We at Ergon Asphalt & Emulsions hope you will find this handbook useful in your daily efforts in the areas of pavement preservation, maintenance, rehabilitation and construction. It is intended to be a simple guide and a quick reference to asphalt emulsions and their uses.

Asphalt emulsions have been used throughout the world for well over 50 years. In the early days, emulsions served as a solution to the problem of delivering asphalt at a usable temperature to remote locations. It was quickly recognized that the use of water as a carrier for asphalt had other distinct advantages. Emulsion expanded the types of materials that could be used and was much safer than hot or “cutback” products. Mixing asphalt with aggregates was easier, and the water phase carried the bitumen deep into cracks and crevices of a pavement surface that would have otherwise been left vulnerable to the elements.

As we move into the 21st century, the criterion of material selection is rapidly changing. The benefits and flexibility of asphalt emulsion products continue to emerge. A responsible awareness of the roadway construction and maintenance industry’s environmental impact, combined with the necessity of a healthy economy, demands we be less wasteful of our natural resources, more conscious of worker and user safety, and that we strive to efficiently manage limited taxpayer dollars. Two important research documents are referenced in this handbook. An “Eco- efficiency Study,” conducted by BASF Corporation, demonstrates the ecological advantage of using asphalt emulsion. A“Texas Chip Seal Study,” written by Dr. Doug Gransberg of Oklahoma University, proves the economical benefit of emulsion products. The complete studies can be accessed through the website of the Asphalt Emulsion Manufacturers Association at aema.org.

If you are planning to use an asphalt emulsion product we encourage you to use this handbook. Consider it an introduction to the vast knowledge and technology available to you from our industry. In the following pages, the many different grades of emulsions and their uses are outlined, storage and handling issues are discussed and you will find various conversion tables as well as other useful information. We hope you find this handbook very helpful, but as always, we encourage you to contact your local sales representative to address your individual needs.