The October 2020 opening of further sections of the E60 East-West Expressway opens an important traffic corridor for the entire Caucasus region. PENETRON ADMIX was used to enhance the durability of the expressway’s concrete superstructure. Construction of the E60 will be finished in 2022.
Also known as the new “Silk Route,” the E60 East-West Expressway is the second longest highway in the European Highway system. It starts on the Atlantic Coast in Brest, France, cuts diagonally across Europe, traverses both the Black Sea (from Romania to Georgia) and the Caspian Sea (from Azerbaijan to Turkmenistan), and terminates in Irkeshtam, Kyrgyzstan (on the border with China).
“At this stage of construction, the E60 Expressway is a modern 390 km highway that crosses the length of Georgia from west to east,” explains Dzhimsher Shengelia, Director of Penetron Georgia. “Today, it already forms the main corridor for transit and commerce through our country.”
Exposure to Wide Range of Climates
Construction of the E60 is being financed by the World Bank and other international organizations, including the European Union, European Investment Bank, Asian Development Bank, Kuwait Fund and Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA). The expressway is being built by Sinohydro, a Chinese contractor, and is set to be finished by 2022.
The design of the East-West Expressway consists of a 40 cm (18”) thick reinforced concrete deck covered by an asphalt layer as the final surface finish for the road sections, as well as over 100 bridges (total length: 4.6 km) and flyovers (total length: 6 km). The expressway follows a mountainous route through the Caucasus region, exposing the E60 to a wide range of climates.
Self-Healing Enhances Durability
PENETRON ADMIX was specifically added to the Expressway’s reinforced concrete deck to render the concrete matrix impermeable to moisture and road salts that would quickly deteriorate the concrete structure. The distinctive self-healing properties of PENETRON ADMIX can help extend the service life of concrete by 60 or more years in critical environments through the self-healing of any future hairline cracks that could form due to thermal expansion and contraction or long-term drying shrinkage. As a result, any water or harmful elements are prevented from penetrating the concrete.
“For road construction in difficult regions like the Caucasus, adding PENETRON ADMIX to the reinforced concrete roadbed ensures a longer service life and reduces any future maintenance and repair costs,” adds Dzhimsher Shengelia. “This will help keep traffic flowing.”
Making the E60 more durable: PENETRON ADMIX was used in the reinforced concrete decks of the E60 East-West Expressway in Georgia to render the concrete impermeable to moisture and road salts.
New “Silk Route”: The 2nd longest highway in the European Highway system, the E60 East-West Expressway starts on the Atlantic Coast in France and terminates in Kyrgyzstan (on the border with China).
