal
11
15
None
None
Fog sprays after 3 and

10 years. Reseal after
8 years. Road marking
after each intervention (4
times).
1.0
1.2
1.2
Chipping size used for 11 and 15 years analysis period 13.2 mm + 6.7 mm and 19.0 mm +
13.2 mm respectively.
To simplify the life-cycle cost analysis it has been assumed that no other type of
maintenance will take place during the analysis period and that vehicle operation
costs are the same for both Otta Seals and Double Chip Seal.
Table 7.3 Maintenance intervention for lifetime cost comparison of different

type of seals.
A life cycle cost analysis over a 20 years period from Botswana (August
1999) based on maintenance interventions as seen in Table 7.3 using
discounted cash flow techniques, and employing the Present Worth Method
of economic analysis. This method involves the conversion of all costs
incurred in the construction and subsequent maintenance of the seal, including
the provision of road marking to common 1999 base year of Net Present
Value (NPV) costs. It is assumed vehicle operation costs are similar for
both seals.
This calculation gave a life cycle cost of the conventional Double Chip Seal
that was approximately 80% higher than for the Single Otta Seal plus a sand
cover seal. As is apparent, the cost advantage of the latter over the former
is derived mainly as result of lower initial costs, longer seal life and less
maintenance interventions. The differences would be even greater if any
haulage of aggregate is involved or if screened natural gravel within the
project area were used for the Otta Seal rather than crushed aggregate.
0305
27
DESIGN
8.1 Factors influencing the design
The design of Otta Seals is based on empirical methods, rather than the
more rational methods used for Chip Seals.
The principles governing the design of Otta Seals are based closely on the
inter-relationship between the aggregate used and the binder viscosity and
spray rates adopted, which means that the binders used will always be tailored
to the type of aggregate produced.
Otta Seals may be constructed as a single or double layer, with or without a
sand cover seal, and the choice of a particular type of Otta Seal is normally
based on the following considerations:
Otta Seals allow for the use of a variety of

aggregate gradings. The binder viscosity and
spray rate are selected to suit the aggregate
grading, traffic conditions and temperature at the
time of construction. Decisions taken at that time of
construction largely determine the performance of
the Otta Seal during its service-life.
properties of available aggregate
traffic volume
construction cost
required service life
In the design of Otta Seals, the type of bitumen and the bitumen spray rates
are initially established based on typical values of the main parameters
determining the design. Variations in the site conditions or aggregate grading at the time of construction may require adjustments of spray rates on
site. Changes in binder viscosity may also be necessary where the variations
in site conditions or materials are significant.
The procedures to be followed in the design of Otta Seals are shown as a
flow chart in Figure 8.1
8.2 Selection of Otta Seal type

Double Otta Seal
The Double Otta Seal is the most durable, but also the most expensive and
is recommended for main roads carrying high volumes of traffic. Double
Otta Seals with a cover sand seal are seldom specified due to their high
costs and marginal benefits.
Single Otta Seal with sand cover seal

The combination of a Single Otta Seal followed by a sand cover seal is a
cheaper option than a Double Otta Seal. The service-life will however, be
shorter, but the former provides a very cost- effective solution for roads with
AADT generally less than 500. The benefits of using a sand cover seal are
the following:
l improved stone retention in the underlying seal;

l enhanced durability due to increased binder thickness and the forming
of a dense surface texture;
l protection of the aggregate in the underlying seal in the case of marginal

quality of materials;
l reduced risk of damage in the case of imperfections in the underlying

seal.
28
0306
General grading envelope for

Otta Seal
aggregate
Produced
aggregate within
general envelope
NO
Adjust aggregate
production
AADT
> 1000
"Open"
grading
"Medium"
grading
"Dense"
grading
Grading to
be altered
AADT < 100
Any AADT
Any AADT
Choose binder types

and spray rates
according to Table 8.3
Choose binder types

and spray rates
Choose binder types

and spray rates
Figure 8.1 Flow chart for the design procedures of Otta Seals.
Single Otta Seals

Single Otta Seals are not commonly used on the African continent. However,
in north Europe and in Bangladesh single Otta Seal is used.
Table 8.1 shows recommended Otta Seal types in relation to traffic level
and the type of sealing work to be carried out. However, the given
recommendations are flexible and will be project dependent.
Traffic levels and type of work
Temporary seal (diversions, haul roads,
temporary accesses, etc.).
Maintenance resealing (all traffic classes to
which sprayed surfacings are applicable.
Type Otta Seal

Single Otta Seal
Single Otta Seal
AADT less than 500
Single Otta Seal + sand

cover seal
AADT more than 500
Double Otta Seal
Table 8.1 Recommended type of Otta Seal in relation to traffic levels.
8.3 Preferred aggregate grading

The design of Otta Seals allows for a variety of aggregate gradings to be
used as long as the grading curve falls within the designated area of the
general grading envelope (ref. Figure 5.1) and runs as smoothly and parallel
to the envelope as possible.
As guidance for the designer of Otta Seals, three grading envelopes, depending
on traffic, have been produced to allow for a more rational design. However,
For the coarser aggregate type used in the Otta

Seal it may be beneficial to water the aggregate
stockpile 3-4 days before use.
The aggregate application rates for an Otta Seal will
appear excessive in comparison with that for a
conventional Chip Seal
0307
29
General aggregate grading requirements

100
90
90
80
80
70
70
60
60
50
50
40
40
30
30
20
20
Percent passing
100
10
0,425
1,18
Sieve (mm)
2,0
4,75
6,7
9,5 13,2 16 19
Open grading
100
90
90
80
80
70
70
60
60
50
50
40
40
30
30
20
20
Percent passing
100
10
1,18
Sieve (mm)
2,0
4,75
6,7
9,5 13,2 16 19
90
80
80
70
70
60
60
50
50
40
40
30
30
20
20
10
10
Percent passing
100
90
0,425
1,18
Sieve (mm)
2,0
4,75
6,7
9,5 13,2 16 19
Dense grading
Percent passing
AADT
Best suited grading

"Open"
Less than 100

100 - 1 000
More than 1000
"Medium"
"Dense"
Table 8.2 Preferred aggregate grading for Otta Seals
The grading envelopes for Open, Medium and Dense grading are
given Table 8.3a, the design procedure for Otta Seals.
Medium grading
100
100
90
90
80
80
70
70
60
60
50
50
40
40
30
30
20
20
10
0
0,075
Table 8.2 indicates the preferred aggregate grading for design purposes
according to traffic volume.
10
0,425
100
0
0,075
The only limitation regarding the aggregate grading used in an Otta Seal is
with regard to the Open grading which should not be used for traffic
volumes above AADT 1000.
10
0
0,075
0
0,075
the designer should always bear in mind that generally all types of aggregate
which fall within the general specified envelope can be used, provided the
binder viscosity and spray rates are tailored accordingly.
10
0,425
1,18
Sieve (mm)
2,0
4,75
6,7
9,5 13,2 16 19
8.4 Type of binder

Table 8.3 shows the recommended type of binder for Otta Seals made with
the three respective aggregate gradings under typical site conditions on the
African continent, as described in the table. Under normal Scandinavian
site conditions 150/200 penetration grade bitumen is not used for Otta Seals.
Where weak natural gravel containing a fairly high proportion of fines is
used the correct binder type will be MC 3000 or even
MC 800 viscosity range, depending on weather conditions.
It should be noted that in Table 8.3a MC 3000 viscosity grade bitumen is
recommended for use with Medium grading aggregates under cold
conditions (temperatures below 150C).
8.5 Binder spray rates

The required binder spray rates for Otta Seals varies according to the
following parameters:
l traffic (AADT)
l aggregate grading (open / medium / dense)

l the absorbency of the aggregate particles
l whether the base course is primed or not
Hot spray rates lower than 1,5 l/m2 should not be allowed.
For aggregates with a water absorbency of more than 2%, the hot spray rate
should be increased by 0,3 l/m2.
The binder application rates are relatively higher

for Otta Seals than for conventional Chip Seals.
The hot spray rates of binder normally fall within
the range of 1,6 - 2,0 l/m2. ( Kenya).
30
In the case where the base has been primed the hot spray rate should be
decreased by 0,2 l/m2 for the first layer.
Table 8.3b gives the nominal hot spray rates for Otta Seals.
0308
1. ALTERNATIVE GRADING ENVELOPES

Sieve sizes
(mm)
19
16
13,2
9,5
6,7
4,75
2,00
1,18
0,425
0 ,075
Open grading
(% passing)
Medium grading
(% passing)
Dense grading
(% passing)
100
80 100
52 82
36 58
20 40
10 30
08
05
02
01
100
84 100
68 94
44 73
29 54
19 42
3 18
1 14
06
02
100
93 100
84 100
70 98
54 80
44 70
20 48
15 38
7 25
3 10
AASHTO or
BS Test
designation
T 146-49
BS 1377
Any material falling within the Open, Medium and Dense grading envelopes may be used as aggregate in an Otta Seal.
However, for a traffic level AADT > 1000 vpd. at the time of construction material within the Open grading envelope shall
NOT be used.
2. CHOICE OF BITUMEN IN RELATION TO TRAFFIC AND GRADING

AADT at the
time of
construction
More than 1000
Type of bitumen
Open grading
Not applicable
Medium grading
150/200 pen. grade
100 - 1000
150/200 pen. grade
150/200 pen. grade in

cold weather
Less than 100
150/200 pen. grade
MC 3000
Dense grading
MC 3000
MC 800 in cold
weather
MC 3000
MC 800 in cold
weather
MC 800
80/100 pen. grade bitumen shall NEVER be used in Otta Seals unless softened or cut back to meet the above
viscosity requirements.
The cut back bitumen grades can be made by blending 80/100 pen. grade on site using the following
proportions:
To make 150/200 pen. grade:
3 - 5% softener mixed with 95 - 97 % 80/100 pen. grade.
Softener can be a purpose-made petroleum distillate,
alternatively engine oil, old or new. In addition 3% points of power paraffin
shall be used.
The cut back bitumen grades can be made by blending 150 /200 pen. grade on site using the following
proportions:
To make MC 3000:
5 - 8% power paraffin mixed with 92 - 95% 150/200 pen. grade.
To make MC 800:
15 - 18 power paraffin mixed with 82 - 85% 150/200 pen. grade.
Circulation in the tank shall be carried out for at least 1 hour after mixing.
Table 8.3 a Design procedures for Otta Seals.
0309
31
3. BITUMEN SPRAY RATES

Hot bitumen spray rates for un-primed base course (l/m2)
Open
Grading
Type of
Otta Seal
Double
Single, with
a sand cover
seal
Dense
Medium
AADT
<100
AADT
>100
1 st layer
1,6
1,7
1,8
1,7
2 nd layer (*)
1,5
1,6
2,0
1,9
Fine sand
0,7
0,7
0,6
Crusher dust or
coarse river sand
0,9
0,8
0,7
1,6
1,7
2,0
1,9
Single (*)
1 st layer (*)
1,7
1,8
2,0
1,9
Maintenance reseal (single)
1,5
1,6
1,8
1,7
(*) On a primed base course the spray rate shall be reduced by 0,2 l/m2 in the first layer.
Notes:
Where the aggregate has a water absorbency of more than 2%, the bitumen spray rate shall be
increased by 0,3 l/m2.
Binder for sand cover seal shall be MC 3000 for crusher dust or coarse river sand, MC 800 for fine
sand
4. AGGREGATE APPLICATION RATES

Aggregate spread rates (m3 /m2)
Type of seal
Open grading
Otta Seals
0,013 0,016
Sand cover seals
Medium grading
Dense grading
0,013 0,016
0,016 0,020
0,010 0,012
In practice, the aggregate application rates will very often be increased in order to reduce the risk of bleeding.
Table 8.3 b Design procedures for Otta Seals.
8.6 Aggregate application rates
A too excessive aggregate application. (Botswana).
It is important to apply sufficient amounts of aggregate to ensure that there

is some surplus material during rolling and through the initial curing period
of the seal. This aggregate embedment will normally take about 2-3 weeks
to be achieved where crushed aggregate is used, after which any excess
aggregate can be swept off. Where natural gravel is used the initial curing
period will be considerably longer.
The aggregate application rates should fall within the ranges given in table 8.3b
Table 8.3b gives the criteria for selection of bitumen type and spray rates for
the design of Otta Seals. No correction of bitumen spray rates should be
made in the design to compensate for the solvent used in the cutback bitumen
Correct aggregate appliction rate. (Botswana).
32
In contrast to the procedures adopted for the design of Chip Seals on

shoulders, no special design procedure is required for Otta Seals on shoulders.
0310
CONSTRUCTION
9.1 General
The construction of Otta Seals is generally similar to the conventional Chip
Seal. The binder is sprayed onto the surface followed by the spreading and
rolling of the aggregate. However, the use of prime is not essential for Otta
Seals.
9.2 Preparation of base course

General
A good bond between the base course and the surfacing is as important for
Otta Seals as for any bituminous seal.
Like all other surface treatments, an Otta Seal will

not contribute directly to the structural strength of the
pavement. The pavement must therefore be properly
designed and constructed to withstand the expected
traffic loading throughout its design life.
The preparatory work for construction of the first

Otta Seal layer when prime is not used is similar to
the preparatory work before construction of a
prime on a conventional Chip Seal. On a dry or dusty
base course the binder will contract (ball up) and
leave spots un-covered by bitumen thus causing
potholes to develop.
Un-primed base course

The base course should be broomed free of all dust or any other foreign
matter before commencing the surfacing operations. In order to suppress
any dust, and to promote some penetration into the base course, it is necessary
to carry out light watering prior to spraying the binder. After watering, the
base course should be allowed to dry to a dampened state before the binder
is sprayed.
Primed base course

The preparation of a primed surface for construction of Otta Seals is similar
to good practice procedures adopted for placing any bituminous seal.
Preparatory work prior to sealing operation, cleaning loose material from the base. (South Africa).
9.3 Sealing operations

General
In the construction of Otta Seals the following factors should be given
particular attention:
On the day of construction

A rule of a thumb is to assume that a good result would have been achieved
when one can see bitumen being pressed up in-between the aggregate
particles, sparsely distributed in the wheel tracks of the chip spreader or
truck wheels.
Sufficient rolling of the Otta Seal cannot be over-emphasised. A minimum
of two pneumatic tyred rollers at a minimum weight of 12 tonnes or more
are essential at the day of construction, as they have a superior ability to
knead the binder upwards into the aggregate particles, and to apply pressure
over the entire area. A minimum of 15 passes with a pneumatic tyred roller
is required over the entire surface area, shoulders included, on the day of
construction.
After the initial rolling is completed (on the day of construction) it may be
an advantage to apply one pass with a 10-12 tonnes static tandem steel roller to improve the embedment of the larger aggregate. During this process
any weak aggregate will be broken down and will contribute to the production
of a dense matrix texture.
Light watering of the broomed base before spraying

the binder will enhance the bond between the base
and the Otta Seal. (South Africa).
Surplus cover material is always needed in the
con-struction of an Otta Seal, and it is important to
ensure that the aggregate application rate is
sufficient to accommodate this requirement (ref.
Chapter 8.6).
Otta sealing operations. Enough aggregate is

essential in order to allow the binder to work its
way upwards to coat all the particles. (Botswana).
0311
33
Extensive rolling with pneumatic rollers is

essential to achieve a good result. (South Africa).
Rolling after treatment
Minimum requirements
On the day of construction
15 passes with pneumatic roller

(weight > 12 tonnes)
+ 1 pass with a static steel roller
For each of the next two days

after construction
2-3 weeks after construction
15 passes with pneumatic roller

(weight > 12 tonnes)
Sweep off any excess aggregate
Note: During construction a minimum of two pneumatic tyred rollers are required. One
pneumatic tyred roller will either delay the surfacing operations or worse, not be able to roll
the newly laid surfacing sufficient.
Table 9.1
Minimum rolling requirements.
Commercial traffic should be allowed on the surfaced area immediately

following completion of the initial rolling with the pneumatic roller(s). This
will assist further in the kneading of the binder/aggregate admixture.
One pass with a static tandem steel roller will

improve the embedment of the larger aggregate.
A maximum speed limit of 40 - 50 km/hour should be enforced immediately

after construction and sustained for 2 - 3 weeks when any excess aggregate
should be swept off.
9.4 Follow-up inspections

It is essential that follow-up inspections of the Otta Seal surfacing are carried
out to ensure that any defects that may have occurred during the sealing
operation are corrected.
In the absence or in addition to pneumatic rollers,

compaction can be successfully carried out by the
use of loaded trucks following a pre-determined
rolling pattern covering the entire surfaced area.
(Botswana).
An inspection must be made during the first 6 - 7 days following sealing,

particularly if there is a major change in the weather conditions e.g. rainfall
or an extreme change of temperature. A sudden change in traffic loading
may also affect the newly constructed surfacing.
9.5 Immediate post-construction care

To successfully construct an Otta Seal, immediate post-construction care is
important and should not be neglected. This includes additional rolling and
brooming back of the aggregate that has been dislodged by traffic.
The initial two days after construction

Otta Seal surfacing, 2 - 3 days after construction,
and where traffic has been allowed using the surfacing immediately after construction. (Botswana).
During the first two days after sealing, extensive rolling by pneumatic rollers
shall take place in order to ensure that all particles embedded in the binder
are properly coated. A minimum of 15 passes with the pneumatic tyred roller shall be applied daily, covering the entire surfaced area.
Subsequent 2 - 3 weeks after construction

Aggregate that has been dislodged by traffic during the immediate postconstruction period should be broomed back into the wheel tracks as required
during the first 2 - 3 weeks. This ensures that maximum amounts of aggregate
particles are embedded into the soft binder. A newly constructed Otta Seal
may be dusty and could produce "flying stones" for the first few weeks after
construction.
Aggregate that has been dislodged by traffic should
be broomed back into the wheel paths. This to ensure maximum embedment of the aggregate into
the soft binder. (Botswana).
34
2 - 3 weeks after construction, any excess aggregate can be swept off and
the traffic speed limitations can be lifted. If natural gravel with a fairly high
content of fines is used the period should be prolonged.
0312
The period up to 12 weeks after construction

A minimum period of 8 - 12 weeks should elapse between the construction
of the first and the second layers. This is to allow as much traffic as possible
to traverse the surfacing as well as to allow evaporation of the solvent. During this period, the surfacing becomes more settled and in the wheel paths,
where the aggregate has become embedded by traffic, a premix like
appearance should start to appear.
The initial occurrence of bleeding and isolated fatty spots should not be any
cause of concern, and can be blinded off with aggregate and preferably rolled
into the surfacing. Signs of slight bleeding confirm that the aggregate/binder ratio has been optimal.
After a period of 8 - 10 weeks (traffic dependent),

the Otta Seal beds down to produce the appearance
of an asphaltic concrete premix. (Botswana).
If natural gravel having a fairly high fines content is used, the period before
sweeping off the excess gravel should be prolonged as long as possible, and
not less than 6 - 8 weeks.
Bleeding
Some bleeding in localised areas and in the wheel paths is a normal part of
the curing process for Otta Seals. Any available fine aggregate can be used
for blinding off, such as crusher dust, river sand or fine pit sand. Where
bleeding is extensive, a coarse aggregate may be used. It is advisable to
apply rolling when blinding off the surface and to choose the hot time of the
day for this work.
Close-up, after 8 - 10 weeks the aggregate beds

down. (Botswana).
9.6 Traffic management

Traffic control is an important aspect that should not be overlooked as the
early trafficking is a valuable contribution to the curing of the seal, leading
to its enhanced performance.
The traffic management should be carried out in such a manner that the
entire surfaced area, including shoulders, is equally exposed to traffic. This
can be achieved by forcing the traffic into designated artificial lanes marked
by traffic cones or similar.
9.7 Additional considerations for

Double Otta Seal and combination
seals
Some bleeding in localised areas and in the wheel

paths form a normal part of the curing process.
Severe bleeding can be rectified by sand or
additional aggregate rolled into the bleeding
areas. (Botswana).
The surplus aggregate is valuable material that

should be collected and recycled for use in
subsequent sealing operations.
General
Special attention to certain details is required during construction of Double Otta Seal and combination seals using a sand cover seal.
Curing
It is important that the curing of the 1st seal is allowed to continue for a
minimum of 8 - 12 weeks, depending on curing conditions and binder type,
before applying the following seal. This is required to minimise prolonged
fatting up due to cutter oil from the binder.
The Otta Seal should preferably be equally exposed

to traffic over the entire sealed area as this will
enhance an uniform appearance. This can be
achived by the use of traffic cones to direct the
traffic in to areas that need trafficking.(Botswana).
0313
35
Sand cover seal

The most important factors to be observed in constructing a sand cover seal
are to ensure that enough cover aggregate is applied, and that aggregate
dislodged by traffic is broomed back into the exposed areas as required. The
back brooming should be repeated regularly until the sand is fully embedded
in the first layer of the surfacing. This normally takes place after 4 weeks.
9.8 Important construction details

Over application of sand is essential when applying a sand cover seal on top of a single Otta
Seal. (Botswana).
General
In addition to normal good construction practice certain construction details
require particular attention when constructing sprayed bituminous surfacings,
including Otta Seals.
Joints
Extra care is needed at all joints, both horizontal and longitudinal, to ensure
that sufficient bitumen is sprayed and sufficient rolling and trafficking is
applied. It is necessary to ensure that a minimum longitudinal joint overlap
of 150 mm is attained and that additional heavy rolling is applied to even
out the joints and the built up ridge caused by bitumen over-spray.
The sand blown off by traffic should be broomed
back into the exposed areas until full embedment is
achieved. (Botswana).
To avoid longitudinal joints it is preferable to spray the full width of the

road in one pass if at all possible with the available equipment.
If longitudinal joints are necessary, they should be positioned outside the
wheel tracks, i.e. along lane boundaries or the centre line.
Transverse joints should be constructed by normal good sealing techniques
whereby start and finishing sheets are used, and the end of the previous
section is blinded off to make an accurate starting line for the new section.
Any over or under application will cause either a bump, or aggregate stripping respectively. Transverse joints should never be placed on top of each
other. These joints should be staggered by approximately 50 metres.
An Otta Seal will apparently show a significant

difference visually between the shoulders and the
carriageway. The traffic in the carriageway area
works the binder upwards to the surfacing and
hence, making difference in colour. This difference
in colour will improve the traffic safety aspect.
(Botswana).
Intersections with yield sign, roundabouts and steep

gradients
Due to the relatively soft binder and high binder application rate, heavy
trucks may push the seal across the carriageway during the early life of the
seal. This can cause ridges of bitumen to be formed, exposing the base in
the bottom of the ruts.
In steep gradients, similar, as for Chip Seal design, the Otta Seal will need
adjustment in the binder application rates in steep climbing gradients to
prevent excessive bleeding and instability during the early stage of the seal.
The same applies at down hill gradients in combination with sharp curves
where the vehicles tends to break heavily.
After some months the Otta Seal with a sand cover

seal are fully settled and shows excellent
appearance. (Botswana).
36
In areas where this may be a problem, one should reduce the binder content
by 0,3 l/m2 and utilise a coarse aggregate grading. In cases where this is
regarded to be a major problem, the binder should be 150/200 penetration
grade, or if possible a penetration grade slightly harder than 150/200. This
can be achieved by adding 2-3 % kerosene (power paraffin or illuminating
paraffin) to 80/100 penetration grade bitumen.
0314
MAINTENANCE
10.1 General
As a result of the enhanced durability characteristics of Otta Seals,
maintenance intervention is not required to the extent necessary with
conventional seals. Thus, such interventions as fog spraying, which is
required every 3 - 4 years with Chip Seals, are unnecessary with the Otta
Seals. Further, the resealing frequency for the Otta Seal varies between 9 15 years, depending on type of seal, whereof for Chip Seals the frequency is
in the order of 7 years.
The repair and resealing of any localised surface defects are similar for the
Otta Seal as for any other sprayed type of surfacing.
10.2 Use of Otta Seals as reseals

The use of Otta Seals as reseals do not differ from other sprayed types of
bituminous reseals that are commonly used. The preparatory work necessary
for a reseal using a conventional Chip Seal is also required for Otta Seals.
However, in contrast to conventional Chip Seals where aggregate size
requirements are an important factor depending on the existing seal
aggregate, this meshing aggregate requirement does not apply for Otta Seals.
Any aggregate size within the general grading envelope can be used.
The Otta Seals are well suited as a reseal for roads that is extensively cracked
/patched, but which is still fairly structurally sound. This because of the use
of low viscosity binders, high binder content and good interlock between
the many particles thick aggregate layer, making the Otta Seal relatively
flexible.
Slide 34
scannes
On pavements that have deteriorated badly, an

Otta Seal, because of its durability (high bitumen
content and low viscosity binders which make the
Otta Seal very flexible) is well suited as a reseal.
(Malawi).
The recommended spray rates for Otta reseals are given in Table 8.3b.
0315
37
CONTRACTUAL ISSUES
11.1
General
This Chapter deals with some of the important contractual issues which
should be considered when specifying Otta Seals, particularly where it
contrasts with a conventional Chip Seal. The approach to certain contractual
issues differs from normal Chip Seal contracts and the following are considered to be important:
l The need to specify a minimum number of passes with the rolling

equipment;
l The requirement for the Otta Seal to be trafficked for a minimum period
of 8 - 12 weeks before the second or cover sand seal is applied;
l The back-brooming of dislodged crusher dust/sand to the exposed areas;

l The requirement that road marking cannot be applied until the second
seal has settled down, usually several months after the first seal has
been applied. There will be a need for temporary road markings in such
situations;
l Bleeding and blinding of localised areas which may required that a

small team must be available to undertake such operations, which may
take place during the first hot season after the contract is completed;
l An allowance should be made in the Bill of Quantities for an additional

item to clean off blinding sand, in case of extreme bleeding for the first
seal, prior to the laying of second or cover seal.
The items listed above may present contractual problems unless they are
unambiguously dealt with in the Contract Documents. The following section
deals with measures that will cater for these items, which differ from contracts
where a conventional Chip Seal is used.
11.2 Contractual issues

Rolling using pneumatic equipment
The Special Technical Provisions which form a part of the Contract
Documents should include the following text:
l Any part of the surfaced area, shoulders included, shall receive not less
than 15 passes with a pneumatic tyred roller with a gross weight of not
less than 12 tonnes on the day of the sealing operations, and one pass
with a static steel roller after the initial roller with the pneumatic roller
is completed. In the following two days, further 15 passes with a
pneumatic roller will be required on each day.
The Contractor must have sufficient roller capacity on site to achieve the
above requirements. In practice, at least 2 pneumatic tyred rollers will be
required in addition to the steel roller.
Any other additional rolling will be in accordance with the payment item
for additional passes.
38
0316
The Otta Seal requires to be trafficked for a minimum

period of 8 - 12 weeks before the second seal or cover
seal is applied.
This item can cause problems contractually, and may be dealt with as follows:
Substantial Completion could be given when the Otta Seal is opened to
traffic, provided there are no surface defects or other outstanding works
which may violate the Road Traffic Act (stop signs, speed limit signs,
etc.). It may be necessary to employ temporary road markings for road safety purposes (project dependant).
After a further one month (i.e. approximately 4 months after Substantial
Completion for the whole contract) the permanent road markings will be
painted onto the road surface by the Contractor and the payment for permanent road marking made only at this stage.
The back-brooming of dislodged aggregates

A separate pay item for back-brooming of dislodged aggregate should be
included in the Contract Documents, possibly as a rate per km.
Road marking
The road marking could be undertaken as a separate contract, since a good
result is difficult to achieve until a great time after construction (this also
applies to a lesser
extent for ordinary Chip Seals). Such practice could be extended to capital
as well as maintenance resealing projects.
If it is decided to include road marking in the main contract, then the contractor should be informed of this delay requirement in the contract
documents. For safety reasons, some pre-marking or temporary lines may
be painted on the road during the interim period.
Bleeding and blinding off

Experience within the country has shown that in some cases, especially where
the binder application rate is on the high side, some blinding of fatty surface
spots may be required during the first hot season after the contract has been
completed and the contractor has moved off site. Allowance should be made
in the contract for establishment of a team for blinding of the seal, if and
when required, for a duration of 4 to 8 weeks.
This item must be included in the Bill of Quantities as a separate item,
otherwise, payment may be under Day Works, which will be much more
costly. The payment should be specified per km (not per sq. metre).
Cleaning off blinding sand on the first and second seal

This should be catered for as an additional pay item in the Contract
Documents.
The payment should preferably also be per km.
0317
39
THE GLOBAL USE

12.1 General
The reported use of Otta Seals can be summarised nine countries: three
from northern Europe (Norway, Sweden and Iceland), four in East and
Southern Africa (Kenya, Botswana, Zimbabwe and recently also in South
Africa) one country in Asia (Bangladesh), and a trial at Victoria State/
Territory, Australia.
Figure 12.1 shows the global use of Otta Seals.
Iceland
Norway
Sweden
Bangladesh
Kenya
Botswana
Zimbabwe
Australia
Victoria
South Africa
Figure 12.1 The global use of Otta Seals

Country
Norway
Sweden
Iceland
Kenya
Length
4000 km
4000 km
2000 km +
500 km
Botswana
Zimbabwe
South Africa
1000 km +
80 km
One trial, 2 km.
Bangladesh
Australia (Victoria)
20 km +
Two trial 2,2 km.
Comments
In 1985 the figure was 12 000 km
Inclusive several trials

About 100km to be Otta Sealed
in1999-2000
Only labour based methods used
2.2 km in Victoria State/Territory
Table 12.1 shows the length of Otta Seals in the various countries, per 1999.
Table 12.1
The global use of Otta Seals.
The use of the Otta Seals have not been as widespread as it could be. The
reason for this may be several, but the following may have been the general
constraints:
40
Firstly
- No rational design procedure has been readily available;
Secondly
- The consultants and contractors do not know the Otta

Seals application, hence they are both reluctant to specify
and tender, and if tendering, they very often use conventional Chip Seal prices;
0318
Thirdly
- Most of the work as per today, although not all,

has been done by in-house construction units.
Nevertheless, in Botswana this is changing as the Roads Department put

pressure in both the consultants and the contractors to make reliable cost
comparisons.
12.2 Norway
Background
Service-life and performance depends heavily on local conditions as always,
not specifically for the Otta Seal. It is experienced in Norway that on a road
with an AADT of about 1000 and a Benkelman beam deflection (80 kN) of
1,25mm a Double Otta Seal will give excellent performance for 10 years or
more. For a Single Otta Seal a service life of 5 - 6 years is common.
In total 4000 km are today surfaced by Otta Seals, this counts for about 7%
of the total bituminised road network of 52 000 km, whereof 26 000 km
comprises of main roads and 26 000 km of secondary roads.
Table 12.2 shows the total length of Single and Double Otta Seals in Norway at the end of 1998.
Otta Seal type
Primary
Type of roads
Secondary
Otta Seals have been and is still extensively used

in Norway. (Norway).
Ratio
Single Otta
500 km
1500 km
25/75
Double Otta
1000 km
1000 km
50/50
Table 12.2 Total length of Single and Double Otta Seals in Norway at the
end of 1998.
In Norway today there are 65 km of Single Otta Seals and 120 km of Double
Otta Seals that have been in service for more than 20 years and these roads
are still performing satisfactorily. The majority of these roads are part of the
secondary road network.
Otta Seal using crushed aggregate on a primary

road after 6 years in service. (Norway).
Norwegian specifications
The general specifications used for Otta Seals in Norway are as follows:
Traffic
Aggregates :
AADT< 2000
Moraine gravel, both screened and crushed or in
combination are used. Gabbro is a common rock type used.
Experience has shown that a mixture of crushed/uncrushed
aggregate ratio of 30/70, respectively, gives the best
performance.
Aggregate class
- 1-3
Close-up of the Otta Seal surfacing. (Norway).
Flakiness/friability - < 1,5

Grading
- Requirements in the lower part of the envelope as

shown in Table 5.1. Material passing the 4,00mm
sieve shall not be less than 35%. Material passing
the 0,075mm sieve shall not exceed 10%.
- Application rate 1st. seal 0-16 mm 22-30 kg/m2.
2nd. seal 0-11 mm18-20 kg/m2 (often preferred
as second seal).
0319
41
Bitumen
Medium curing bitumen, BL 1500M - BL 4500 Emulsion

BE 70M, of the following bitumen types MB 3000 - 10 000
General application rates, BL between 1,7 - 1,9 l/m2. BE
between 1,9 - 2,1 l/m2
Adhesion
agents
Always used, 0,8% by weight of bitumen.
12.3 Sweden
General
The Otta Seal was introduced in Sweden around 1985. The term for the
Otta Seal in Sweden is Y1G and in general their experiences are similar to
those from Norway. As per today about 4000 km of roads have been
bituminised using Otta Seals. A large proportion of these roads were originally
secondary gravel roads in the northern and eastern (forest counties) parts of
Sweden that were upgraded to a bituminous standard. The Swedish Road
Authority has also used Single Otta Seal as dust binding precautions on
gravel roads without any pavement strengthening (life expectancy 3 - 5 years).
As quoted from the Swedish Road Authorities (Overby 1997), the general
experience by using the Otta Seals has been, and is still, good. However, the
reorganisation of the Swedish Road Authorities and younger engineers have
led to the fact that this type of surfacing has decreased over the recent years.
In many cases, the Otta Seal has been placed on poorly drained gravel roads
with insufficient bearing capacity with the result that the seal has failed
much earlier than anticipated.
Swedish specifications
The general specifications used for Otta Seals (Y1G) are very similar as for
those that applies in Norway. However, the maximum AADT is limited to
AADT < 500.
12.4 Iceland
General
In 1978 the Otta Seal was introduced in Iceland as an alternative to plant
mixed oil-gravel on low traffic roads. Because of large distances and a rather
limited market, stationary or even mobile asphaltic mixing plants have not
been feasible, and hence the Otta Seal has been manifested as a cost- effective
and technically appropriate solution for low traffic roads particularly in
remote areas.
Per today more than 2000 km have been covered with a double Otta Seal,
and the performance is rated to be very good (Overby 1997).
A newly laid Otta Seal using crushed basaltic
gravel. (Iceland).
Iceland specifications
The most common aggregate used is basaltic gravel with a crushed surface
fracture of minimum 40% for a traffic volume of AADT > 1000, and minimum 20% for AADT < 1000. The grading requirement is similar to what is
given in Tabel 5.1. The strength of the aggregate refers to the LAA value,
where the following are adopted in the specifications:
AADT < 200
LLA < 30%.
AADT 200 1000
LLA < 25%
AADT >1000
LLA < 20%
The most common bitumen used is BL 1500R at an application rate of 2,0 l/m2.
42
0320
12.5
Kenya
General
In the middle of the 1970s the Governments of Kenya and Norway agreed
to construct a 290 km long gravel road on a 50/50 share basis. The project
was linked to the new Turkana road in the arid/semi-arid North western part
of Kenya. Following the completion of the road, maintenance problems arose
in this climate. A bituminous surfacing was discussed, and it was decided to
apply a Double Otta Seal. During the period 1978 - 1984 the entire road
length was surfaced using MC 3000 as binder, and alluvial quartzitic gravel
screened only (uncrushed) as surfacing aggregate. Aggregate strength was
ACV/LAA of 32/49, respectively. The base course thickness was min. 130
mm with the following materials requirements:
l CBR soaked nominally min. 50, but single values of 30 were in places
accepted.
l PI max. 20.
Benkelman Beam deflection (80 kN) of less than 1,25 mm was regarded as
acceptable prior to surfacing (Hansen 1983). No prime was applied on any
of the road sections, but an adhesive agent was always admixed in the binder.
Performance of Otta Seals

A study team (Mariki et al 1995) that visited several of roads in 1995 quoted
the following:
Turkana Road at Marich Pass
The road was completed in 1978 and had in 1995 carried cumulated E 80
loading equal to 4,0 mill. Close to 1 million vehicles had been using the
road. Annual mean rainfall is 1000mm.
Part of the section had been resealed (third seal) using Otta Seal with
quartzitic gravel similar to what was used for more than 15 years back.
Apart from some stone loss the performance was good.
Turkwell Gorge - Lodwar
This section was completed in 1980. and had in 1995 carried cumulated
E 80 loading equal to 2,1 mill. About 700 000 vehicles had been using the
road. Annual mean rainfall between 300 - 400 mm.
About half of the road had been resealed using Otta Seal, and its performance
was good. Those section that had not been resealed (being in service for
more than 17 years without any kind of maintenance) had reached the end
of its service-life as extensive potholing prevailed. The section completed
in 1984 with an annual mean rainfall of 170 mm was still performing
excellent (after 17 years in service) without any sign of potholes or other
surfacing defects.
Turkana road, about 20 km north of Marich Pass.

Screened quartzitic gravel were used as aggregate
for the Otta Seal. After a number of years in service
the performance was good. (Kenya).
Kalokol Fergusons Gulf

Completed in 1985 and had in 1995 carried cumulated E 80 loading equal
to 0,16 million, and about 200 000 vehicles had been using the road. Annual
mean rainfall about 170 mm.
Base layer thickness of 70 mm with CBR soaked of 50. Aggregate (0 - 18mm)
used for the double Otta Seal was natural occurring uncrushed quarts gravel
with an ACV/LAA of 26/45. Being in service for 10 years with no
maintenance the surfacing was performing extremely well, without any signs
of surfacing defects.
0321
43
Mombasa, Road trial at Kwale

The two road sections were constructed in the early 1985. The trial consists
of two different types of base material, laterite unstabilised and laterite
stabilised with 6% coral fines. Two types of aggregate were used for the
Double Otta Seal. Natural occurring laterite with an aggregate strength (ACV/
LAA) of 42/54, and where 10% passed the 0,075mm sieve. Oversize material where screened out and crushed.
The crushed coral stone aggregate, where 4% passed the 0,075mm sieve
had an aggregate strength (ACV/LAA) of 32/38.
Close-up of an Otta Seal where natural occurring
laterite was used as Otta Seal aggregate. (Kenya).
For the conventional Chip Seal a fairly hard crushed sand stone aggregate
were used with an aggregate strength of 22/36.
The bitumen used was a MC 3000 viscosity grade, being cut back on site
from 80/100 penetration grade bitumen using diesel and kerosine.
Application rates 1,8 - 1,9 l/m2 for both layers of the Otta Seal. For the Chip
Seal 80/100 bitumen was used with an application rate of 1,7 and 1,3 l/m2,
first and second layer, respectively. After 10 years in service the road had
carried a cumulated
A section where coral stone was used as Otta Seal

aggregate. The first section has been in service for
some months and the aggregate has bed down
making an appealing and uniform appearance.
The second section has newly been constructed
and the coral aggregate still need some time to
bed down. After more than 14 years in service
these sections are performing excellently. (Kenya).
E 80 loading equal to 0,14 million, and about 900 000 vehicles had been
using the road. Annual mean rainfall is 820 mm. All the sections performed
excellently. It was however noticed that the Otta Seal had a denser waterproof
surface texture than the Chip Seal. The Chip Seal had a more open surface
texture and looked hungry for bitumen.
Road C106, Kwale
This section was also constructed in 1985 and the traffic loading and rainfall
were similar to the previous section. Aggregate for the Double Otta Seal
was a mixture of both uncrushed and crushed coral stone aggregate. After
10 years in service the appearance of the surfacing looks more like an asphalt concrete surfacing with a very dense waterproof matrix. A slight fatty
up was noticed in the wheel paths.
Kenyan experience
The Otta Seals constructed in Kenya since 1978, have been in service between
10 and 17 years under different climatic and traffic conditions. In conclusion,
their performance have been excellent, this in despite of the use of inferior
aggregates such as uncrushed quartz and laterite gravel, as well as uncrushed/
crushed coral stone.
Under the Rural Roads Programme Otta Seals
were extensively used, and in combination with
labour based work. Natural decomposed granite
used as aggregate for Otta Seal was hand
screened and applied by hand. (Botswana).
The use of Otta Seals is included in the Kenyan Road Design Manual of 1987.
12.6 Botswana
Rural Roads programme
In 1974/75 Botswana Roads department started the Rural Roads Programme
for construction of gravel roads into the rural areas under the funding by the
Norwegian Agency for development Co-operation (NORAD). However, in
1977 it became evident that in the arid and hot climate as prevailing in
Botswana, gravel roads became difficult to maintain.
Overview of the same road (Single Otta Seal) after

being in service for more than 8 years. (Botswana).
44
In 1978 the first 10 km of both single and double Otta Seals were constructed
at the Oodi road (Overby 1982 and 1990). The aggregate used was uncrushed
but screened (removal of oversize) decomposed granite with an ACV of 40.
Binders were MC3000 and MC800 applied at a rate between 1,5 and 2,0 l/m2.
0322
Application of the binder was carried out by a bitumen distributor while the
aggregate was applied by hand.
The Otta Seals showed very satisfying early performance, which triggered
off bituminous sealing of several other Rural Roads projects. The variety of
aggregate being used were lake gravel deposits consisting of silcrete, quartz
and hard nodular calcrete mixed with a small amount of calcareous silt stone,
with an ACV of 33 (Overby 1990) crushed soft silcrete and sand stone of
very varying quality. These single Otta Seals were always covered by a light
spray of binder, MC3000 or MC 800 at an application rate between 0,7 - 0,9
l/m2, and covered with Kalahari sand which is easily available over most
parts of the country.
Botswana experience
The Otta Seals have been successfully used in Botswana for the past 20
years. Surfacings using inferior aggregates have performed well for more
than 15 years carrying 250-300 vehicles per day. Per today more than 1000
km of roads have been surfaced using a single Otta Seal with a Kalahari
sand cover seal on top. This accounts for about 20% of the bituminised road
network.
Close-up of the previous photo showing a Single

Otta Seal. Note that some of the weak aggregate
has been crushed down by traffic, but during the
early stage after construction the binder has absorbed the crushed aggregate and a dense waterproof surfacing has been formed. (Botswana).
Experience with Otta Seals in Botswana confirms that for low traffic roads
(AADT <100) the more open area of the grading curve should be adhered
to. While for AADT > 100 a more medium to dense grading is preferred.
In the Botswana Road Design Manual of 1994 the use of Otta Seals is
included as an alternative surfacing for Low Volume Roads AADT < 500.
However, recently Roads Department has been constructing Otta Seals on
roads with much higher traffic volumes. The life expectancy for a Single
Otta seal with a sand cover seal on top is 9 - 12 years, and for a Double Otta
Seal 12 - 15 years.
The final product, after 8 months in service of a

Single Otta Seal (crushed aggregate) with a sand
cover seal on top using fine Kalahari sand.
(Botswana).
12.7 Zimbabwe
Secondary and Feeder Road Development Programme
(SFRDP) (Sida and Sweroad 1995)
Between 1990 and 1993 a number of test sections were constructed using
Otta Seals. Traffic levels varied from about 30 to nearly 300 vehicles per
day and the rainfall from less than 300 to more than 1200 mm annually.
Materials used were both crushed and uncrushed quarts/granite where materials less than 2,0 mm were screened out. After 4 - 6 years in service the
Otta Seals had performed in an excellent manner, although some cracks
were evident in some of the sections, but their origin has not been determined
conclusively.
The same road in a bird view. Note the

appealing uniform appearance, more like an
asphaltic concrete. (Botswana).
12.8 Bangladesh
Environmental Trial Road at Faridpur
Through the Local Government Engineering Department (LGED) Otta Seals
were in 1992 constructed as a part of the Environmental Trial Road at
Faridpur that aimed at finding a more flexible and durable bituminous
surfacing than currently used for Feeder Roads. Common procedure typically
consisted of a 25 mm thick bituminous carpeting. Aggregate for the Otta
Seal was screened river gravel 0 - 16mm (quartz and basalt) that was placed
At the Environmental trial Road at Faridpur, the

bitumen was both cutback and fluxed in order to
give the correct binder consistence. This was
successfully carried out by simple but appropriate
methods. (Bangladesh).
0323
45
along the road side in small stockpiles and applied immediately by hand after
the binder was sprayed. The binder, 80/100 pen. grade, arrived in drums that
were pre-heated and emptied into a tractor-pulled distributor.
By addition of cutters (paraffin) the binder was altered to satisfy the
requirements for viscosity during construction. Flux (engine oil) was added
to improve the long term durability of the binder.
The Otta Seal aggregate was applied by labour

based methods, by pre-stockpiling the hand
crushed aggregate. A 100 metre long section, 3,7
metres wide was covered by aggregate after 7
minutes time, and the section was opened to traffic.
(Bangladesh).
In the absence of pneumatic tired rollers, rolling

of the Otta Seal can be done by loaded trucks
following a pre-determined pattern of rolling.
(Bangladesh).
The binder application rates varied between 1,9 - 2,1 l/m2. Half-loaded trucks
carried out the rolling by trafficking in a predetermined rolling pattern.
Neither prime nor adhesion additives were used.
Bangladesh experience
After 6 years in service the Otta Seals have performed well under a traffic
loading between 50 - 80 commercial vehicles per day (mostly buses and
trucks). These feeder roads are built by labour intensive methods on top of
4 - 5 metres high embankments with a crone width of about 6,0 metres. For
most of the year the embankments is surrounded by water, sometimes flush
with the surfacing and pavement movements are inevitable. A very flexible
surfacing is therefore required for satisfactory performance.
Also from a construction point of view the Otta Seal has advantages under
conditions as in a country as Bangladesh. On feeder roads detours are
difficult, or in many cases impossible, to construct due to narrow crone and
high embankments. It is important that the road is not closed to traffic over
a long period, normally maximum one hour. The Otta Seal construction
allows for trafficking immediately after spreading the aggregate, while Chip
Seals or asphalt carpets need a primed base to perform satisfactorily. Priming under these conditions would require closing of the road for several
hours, and in addition blinding off the prime with sand would in most cases
be required.
The Labour Based methods extensively used in Bangladesh have also proved to favour the use of Otta Seals, as a large proportion of the work can be
done by labours.
The final product, a Single Otta Seal after 2 years

in service. (Bangladesh).
Per today, about 20 km of roads have been surfaced using labour intensive
methods and Otta Seals. A Sprayed Sealing Guideline for Otta Seals in Bangladesh has been prepared and its specifications form a part of the LGED
Standard Specifications.
12.9 South Africa

Trial sections
In KwaZulu Natal province in South Africa the first Otta Seal surfacing trial
took place in June 1999. Two types of aggregate were used:
l decomposed granite with low aggregate strength

l crushed quartize with high aggregate strength (10% FACT = 200), but
with high fines content (more than 10% passing the 0,075 mm sieve)
Otta Seals trial, using crushed quartize with a

high amount of fines. The aggregate was applied
by a self-propelled chip spreader. (South Africa).
46
The binder was 150/200 penetration grade bitumen, cut back on site by
power paraffin to the required viscosity range. The hot bitumen spray rates
varied between 1,7 - 2,2 l/m2 depending on the aggregate grading and whether
the base was primed or un-primed. The traffic volume was between 300 500 vehicles per day.
0324
During the trial the Road Authorities stated that the aggregate used in the
Otta Seal would under no circumstances considered used in a bituminous
surfacing in the province. The early performance of the Otta Seals is very
promising and would imply a considerable user cost saving in upgrading
the gravel road to a bituminous standard.
The KwaZulu, Natal Road Authorities plans to embark on a full scale project
in October 1999 to uppgrade about 100 km of gravel roads to bituminous
standard using Otta Seals.
12.10 Australia
In early 1999 a small trial using Otta Seala were constructed at Victoria
State/Territory, using crushed aggregates with fines content passing the
0.075 mm sieve restricted to 10%. The base was not primed and a Single
Otta Seal was applied. After 7 months in service the surface show no sign
of premature deterioration. The traffic level on the access road is low but
used by heavy load trucks moving in and out from a quarry side.
Immediately after the Otta Seal aggregate has

been applied. The seal looks like a gravel road at
this stage. But with time, the single Otta Seal will
bed down and a bit premix type appearance will
appear. (South Africa).
A full scale Otta Seal trial at the length of 2 km was undertaken in June
1999 using cutback bitumen and aggregate confirming the recommended
grading curve. The AADT on this rural road is about 100. The Victoria
State/Territory plan to construct more Otta Seal in the near future.
The same road as above, bu after 3 months in
service. (South Africa).
12.11 Historical summary

Since the time of its inception in the Otta valley in Norway, the Otta Seal
method has had an extended use, from being an economical maintenance
seal to a fully fledged bituminous surface treatment with no other limitations
regarding traffic than one would apply to any other sprayed bituminous
surfacing.
The Otta Seal method is an example of the innovative use of local, often
marginal quality materials, in combination with appropriate bituminous binders to produce durably surfacing under a variety of environmental
conditions. Ranging from cold - freezing climates in northern Europe to
tropical hot/wet climate as experienced in Asia and desert dry and very hot
climatic conditions prevailing on the east and southern part of the African
continent.
Close up of the Single Otta Seal above. Note the

close surface texture, making an impermable
surfacing. (South Africa).
The Otta Seal has proved to be a durable and a very cost-effective surfacing.
Its use has in many circumstances made allowances to construct roads
under very unfavourable prevailing conditions, where conventional surfacing
approaches would have been too expensive or not possible at all. It is therefore recommended to make life-cost comparisons to other sprayed
bituminous surfacing, assessing the availability of local materials and their
use in an Otta Seal when considering appropriate surfacing for roads (low
volume roads) carrying traffic volumes of less than 1000 vpd This exercise
may in many cases conclude that Otta Seals is the most economical and
appropriate surfacing type.
The Otta Seal has repeatedly proven to be a very forgiving type of sprayed
seal under quite different environments. Poor workmanship etc. during
construction, that would have been disastrous in the case of a Chip Seal, will
in many incidents give satisfactory performance in the case of Otta Seals.
0325
47
REFERENCES
48
Thurmann Moe, T. 1966. Intern rapport A2/66. Veglaboratoriet Billig eksprimendekke lagt i
Rdberg og Ottadalen sommerne 1963 og 1965. (In Norwegian).
2.
Thurmann Moe, T. 1979. Otta surfacing - A Low Cost Flexible Surfacing for Rural Roads. PIARC
Congress.
3.
Hansen, E. K., Refsdal, G,. Thurmann Moe, T. 1980. Surfacing for Low Volume Roads in semi arid
areas. RF 5th African Highway Conference. Nairobi, Kenya.
4.
Ministry of Transport and Communication, Kenya and the Norwegian Road Research Laboratory.
April 1981. Low cost surfacing for semi arid areas. Specifications for the Turkana road, Phase D,
Marich Pass Ferguson Gulf.
5.
Thurmann Moe, T. 1981. The Otta surfacing method for improved gravel road maintenance. Eurobitume
Symposium, Cannes.
6.
Overby, C. 1982. Material and Pavement Design for Sealed Low Traffic Roads in Botswana.
Norwegian Road Research Laboratory. Report no. 1042, Oslo 44 pp.
7.
Overby, C. 1983. The use of Low Quality Calcrete under a Bituminous Seal in the Kalahari region. XVII
PIARC Congress, Sydney.
8.
Overby, C. 1983. Vth IRF African Highway Conference. Libreville, Gabon. Pavement Design for
Bitumen Sealed Low Traffic Roads in Botswana.
9.
Hansen, E. 1983. The Turkana Road. The Vth IRF African Highway Conference, Libreville, Gabon.
10.
Olsen, K. Thurmann - Moe. T. and Ruistuen. H. 1984. Golden Jubilee, Indian Highways Magazine.
11.
Ministry of Transport and Communication, Roads Department 1987. Road Design Manual Part III,
Materials and Pavement Design for New Roads. Nairobi, Kenya.
12.
Overby, C. 1990. Monitoring of Sealed Low Traffic Roads in Botswana 1980 - 89. Project roads Sehitwa
- Tsau, Oodi - Modipane, Selebi Phikwe - Mmadinare and Sebina - Tutume. Norwegian Road Research
Laboratory. Reports Nos. 1476 and 1478.
13.
ANON. 1990. Otta Seals Amendment to the Botswana Design Manual on the Design and Construction
of Bituminous Surfacings using Graded Aggregates. Materials and Research Division, Roads
Department.
14.
LGED 1994. Monitoring report, Environmental Road Trial, Faridpur, Bangladesh.
15.
Ministry of Works, Transport and Communications, Roads Department. 1994. Botswana Road
Design Manual, Materials and Pavement Design, Volume 3, Gaborone, Botswana.
16.
Mariki, D. J., Shila. E. W., Mataka. M. O. and Overby. C. 1995. Report on Performance of Otta Seals
in Kenya. Ministry of Works, Communication and Transport, Tanzania.
17.
Department of State Roads, Zimbabwe, Sida and Sweroad 1995. Secondary and Feeder Road
Development programme. Final report.
18.
Overby, C. 1996. Spayed Sealing Guide, OTTA SEALS in Bangladesh. Norwegian Road Research
Laboratory, Oslo. Project N-009A. Report no.1, 48 pp.
19.
Pinard, M. I. and Obika. B. 1997. Optimal use of marginal aggregates for achieving cost effective
surfacing on low volume roads in developing countries. 1997 XIIIth IRF World Meeting, Toronto, Canada.
20.
Overby, C. 1998. Otta Seal A Durable and Cost Effective Global Solution for Low Volume Sealed
Roads. 9th REAAA Conference, An International Focus on Roads: Strategies for the Future.
Wellington, New Zealand.
0326
21.
Louw, J. G. and Jacobs, A. L. 1999. The use of semi-priming polymer modified binder and graded
aggregate for the surfacing of gravel roads. Draft of paper intended for 7th Conference on Asphalt
Pavement for Southern Africa.
22.
Roads Department, Ministry of Works, Transport and Communications, Botswana, February

1999. A Note on the use of Otta Seals on the Botswana Public Highway Network.
23.
Overby, C., et al. Roads Department, Ministry of Works and Communications, Botswana, June
1999. A Guide to the Design, Construction and Maintenance of the Otta Seals, (in print).
24.
Green, G. Shell South Africa (Pty) Ltd. 1991 Edition. Shell Bitumen Handbook. South Africa.
25.
Overby, C., Personal Communication, 1999. KwaZulu, Natal, Road Authorities and CSIR,
Transportek, South Africa.
26.
Overby, C., Personal Communication, 1999. Pinard. M. I. Gaborone, Botswana.
0327
49
APPENDIX A
Mass/Volume conversion Tables
50
0328
0329
51
52
0330
0331
53
APPENDIX B
ABBREVIATIONS
ISBN
International Standard Book Number
ISSN
International Standard Serie Number
MC
Medium curing
NORAD
Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation
NPRA
Norwegian Public Roads Administration
NRRL
Norwegian Road Research Laboratory
PHN
Public Highway Network
PVA
Polyvinyleacelate
RC
Rapid Curing
SBR
Styrenebutadinerubber
SBS
Styrenebutadinstyrene
SC
Slow Curing
SFRDP
Feeder Road Development Programme
Sida
Swedish International Development Authority
SPMB
Semi-Priming Modified Binder
TMH
Technical Methods for Highways (South African Standards)
10% FACT Ten percent Fines Value

AADT
54
Average Annual Daily Traffic
0332
Publications from the Road Technology Department (NRRL)

38. . JOHANSEN. Varmeledningsevne av forskjellige veg byggingsmaterialer (The thermal conductivity of various road
aggregates). 18 p. 1971.
39. R. S. NORDAL, E. HANSEN. Vormsund Forsksveg, Del 1:
Planlegging og bygging (Vormsund Test Road, Part 1: Design
and Construction). 48 p. 1971.
40. R. S. NORDAL. Vormsund Forsksveg. Del 2: Instrumentering
(Vormsund Test Road. Part 2: Instrumentation). 38 p. 1972.
41. K. FLAATE and R. B. PECK. Braced Cuts in Sand and Clay.
29 p. 1972.
42. T. THURMANN-MOE, S. DRUM. Komprimering av asfalt
dekker (Compaction of Asphalt Pavements). Hurtige metoder
for komprimeringskontroll av asfaltdekker (Rapid Methods for
Compaction Control of Asphalt Pavements). 39p. 1972.
43. . KNUTSON. Dimensjonering av veger med frostakkumulerende underlag (Design of Roads with a Frost accumulating Bark
Layer). K. SOLBRAA. Barkens bestandighet i vegfundamenter
(The Durability of Bark in Road Constructions). G. S. KLEM.
Bark i Norge (Bark in Norway). 32 p. 1972.
44. J. HODE KEYSER, T. THURMANN-MOE. Slitesterke
bituminse vegdekker (Characteristics of wear resistant
bituminious pavement surfaces).
T. THURMANN-MOE, O. E. RUUD. Rustdannelse p biler
(Vehicle corrosion due to the use of chemicals in winter
maintenance and the effect of corrosion inhibitors).
T. THURMANN-MOE, O. E. RUUD. Kjemikalier i vinterved
likeholdet (Norwegian saltpeter and urea as alternative chemicals
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O. E. RUUD, B-E. STHER, F. ANGERMO. Understellsbehandling av biler (Undersealing of vehicles with various sealants).
38 p. 1973.
45. Proceedings of the International Research Symposium on
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46. Frost i veg 1972. Nordisk Vegteknisk Forbunds konferanse i
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47. . KNUTSON. Praktisk bruk av bark i vegbygging (Specifications for Use of Bark in Highway Engineering).
E. GJESSING, S. HAUGEN. Barkavfall vannforurensning
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48. Sikring av vegtunneler (Security Measures for Road Tunnels).
124 p. 1975.
49. H. NOREM. Registrering og bruk av klimadata ved planlegging
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H. NOREM. Lokalisering og utforming av veger i drivsnomrder (Location and Design of Roads in Snow-drift Areas).
H. NOREM, J. G. ANDERSEN. Utforming og plassering av
snskjermer (Design and Location of Snow Fences).
K. G. FIXDAL. Snskredoverbygg (Snowsheds).
H. SOLBERG. Snrydding og snryddingsutstyr i Troms
(Winter Maintenance and Snow Clearing Equipment in
Troms County). 59 p. 1975.
50. J. P. G. LOCH. Frost heave mechanism and the role of the
thermal regime in heave experiments on Norwegian silty
soils.
K. FLAATE, P. SELNES. Side friction of piles in clay.
K. FLAATE, T. PREBER. Stability of road embankments in
soft clay.
A. SRLIE. The effect of fabrics on pavement strength
Plate bearing tests in the laboratory.
S. L. ALFHEIM, A. SRLIE. Testing and classification of
fabrics for application in road constructions. 48 p. 1977.
51. E. HANSEN. Armering av asfaltdekker (Reinforced bituminous pavements).

T. THURMANN-MOE, R. WOLD. Halvsling av asfaltdekker (Resurfacing of bituminous pavements).
A. GRNHAUG. Fremtidsperspektiver p fullprofilboring av
vegtunneler (Full face boring of road tunnels in crystalline rocks).
E. REINSLETT. Vegers breevne vurdert ut fra maksimal

nedbyning og krumming (Allowable axle load (technically)
as determined by maximum deflection and curvature). 52 p.
1978.
52. T. THURMANN-MOE, S. DRUM. Lyse vegdekker (High
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A. ARNEVIK, K. LEVIK. Erfaringer med bruk av overflatebehandlinger i Norge (Experiences with surface dressings in
Norway).
J. M. JOHANSEN. Vegdekkers jevnhet (Road roughness).
G. REFSDAL. Vegers breevne bestemt ved oppgraving
(indeksmetoden) og nedbyningsmling. Er metodene gode
nok? (Road bearing capacity as decided by deflection
measurements and the index method). 44 p. 1980.
53. E. HANSEN, G. REFSDAL, T. THURMANN-MOE.
Surfacing for low volume roads in semi arid areas.
H. MTANGO. Dry compaction of lateritic gravel.
T. THURMANN-MOE. The Otta-surfacing method. Performance and economi.
G. REFSDAL. Thermal design of frost proof pavements.
R. G. DAHLBERG, G. REFSDAL. Polystyrene foam for lightweight road embankments.
A. SRLIE. Fabrics in Norwegian road building.
O. E. RUUD. Hot applied thermoplastic road marking materials.
R. STERSDAL, G. REFSDAL. Frost protection in building
construction. 58 p. 1981.
54. H. STLID. High clay road embankments.
A. GRNHAUG. Requirements of geological studies for undersea tunnels.
K. FLAATE, N. JANBU. Soil exploration in a 500 m deep
fjord, Western Norway. 52 p. 1981.
55. K. FLAATE. Cold regions engineering in Norway.
H. NOREM. Avalanche hazard, evaluation accuracy and use.
H. NOREM. Increasing traffic safety and regularity in snowstorm
periods.
G. REFSDAL. Bearing capacity survey on the Norwegian road
network method and results.
S. DRUM, J. M. JOHANSEN. Assessment of asphalt pavement condition for resurfacing decisions.
T. THURMANN-MOE. The Otta-surfacing method for
improved gravel road maintenance.
R. STERSDAL. Prediction of frost heave of roads.
A. GRNHAUG. Low cost road tunnel developments in
Norway. 40 p. 1983.
56. R. S. NORDAL. The bearing capacity, a cronic problem in
pavement engineering?
E. REINSLETT. Bearing capacity as a function of pavement
deflection and curvature.
C. VERBY. A comparison between Benkelman beam, DCP
and Clegg-hammer measurements for pavement strength
evaluation.
R. S. NORDAL. Detection and prediction of seasonal changes
of the bearing capacity at the Vormsund test road.
P. KONOW HANSEN. Norwegian practice with the operation
of Dynaflect.
G. REFSDAL, C-R WARNINGHOFF. Statistical considerations
concerning the spacing between measuring points for bearing
capacity measurements.
G. REFSDAL, T. S. THOMASSEN. The use of a data bank for
axle load policy planning and strengthening purpose.
T. S. THOMASSEN, R. EIRUM. Norwegian practices for

axle load restrictions in spring thaw. 80 p. 1983.
0333
55
57. R. S. NORDAL, E. HANSEN (red.). Vormsund forsksveg.

Del 3: Observasjoner og resultater (Vormsund Test Road, Part
3: Observations and Results). 168 p. 1984.
58. R. S. NORDAL, E. HANSEN (red). The Vormsund TestRoad.
Part 4: Summary Report. 82 p. 1987.
59. E. LYGREN, T. JRGENSEN, J. M. JOHANSEN.Vannforurensing fra veger. I. Sammendragsrapport. II. Veiledning for
hndtere de problemer som kan oppst nr en veg kommer i
nrheten av drikkevannforekomst (Highway pollution). 48 p.
1985.
60. NRRL, ASPHALT SECTION. Surfacings for low volume roads.
T. E. FRYDENLUND. Superlight fill materials.
K. B. PEDERSEN, J. KROKEBORG. Frost insulation in rock
tunnels.
H. STLID. Flexible culverts in snow avalanche protection for
roads.
K. FLAATE. Norwegian fjord crossings why and how.
H. S. DEIZ. Investigations for subsea tunnels a case history.
H. BEITNES, O. T. BLINDHEIM. Subsea rock tunnels.
Preinvestigation and tunnelling processes. 36 p. 1986.
61. Plastic Foam in Road Embankments:
T. E. FRYDENLUND. Soft ground problems.
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G. REFSDAL. EPS design considerations.
R. AABE. 13 years of experience with EPS as a lightweight
fill material in road embankments.
G. REFSDAL. Future trends for EPS use.
Appendix: Case histories 1-12. 60 p. 1987.
62. J. M. JOHANSEN, P. K. SENSTAD. Effects of tire pressures
on flexible pavement structures a literature survey. 148 p.
1992.
63. J. A. JUNCA UBIERNA. The amazing Norwegian subsea road
tunnels. 24 p. 1992.
64. A. GRNHAUG. Miljtiltak ved vegbygging i bratt terreng
(Environmental measures for road construction in mountain
slopes).
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of hard CFCs in plastic foam).
T. JRGENSEN. Vurdering av helsefare ved asfaltstv
(Evaluation of health risks of dust from asphalt wear).
N. RYGG. Miljmessig vegtilpassing (Environmental road
adjustment). 52 p. 1992.
65. C. HAUCK. The effect of fines on the stability of base gravel.
A. A. ANDRESEN, N. RYGG. Rotary-pressure sounding 20
years of experience. 24 p. 1992.
66. R. EVENSEN, P. SENSTAD. Distress and damage factors for
flexible pavements. 100 p. 1992.
67. STEINMATERIALKOMITEEN. Steinmaterialer (Aggre-gates).
20 p. 1993.
68. . KNUTSON. Frost action in soils. 40 p. 1993.
69. J. VASLESTAD. Stl- og betongelementer i lsmassetunneler
(Corrugated steel culvert and precast elements used for cut and
cover tunnels).
J. VASLESTAD. Stttekonstruksjoner i armert jord (Rein-forced
soil walls). 56 p. 1993.
70. SINTEF SAMFERDSELSTEKNIKK. Vegbrukers reduserte
transportkostnader ved opphevelse av telerestriksjoner (Redused
transportation costs for road user when lifting axle load
restrictions during spring thaw period). 144 p. 1993.
71. R. Evensen, E. Wulvik. Beregning av forsterkningsbehov basert
p tilstandsvurderinger analyse av riks- og fylkesvegnettet i
Akershus (Estimating the need of strengthening from road performance data). 112 p. 1994.
72. Fjellbolting (Rockbolting). 124 p. 1994.
73. T. BKKEN, T. JRGENSEN. Vannforurensning fra veg
langtidseffekter (Highway pollution long term effect on water
quality). 64 p. 1994.
56
74. J. VASLESTAD. Load reduction on buried rigid pipes.

J. VASLESTAD, T. H. JOHANSEN, W. HOLM. Load reduction
on rigid culverts beneath high fills, long-term behaviour.
J. VASLESTAD. Long-term behaviour of flexible large-span
culverts. 68 p. 1994.
75. P. SENSTAD. Sluttrapport for etatsatsingsomrdet Bedre
utnyttelse av vegens breevne (Better utilization of the
bearing capasity of roads, final report). 48 p. 1994.
76. F. FREDRIKSEN, G. HASLE, R. AABE. Miljtunnel i
Borre kommune (Environmental tunnel in Borre Municipality).
F. FREDRIKSEN, F. OSET. GEOPLOT dak-basert presentasjon av grunnunderskelser (GEOPLOT CAD-based presentation of geotechnical data). 48 p. 1994.
77. R. KOMPEN. Bruk av glideforskaling til brusyler og -trn
(Use of slipform for bridge columns and towers). 16 p. 1995.
78. R. KOMPEN. Nye regler for sikring av overdekning (New
practice for ensuring cover).
R KOMPEN, G. LIESTL. Spesifikasjoner for sikring av armeringens overdekning (Specifications for ensuring cover fo
reinforcement). 40 p. 1995.
79. The 4th international conference on the Bearing capasity of
roads and airfields papers from the Norwegian Road Research
Laboratory. 96 p. 1995.
80. W. ELKEY, E. J. SELLEVOLD. Electrical resistivity of
concrete. 36 p. 1995.
81. . KNUTSON. Stability analysis for road construction. 48 p.
1995.
82. A. ARNEVIK, E. WULVIK. Erfaringer med SPS-kontrakter
for asfaltering i Akershus (Experiences with wear-guaranteed
asphalt contracts on high volume roads in Akershus county).
28 p. 1996.
83. Sluttrapport for etatsatsingsomrdet Teknisk utvikling innen
bru- og tunnelbygging (Technical development bridge and
tunnel construction, final report). 20 p. 1996.
84. OFU Gimsystraumen bru. Sluttrapport Prvereparasjon og
produktutvikling (Trail repairs and product development,
final report). 156 p. 1997.
85. OFU Gimsystramen bru. Sluttrapport Klimapkjenning og
tilstandsvurdering (Climatic loads and condition assessment,
final report). 248 p. 1998.
86. OFU Gimsystraumen bru. Sluttrapport Instrumentering,
dokumentasjon og verifikasjon (Instrumentation, documentation and verification, final report) 100 p. 1998.
87. OFU Gimsystraumen bru. Anbefalinger for inspeksjon,
reparasjon og overflatebehandling av kystbruer i betong
(Recommendations for inpection, repair and surface treatment
of costal concrete bridges). 112 p. 1998.
88. OFU Gimsystraumen bru. Anbefalinger for instrumentert
korrosjonsovervknning av kystbruer i betong. (Recomendations
for instrumental corrosion monitoring of costal concrete bridges).
60 p. 1998
89. OFU Gimsystraumen bru. Hovedresultater og oversikt over
sluttdokumentasjon (Main result and overwiew of project
reports). 24 p. 1998.
90. J. KROKEBORG. Sluttrapport for Veg-grepsprosjektet
Veggrep p vinterveg (Studded tyres and public health,
final report. 52 p. 1998.
91. A. GRNHAUG. Tunnelkledinger (Linings for water and
frost protection of road tunnels). 68 p. 1998.

92. J. K. LOFTHAUG, J. MYRE, F. H. SKAARDAL, R. TELLE.
Asfaltutviklingsprosjektet i Telemark (Cold mix project
in Telemark). 68 p. 1998.
93. C. VERBY. A guide to the use of Otta Seals. 56 p. 1999.
0334
Return address:
Directorate of Public Roads
Road Technology Department
P.O. Box 8142 Dep
N-0033 Oslo
Norway
ISBN 82 91228 03 5
ISSN 0803 - 6950
0335
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0336
SERVICIO DE GESTIN Y CONSERVACIN VIAL POR NIVELES DE SERVICIO DE LA CARRETERA PUNO DESAGUADERO, CALAPUJA LA RAYA E ILAVE - MAZOCRUZ
8. DISEO
8.1 Factores que influyen en el diseo
El diseo de Otta Seals se basa en mtodos empricos, en lugar de los mtodos ms
racionales para utilizar Chip Seals.
Los principios que rigen el diseo de Otta Seals se basan de cerca en la inter-relacin entre el
agregado utilizado y la viscosidad del ligante y tasas de roseado adoptado, lo que significa que
los aglutinantes utilizados siempre se ajustar al tipo de agregado producido.
Otta Seals puede ser construido como una capa simple o doble, con o sin cubierta de sello de
arena, y la eleccin de un tipo particular de Otta Seal es normalmente basado en las siguientes
consideraciones:
Propiedades de los ridos disponibles
Volumen de trfico
Los costos de construccin
La vida de servicio requerido
En el diseo de Otta Seals, el tipo de asfalto y la tasas de roseado de asfalto inicialmente se
estableci sobre la base de los valores tpicos de los principales parmetros de determinar el
diseo. Las variaciones en las condiciones del lugar o la gradacin del agregado en el
momento de la construccin pueden requerir un ajuste de las tasas de rociado in situ. Los
cambios en la viscosidad del ligante tambin pueden ser necesarios cuando las variaciones en
las condiciones in situ o los materiales son importantes.
El procedimiento a seguir en el diseo de Otta Seals se muestra como un Diagrama de flujo en
la Figura 8.1
Otta Seals permitir el uso de una variedad de gradaciones de agregados. La viscosidad del
ligante y velocidad de roseado se seleccionan para satisfacer la gradacin de agregados, las
condiciones del trfico y la temperatura en el momento de la construccin.
INVENTARIO VIAL E INFORME TCNICO DE SITUACIN INICIAL
0337
8.2 Seleccin de tipos de Otta Seals

Doble Otta Seal
El doble Otta Seal es la ms duradera, pero tambin el ms caro y se recomienda para las
principales carreteras llevar grandes volmenes de trfico. Doble Otta Seals con una cubierta
de sello de arena rara vez se especifica debido a su alta costos y beneficios marginales.
Simple Otta Seal con cubierta de sello de arena
La combinacin de un simple Otta Seal seguido por una cubierta de arena es una Opcin ms
barata que un doble Otta Seal. La vida de servicio que sin embargo, ser ms corto, pero el
primero ofrece una solucin muy rentable para las carreteras con IMD en general, menos de
500.
Los beneficios de utilizar una cubierta de arena son lo siguiente:
Mejorar retencin de piedras en el sello subyacente.
Mayor durabilidad, debido al espesor de carpeta de incremento y la formacin
de los de una superficie de textura densa.
La proteccin de los ridos en el sello subyacente en el caso de la calidad
marginal de los materiales.
Reduccin del riesgo de daos en el caso de las imperfecciones en el sello
subyacente.
0338
Gradacin General de
Dotacin de Agregado para
Otta Seal
NO
Dotacin de
Agregado
producido en
general
Ajustar la produccin
agregado
Gradacin
Abierta
Gradacin
Media
Gradacin
Densa
IMD < 100
Todo IMD
Todo IMD
Elija los tipos de

Aglutinante y las
tasas de roseado de
acuerdo con la Tabla
8.3
Elija los tipos de

Aglutinante y las
tasas de roseado de
8.3
Elija los tipos de

Aglutinante y las
tasas de roseado de
8.3
IMD > 1000
Gradacin a
Modif icarse
Figura 8.1 Diagrama de flujo para los procedimientos de diseo de Otta Seals.
Simple Otta Seals
Simple Otta Seals no se utilizan comnmente en el continente africano. Sin embargo, en el
norte de Europa y en Bangladesh se utiliza el Simple Otta Seals
La Tabla 8.1 muestra los tipos recomendados Otta Seal en relacin con el nivel de trfico y el
tipo de trabajo de sellado para llevar a cabo. Sin embargo, las recomendaciones que se dan
son flexibles y depende del proyecto.
Niveles de trfico y tipo de trabajo
Tipos Otta Seal
Sello temporal (desvos, vas de transporte, accesos
Simple Otta Seal
temporales, etc.)
Mantenimiento Resellado (todas las clases de trfico
Simple Otta Seal
para que los pavimentos rociado sean aplicables.

IMD inferior a 500
Simple Otta Seal +

cubierta de sello de arena
IMD de ms de 500
Doble Otta Seal
Tabla 8.1 Recomendaciones Tipo de Otta Seal en relacin con los niveles de trfico.
0339
8.3 Granulometra preferida

El diseo de Otta Seals permite una variedad de gradacin de los agregados que se
utilizara siempre y cuando la curva de gradacin caiga dentro del rea designada de la
dotacin de gradacin general (ver Figura 5.1) y va como "suave" y en paralelo a la dotacin
como sea posible.
Como gua para el diseador de Otta Seals, tres dotaciones de
gradacin, en funcin
al trfico, se han elaborado para permitir un diseo ms racional. Sin embargo, el diseador
debe tener siempre en cuenta que en general todo tipo de agregado que cae dentro de las
especificaciones generales de dotacin puede ser utilizado siempre que la viscosidad del
ligante y las tasas de rociado estn diseadas en acuerdo.
Para el tipo de agregado ms grueso utilizado en el Otta Seal puede resultar beneficioso para
el agregado la existencias de agua 3 - 4 das antes de su uso.
Las tasas de aplicacin de agregados para un Otta Seal le parecen excesivas en comparacin
con la de un Chip Seal convencional
La nica limitacin respecto a la gradacin de agregado utilizado en un Otta Seal es con
respecto a la opcin gradacin abierta que no se debe utilizar para el trfico volmenes por
encima de IMD 1000.
Tabla 8.2 indica la preferida gradacin de agregado para fines de diseo de acuerdo con el
volumen de trfico.
IMD
MEJOR CLASIFICACIN ADECUADA
Menos que 100
abierto
100-1000
medio
Mas que 1000
denso
Tabla 8.2 gradacin preferente de agregado para Otta Seal

Las dotaciones de gradacin Abierta, Media y la gradacin "denso", se determinado la tabla
8.3a, el procedimiento de diseo de Otta Seals.
0340
% Acumulado que Pasa
Requisitos generales de granulometra
Tamiz (mm)
Gradacin Abierta
Tamiz (mm)
0341
Gradacin Media
Tamiz (mm)
Gradacin Densa
Tamiz (mm)
0342
Las tasas de aplicacin aglutinante son relativamente mayores para Otta Seals que para Chip
Seal convencional. Las tasas de regado en caliente de aglutinante normalmente caen dentro
del rango de 1,6 - 2,0 l/m2. (Kenya).
8.4 Tipo de aglutinante
La Tabla 8.3 muestra el tipo recomendado de aglutinante de Otta Seal hecho con las tres
gradaciones respectivas de agregado en las condiciones del lugar tpico en el continente
africano, como se describe en la tabla. En condiciones normales de sitio escandinavo asfalto
grado 150/200 de penetracin no se utiliza en Otta Seals.
En caso de grava dbil natural que contenga una proporcin bastante alta de finos se utiliza el
tipo de aglutinante correcto ser MC 3000 o incluso MC 800 Rango de viscosidad,
dependiendo de las condiciones climticas.
Cabe sealar que en la Tabla 8.3a asfalto de grado de viscosidad MC 3000 se recomienda
para su uso con los agregados de gradacin media en condiciones de fro (temperaturas
inferiores a 15C).
8.5 Tasa de roseado de Aglutinante
Los tipos de aglutinante requerido rociado para Otta Seal vara en funcin de la los siguientes
parmetros:
Del trfico (IMD)
Granulometra (abierta / media / densa)
La capacidad de absorcin de las partculas de agregado
Si la capa de base est preparado o no
Tasas
de
rociado
en
caliente
inferior
1,5
l/m2
no
se
debe
permitir.
0343
Para los agregados con una absorcin de agua de ms de 2%, la tasa de roseado en caliente
se debe aumentar en un 0,3 l/m2.
En el caso de que se ha imprimado la base la tasa de roseado en caliente deber reducirse en
un 0,2 l/m2 de la primera capa.
Tabla 8.3b presentan las tasas nominales rociado en caliente para Otta Seals.
1. Dotaciones Alternativa de Granulometra
Tamiz
Gradacin
Gradacin
Tamaos
Abierta
Media
(mm)
(% pasa)
(% pasa)
19.00 -
100
100
16.00 80 - 100
84 - 100
13.20 - 0.53
52 - 82
68 - 94
9.50 - 3/8
36 - 58
44 - 73
6.70 -
20 - 40
29 - 54
4.75 - N4
10 - 30
19 - 42
2.00 - N10
0 8
3 - 18
1.18 - N16
0 5
1 - 14
0.425 - N 40
0 2
0 6
0.075 - N
0 1
0 2
200
Gradacin
Densa
(% pasa)
100
93 - 100
84 - 100
70 - 98
54 - 80
44 - 70
20 - 48
15 - 38
7 - 25
3 - 10
AASHTO o BS
designacin de
la prueba
T 146-49
BS 1377
Cualquier material que cae dentro de los sobres abiertos, la clasificacin de mediano y
denso se puede utilizar como rido en un sello Otta.
Sin embargo, para un nivel de trfico IMD> 1000 vpd en el momento de los materiales
de construccin dentro de la dotacin de clasificacin normal no podr ser utilizado.
2. Eleccin de Asfalto en Relacin con la Clasificacin de Trfico
IMD en el momento
Tipo de Asfalto
de la construccin
Gradacin
Gradacin
Gradacin Densa
Abierta
Media
Mas que 1000
No aplicable
150 / 200 PEN
MC 3000
MC 800 en clima
frio
100 - 1000
150/200 PEN
150 /200 PEN
MC 3000
grado en el
MC 800 en clima
clima fro
frio
Menos que 100
150/200 PEN
MC 3000
MC 800
Asfalto grado 80/100 PEN no se utilizar en los sellos OTTA, menos suavizado o
reducir para cumplir por encima con los requerimientos de viscosidad.
La reduccin del grado de asfalto se pueden realizar mezclando PEN grado 80/100 en
el lugar utilizando las siguientes proporciones:
Para grado 150/200 PEN:
3-5% ms blanda, mezclado con un 95 -97% de PEN grado 80/100.
Ablandador puede ser hecho de destilados de petrleo, en su defecto el aceite
344
de
motor, viejo o nuevo. Adems se utilizar 3% de power paraffin.
La reduccin del grado de asfalto se pueden realizar mezclando PEN grado 150/200
insitu utilizando las siguientes proporciones:
Para hacer MC 3000:
grado 150/200
Para hacer MC 800:
grado 150/200
5 - 8% energa parafinas mezclada con 92 - 95% de PEN

15 18% energa parafinas mezclada con 92 - 95% de PEN
Circulacin en el tanque se llevarn a cabo durante al menos 1 hora despus del

mezclado
Tabla 8.3a procedimiento de diseo para Otta Seal.
3. Tipos de Roseado de Asfalto
Tasa de rociado de asfalto caliente en la cape base no-imprimada (l/m2)
Tipo de Otta Seal
Gradacin
Gradacin
Gradacin Densa
Abierta
Media
IMD < 100 IMD > 100
Doble
1 era capa
1.6
1.7
1.8
1.7
2da capa
1.5
1.6
2.0
1.9
Simple,
Arena fina
0.7
0.7
0.6
con un
Triturado de
0.9
0.8
0.7
sello de
polvo o arena
are
gruesa de ro
1 era capa (*)
1.6
1.7
2.0
1.9
Simple (*)
1.7
1.8
2.0
1.9
Sello de mantenimiento
1.5
1.6
1.8
1.7
(simple)
(*) En una base imprimada la tasa de rociado de Asfalto se reducir en un 0,2 l/m2 en
la primera capa.
Notas:
Donde el agregado tiene una capacidad de absorcin de agua de ms del 2%,
la tasa de rociado de asfalto se incrementar en un 0,3 l/m2.
El aglomerante para la cubierta con sello de arena ser MC 3000 y por el
polvo o la arena gruesa de ro triturado, MC 800 de fina arena
Tasa de aplicacin de agregado
Tipo de sello
Tasas de expandido de agregados (m3/m2)

Gradacin
Gradacin
Gradacin
Abierta
Media
Densa
Otta Seals
0.013 0.016
0.013 0.016
0.016 0.020
Sello de arena
0.010 0.012
En la prctica, las tasas de aplicacin agregado a menudo se incrementarn con el fin
de reducir el riesgo de exudacin.
Tabla 8.3b procedimiento de diseo para Otta Seal.
345
8.6. Tasa de aplicacin de agregados

Es importante aplicar una cantidad suficiente de agregado para asegurarse de que hay algo de
material sobrante durante el laminado y durante el perodo inicial de curado del sello. El
empotramiento del agregado normalmente tarda alrededor de 2 a 3 semanas para lograr que
agregado triturado se use, despus de lo cual cualquier exceso de agregado puede ser barrido.
Donde se utilice la grava natural el perodo de curado inicial ser considerablemente ms larga.
Las tasas de aplicacin agregado deben estar dentro de los rangos indicados en la tabla 8.3b.
Tabla 8.3b da los criterios para la seleccin del tipo de asfalto y las tasas de rociado para el
diseo de Otta Seals. Ninguna correccin de la tasa de roseado de asfalto debe hacerse en el
diseo para compensar el disolvente utilizado en el asfalto rebajado.
En contraste con los procedimientos adoptados para el diseo de Chip Seals en shoulders,
ningn procedimiento especial de diseo se requiere para Otta Seals en shoulders.
Una aplicacin agregado demasiado excesivo. (Botswana).
Tasa correcta de aplicacin de agregado. (Botswana).
346

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2. !"#!#$%&'!

Road Technology Department (NRRL)

A Guide to the Use of

Directorate of Public Roads

Front cover design:

Reproduction of extracts from this Publication may be made

Norwegian Public Roads Adm.

A Guide to the Use of Otta Seals

Oslo, 10th of August 1999

A Guide to the Use of Otta Seals

Norwegian Public Roads Adm.

Norwegian Public Roads Adm.

A Guide to the Use of Otta Seals

ORIGIN OF OTTA SEALS

SURFACING SELECTION CRITERIA

A Guide to the Use of Otta Seals

Norwegian Public Roads Adm.

THE GLOBAL USE

Norwegian Public Roads Adm.

A Guide to the Use of Otta Seals

A bituminous surfacing protects the base course

1.2 The Guideline, purpose and scope

1.3 Structure of the Guideline

Norwegian Public Roads Adm.

choice of surfacing followed by the Chapters 8, 9 and 10 which deal with

Norwegian Public Roads Adm.

A Guide to the Use of Otta Seals

l Provision of a durable, impervious surfacing which seals and protects

l Provision of a skid-resistant surface which can resist the abrasive and

2.2 Surfacing types

The above seal types are illustrated in Figure 2.1.

Schematic illustration of various types of bituminous surfacings.

A Guide to the Use of Otta Seals

Norwegian Public Roads Adm.

2.3 Factors affecting choice

l Type of pavement (strength, flexural properties, etc);

Norwegian Public Roads Adm.

A Guide to the Use of Otta Seals

ORIGIN OF OTTA SEALS

The unpaved road network was in a poor condition

l The investments should be earned back in a few years through reduced

Be cheap and easy to carry out anywhere in the country;

Utilise locally available screened natural aggregates;

Be impervious to prevent water into the water susceptible base material;

Be very flexible, durable and easy to maintain;

In 1963 the Norwegian Road Research Laboratory (NRRL) was

A Guide to the Use of Otta Seals

The Otta Seal originates from the Otta Vally in

Norwegian Public Roads Adm.

Single Otta Seal

Double Otta Seal

All types single surfacing seals demand very high

with sand cover seal

The choice of type of Otta Seal is dependent on a number of factors which

4.2 Mechanism of performance

Norwegian Public Roads Adm.

A Guide to the Use of Otta Seals

The concept of bleeding should also be viewed quite differently between

Single Otta Seal (0-16 mm). Thickness: minimum 16 mm