Types of paints for applying road markings

The use of paints and varnishes is quite wide and varied. Modern technologies of the chemical industry make it possible to introduce them into more and more different areas, industries and productions. The development of advanced types of surface coating products is of a specialized nature. That is, a specific purpose of paint requires it to have the necessary properties for this purpose. This increases product efficiency, allowing for reduced volumes consumed in the same area as a result of improved material quality and durability.

Road markings in Russia

Thus, money is saved. And this is a very important indicator, especially if the use of paint and varnish products takes place in government affairs, because expenses are covered by allocations from the budget.

There is an expression in Russia that the two main problems that everyone and everywhere encounter are fools and roads. Let's focus on the latter. The condition of the road surface along its entire length leaves much to be desired. There are, of course, individual sections of tracks that meet all the established indicators and do not cause any complaints. But overall the situation is not very good.

This is due to the presence of potholes, uneven surfaces, and incorrect or missing lane markings in some places that motorists should follow. This leads to frequent accidents involving pedestrians, drivers of cars and trucks. The result is harm to the health and lives of people (mild, moderate, severe), causing material damage to the property of owners, blocking traffic flow and many other negative consequences.

One way to partially solve the existing problem regarding markings would be to use high-quality materials from the paint and varnish industry to apply identification elements to the asphalt surface. This is made possible by the creation of tools whose purpose is to exclusively perform this task.

Now let’s take a closer look at each of the questions: about the marking of the road surface, the paintwork materials for its application (characteristics of each type separately), the ways in which this process can be carried out, technical support, conditions that change the state of the paint present on the asphalt surface.

"Road markings": basic provisions

Road marking is a marking made in a certain way and applied to the road surface. Its main function is to inform travelers in order to simplify their movement on a dangerous section of the route.

This concept is found quite often in the Rules of the Road. It also proposes its division into two types and the characteristics of each. There are horizontal and vertical markings depending on which surface (horizontal or vertical) the paint coating is applied to.

The application process is regulated by a number of legal acts. Among them are various GOSTs and departmental regulations on construction. For example, GOST R 51256-99.

The quality level of painted traffic lanes is also determined by the indicators of the paint and varnish product, its main features, and the impact of various factors directly during its operation.

Features of choosing a dye

The paint produced for road markings may have a different composition, and the choice of reflective enamel will be determined by:

• climatic features of the region;
• intensity of traffic (for the highway you need to choose a particularly wear-resistant composition, it is better to use two-component enamels);
• physical and chemical characteristics of asphalt.

Most often, for marking purposes, it is customary to use the following compositions that glow from headlights.

Acrylic based

Acrylic paint is easy to use and is available in the form of a concentrate. Before use, you just need to dilute it with water to the required consistency. It can be produced in finished form, in aerosol cans.

Any method can be used to apply acrylic dyes, but aerosol spraying is most often used. Paint and varnish compositions with acrylic are suitable not only for asphalt, but also for oil-bitumen or concrete coatings. But it is worth remembering that water-dispersed compositions can be washed off with water within half an hour, so when working with them you need to pay attention to weather conditions.

Based on alkyd resins

Alkyd enamel on a rubber base, the production of which has been launched recently, is characterized by high adhesion and wear resistance, and has proven itself well on highways. The marking consumption will vary depending on the nature of the fabric, but the convenient aerosol application method is not suitable for it.

Other options

Other durable enamels with the addition of reflective powders are used when a dye without reflective properties is already available. Such luminous compositions cannot be used on highways due to the uneven distribution of particles, but they are suitable for drawing lines or signs on less busy roads.

Two-component

These are enamels made using new technologies. Their distinctive feature is the absence of solvents and high saturation with reflective pigments. They have high strength and adhesion and are not damaged even during the operation of snow removal machines. With such enamels you can apply signs and lines on any road surface, using different methods: from aerosol to complex drawing with special machines. Their consumption will be relatively small - up to 500 g per m2. The use of two-component reaction enamels is also suitable for airfield markings.

Paint for road markings

Substances for asphalt surfaces are conventionally divided into two categories:

1. Used in most cases. Among them are specialized paints, characterized by particular resistance, and a group of plastics. A big role is given to paints and thermoplastics.
2. Used in certain situations. These are paving stones (made of clinker or ceramics), chips (made of porcelain), concrete (made of cement, asphalt or polymer), buttons (made of metal) and individual blocks.

Paints and varnishes for road surfaces are multicomponent mixtures. They contain 4 or more components: pigments, polymers, additives, fillers. The most important element that determines the quality of markings and its durability is the polymer.

The quality of the drawn lines also depends on the paint application technology. There are two ways: cold and hot. Some paint materials can only be applied in a certain way. The first method allows you not to renew the coating for up to two years. The second is often used on road sites with high speed limits (highways and highways). There is another fairly common group of products that provide light reflection.

Cold method and corresponding paintwork materials

Three groups of paint and varnish coatings are applied in this way:

1. Paints containing organic solvents;
2. Water-dispersed;
3. Cold plastic.

The first type of materials is represented mainly by waterproof paint products. Previously, EP-5155 enamel was used, but its properties were inferior to foreign samples. The experience of other countries and our developments were taken into account and a new type of paint was born - WMD (waterproof road marking).

The second type is distinguished by an increased level of environmental safety, which sets it apart from other “brothers”. However, this also has its drawbacks: a long drying time for the surface, low durability during the operation of the road surface.

Cold plastic significantly improves the last mentioned fact, extending the service life to two, and in some cases, three years. For comparison: usually horizontal markings require a new application after a year. This species appeared in Russia quite recently.

The group of cold-applied enamels includes, in addition to the previously mentioned number:

• 5155,
• AK-505,
• AS-554,
• EP-5327.

What materials can be used to mark the road?

When selecting materials that will be used to mark the road, it is necessary to take into account a number of characteristics:

• Visibility in the dark;
• Durability;
• Price;
• Application speed;
• Roughness.

Among the variety of means for performing work, various dyes and thermoplastics are widely used. They allow you to mechanize the process and speed it up.

Considering the fact that markings are subject to the destructive effects of mechanisms and adverse natural phenomena, it is necessary to choose a durable material with reflective properties.

The most affordable option is to use various dyes, which include a pigment, a filler, a binder and a solvent.

Such markings must be updated every 2-4 months, focusing on the intensity of traffic flow.

The increase in costs for carrying out work to restore the coating leads to the growing popularity of thermoplastics, the service life of which is 2-3 years.

This material is a composition of a binder component made from natural or synthetic resins, pigment and filler.

Hot type of application of materials

In some aspects, this method is more effective than the previous one.

Its advantages include:

1. Extended service life of hot-applied coatings. This is due to a noticeable thickening of the layer of material used for marking.
2. Less time-consuming production thanks to a fully mechanized process.

But there are also quite noticeable weaknesses, one might even say difficulties. First of all, it is a question of price. Hot production is several times more expensive than cold production. Secondly, constant monitoring of the temperature regime in automobile containers with paints and varnishes is necessary. Thirdly, you need special equipment that is designed specifically for this.

It’s easy to guess that the main material intended for this type of application is thermoplastic (“thermo” means heat, heat).

An example of this type of product is thermoplastics:

• "Megoplast"
• "Technoplast"
• TPK,
• TPK-N,
• texture M-1, M-2.

Marking technology

When it comes to applying road markings over large areas, it is worth giving preference to the mechanized method. There are a number of special machines designed for this. Thanks to their use, the level of quality, as well as the correctness of the lines, increases.

Automotive marking equipment must include the following elements:

• technological units;
• temperature control sensors;
• devices for applying lines of various sizes and spraying other components;
• spray nozzles;
• pressure regulator in a container with materials.

Russia usually purchases such equipment from foreign suppliers, who pay closer attention to the development of specialized equipment for applying road markings.

Application method

Road markings can be applied using two technologies. The choice of methodology is carried out taking into account the state of aggregation of the composition used.

Cold option. This technique is used when applying markings with water-dispersed paints, as well as compositions based on cold plastics and natural solvents. The technology is used for marking on surfaces that are subject to heavy wear, for example, pedestrian crossings fall into this category. The marking lasts about 24 months. At maximum traffic intensity, hot technology is used.

The hot method is used when working with thermoplastics and special yellow tapes, which are attached to the road surface using adhesive and a gas torch. To successfully complete the work, the air temperature must be in the range from +5 to +35°C.

Factors influencing the roadway

Throughout its service life, the marking line is affected by a number of factors that determine how wear-resistant the coating is. Many studies have been carried out in order to identify them. It was found that the summer season is characterized by less wear of the paint layer than the winter season. This is due to temperature conditions and sharp transmissions in the cold season.

So, what determines how long it takes for information lines to stay on the road?

1. The degree of change in the structure of the paint and varnish material itself;
2. The degree of change in the structure of the asphalt or concrete pavement;
3. The interaction of the applied substance with the one that is being painted;
4. Influence of temperature conditions;
5. Road congestion with cars (average cross-country ability);
6. Other.

The main element in the composition of paints and varnishes is polymer, as it performs a binding, connecting function.

Why do the markings glow?

Marking lines, arrows, pictograms and inscriptions must be bright and clearly visible at any time of the day or night in any weather conditions. To give the markings reflective properties, glass beads with a diameter of 100 to 600 microns (0.1-0.6 mm) are used.

Glass beads are introduced into the enamel immediately before marking is applied or distributed over the surface of the lines within 5 seconds from the moment the coloring composition is sprayed.

Glass microspheres perform several functions simultaneously:

1. They reflect the light of car headlights, thereby helping drivers clearly see the markings both in fog and at night.
2. Increases the wear resistance of markings and extends its service life.
3. Strengthens the adhesion of wheels to the surface of the canvas.

Glass beads must be used in areas with high accident rates and on unlit sections of the road. When applying reflective markings, the consumption of glass microspheres should be at least 200-250 g per 1 square meter. m.

conclusions

As we can see, the market for specialized materials in the paint and varnish industry intended for road markings is very wide. There are both domestic developments (for example, VMD paint) and imported ones.

The situation on the roads largely depends on the properly organized space of the roadway. The effectiveness of the marking process depends on the use of a particular material (priority paint with a narrow focus - only for roads), the method of its application (cold or hot), the equipment used for road work and more.

New developments in the Russian chemical industry will further improve the quality of coatings and increase the degree of adhesion to the road surface. The main area that should be given close attention is increasing the service life of paints and varnishes for road use in order to save the state money. This may also contribute to reaching a higher level of the market in this area and the emergence of a positive trend in sales volumes of paints and varnishes.

Application of reflective material

Road markings must be visible to the driver at any time of the day and in any weather. This will help avoid a large number of accidents.

For these purposes, modern reflective coatings are used when marking asphalt. The material in demand is SMS, reflective glass microbeads.

It is not applied independently, but is applied in tandem with marking paint. Increases the visibility of road markings at night and in the rain. The action of glass microbeads is described as:

• breaking the light from headlights;
• reflections of a bright stream at an angle;
• direction of light flow into the driver's eyes.

Transparent balls have the maximum reflective effect.

SMS is applied in three ways:

1. Microballs become components of marking paint. Their share is from 10 to 20%.
2. Road paint is sprinkled on top SMS: from 200 to 300 gr. material per m2.
3. Tandem of two ways to connect to CM.

Technical requirements for road marking materials

Table 1. Color coordinates of dried films of paints (enamels), hardened thermoplastics and cold plastics must correspond to these values.

Table 2. The brightness coefficient of the dried film of paints (enamels), hardened thermoplastics and cold plastics must correspond to these values.

Table 3. The density of road marking materials must correspond to these values.

Table 4. Conditional viscosity of paints (enamels) must correspond to the values, taking into account the class that determines the requirements for this parameter.

Table 5. The degree of grinding of paints (enamels) must correspond to the values, taking into account the class that determines the requirements for this parameter.

Table 6. The mass fraction of non-volatile substances of paints (enamels) must correspond to the values, taking into account the class that determines the requirements for this parameter.

Technology for applying materials for road markings AK-511, AK-505, EP-5155

In recent years, due to a significant increase in the number of cars and trucks on the country's roads, the role of technical means ensuring the organization of traffic has increased. The quality and functionality of road markings play an important role in this matter.

To obtain high-quality, durable markings, two basic conditions must be met:

• use of high quality materials;
• high-quality execution of marking work.

High-quality application of road markings must be preceded by two important measures: an assessment of the level of operational load of the road on which the markings will be applied and, as a result, the correct choice of paint and varnish material.

Assessing the level of operational load of a highway involves taking into account the influence of a whole set of factors on the condition of the roadway: traffic intensity in a given section, width of the roadway, type and quality of road surface, purpose and location of markings, seasonal temperature changes, etc. All these factors are assessed in points and, based on the sum of points, the level of operational load of the road is determined.

Below is an example of selecting material for road markings.

1. First of all, the traffic intensity of the route is assessed (Table 1):

In our example, we take the traffic intensity from 6,000 to 10,000 cars per day, which corresponds to 2 points.

2. Then, according to Table 2, the width of the roadway is estimated:

We take the width of the roadway to be 6 - 7.5 meters, i.e. 1 point.

3. Next, we evaluate the purpose and location of the markings (Table 3):

The type of marking applied is center lines, which corresponds to 4 points.

4. In accordance with Table 4, we evaluate the type and quality of the road surface:

Let the surface be asphalt concrete with natural roughness - 0 points.

5. We evaluate the influence of seasonal operating factors:

6. According to Table 6, we take into account the influence of other factors:

To simplify the problem, we will neglect seasonal and other operating factors. Then the sum of points is:

Σ = 2 + 1 + 4 + 0 + 0 + 0 + 0 = 7.

7. The level of operational load on the road section is determined taking into account the amount of points obtained according to Table 7 below:

8. Now, knowing the level of operational load on the highway, you can begin selecting the optimal paint and varnish material:

Those. To mark our section of the road, it is necessary to use paint and varnish material or spray plastic.

More details on the principles of selecting paints and varnishes for road markings can be found in [1, 2].

The second, no less important preliminary stage is the incoming control of marking materials, which should begin with checking the availability of the necessary regulatory and technical documentation accompanying the material: technical specifications, technical passport for the supplied batch of material, sanitary-epidemiological report and quality certificate.

Incoming quality control of the material for compliance with the requirements of regulatory and technical documentation (GOST R 51256-99 and technical specifications for the material) is carried out by a specialized independent laboratory that has the appropriate accreditation, the necessary methods, equipment and specialists.

Upon completion of the preparatory work, they begin directly to apply road markings. The conditions and technology for applying markings are described in detail in a number of methodological documents [1, 2, 3, 4, 5].

The road marking technology consists of several stages:

1. Preparing the road surface for painting;
2. Preparation of paint and varnish material for application;
3. Preliminary marking of the road surface;
4. Applying primer (if necessary)
5. The actual application of road markings (including glass beads);
6. Washing equipment and tools.

Applying markings begins with preparing the surface of the road surface: demarcating (removing) the remains of old markings that have become unusable, performing patching or major repairs to the pavement, and filling cracks. The coating must be cleaned, washed and dried. Then climatic conditions are monitored for compliance with the recommendations of the instructions for use of the material. Recommended climatic conditions for applying markings: air and road surface temperature from +5 to +35 °C and relative air humidity not higher than 85%. Fresh asphalt and concrete must be kept at a temperature of at least 10 °C for 7 - 10 days, and after rain the surface must be allowed to dry. It is highly undesirable to apply it to the road surface during rain.

Preliminary markings are applied manually or using a special marker bracket installed on a marking machine. The technology for applying preliminary markings includes determining control points, tensioning the cord and applying points that fix the design position of lines and symbols of road markings. Applying preliminary markings must begin with the center lines, and then apply lines parallel to them that separate the lanes.

Subpriming, including the choice of material and technology, is carried out in accordance with the recommendations of the manufacturer of the marking material.

Next, the paint and varnish material is prepared, which consists of diluting it to working viscosity and loading it into the container of the marking machine. Enamel EP-5155

diluted
with solvent 646
(GOST 18188), paints and enamels based on solvent-borne acrylic copolymers are diluted to working viscosity, usually with toluene, butyl acetate (or a mixture of them in a 1:1 ratio), or
solvent
R-4 or
acetone ,
water-dispersed marking materials with water .
The degree of dilution enamels
to working viscosity depends on the application method (marking machine, brush, roller), but usually does not exceed 10% by weight of the material. Before use, the paint and varnish material must be thoroughly mixed. The measures for the preparation of paints and varnishes are described in more detail in the relevant methodological recommendations [6], as well as in the instructions for the use of paints and varnishes and the operation of the corresponding marking machines.

The increase in the production of domestic acrylic copolymers has led to the emergence of paints and varnishes with a high dry residue (more than 70%), while the wear resistance of the paint has increased by 2-10 times. These are materials such as AK-503

,
AK-505
,
AK-511, AK-513, AK-540, AK-585
and others.

Markings with paints (enamels) are applied using special marking machines by pneumatic or airless spraying in accordance with the regulations and operating instructions for the machine, or manually using a stencil using a paint sprayer, brush or roller.

To improve the visibility of markings and create a retroreflective effect, reflective glass beads (microspheres) are introduced into the paint.

The requirements for glass beads are presented below:

The most optimal size of glass beads is 70 – 160 microns, although the use of microspheres with a diameter from 100 to 600 microns is allowed (STO MShS-01-03 “Retroreflective elements (glass beads) for road markings”). The recommended amount of glass beads is 25 - 30% by weight of the paint and varnish material.

METHODS OF INTRODUCING GLASS BEADS INTO PAINT

• introduction of paint and varnish material into the interior in an amount of no more than 30%;

• sprinkling on top of freshly applied road markings in an amount of 200 – 300 g/m2;

• combination of the above methods.

Application of glass beads

application to the road marking surface is carried out automatically using a special pneumatic distributor included in the set of marking machines. Before starting work, microspheres are loaded into a special container of the marking machine, from where they are fed under pressure through a special nozzle onto the surface of the freshly applied, unformed marking. When applying the marking material, glass beads under air pressure are fed through a separate nozzle onto the surface of the unformed marking line. When manually applying road markings, glass beads are also applied manually. When applying paint with a roller, microballs are not used.

To achieve the maximum effect of retroreflection, it is necessary that the glass beads are half immersed in the paint and varnish material. In this case, good retention of microspheres by the marking material is achieved, and optimal refraction and reflection of light is achieved. If the glass beads protrude from the material by more than 50%, they are easily “knocked out” by the wheels of vehicles. When glass beads are immersed more than halfway in the marking material, the reflected light flux decreases sharply.

Immediately after completion of work, it is necessary to wash the equipment and painting tools. Washing is usually carried out with a solvent used to dilute the enamel. After washing the equipment and tools, the cleaning solvent can be used for its intended purpose. Thus, on the one hand, solvent losses are reduced, and on the other, the issue of its disposal is resolved.

In conclusion, it only remains to add that all work on marking road surfaces must be carried out by qualified personnel.

Video on the topic:

“High-quality road paint for road markings and materials for its application AK-503, AK-505, AK-511, AK-513, AK-540, AK-585”

Along with this read:

“The influence of pigments and fillers on the abrasion resistance of road marking coatings”

“Comparison of technical indicators of road marking paints Stollreflex D1163 (Austria) and AK-513 (Khimtek PA LLC)”

"Life lines. Road markings."