Classic Cold Plastic

Symbols / arrows / grids Pedestrian crossings Diagonal markings

Cold Spray Plastic

Edge lines Center lines Highway markings

Textured Cold Plastic

Agglomerate markings Profiled markings PATHFINDER

Area Markings

Bike paths Bus lanes Restricted areas

Degussa - Reactive Resins to Bind Cold-Plastic Road-Marking CompoundsDEGAROUTE® is the world’s most recognised brand of high-quality, solvent-free methacrylate resins for use as binders in durable cold-plastic road-marking compounds.

DEGAROUTE allows for the compounding of tailor-made cold plastic road-markings on the basis of locally available fillers, pigments and additives. Methacrylate-based cold-plastic road-markings have continuously set the standards in the field of horizontal traffic guidance.

ROAD MARKINGS BASED ON COLD-PLASTIC

There are three main types of road markings, all based on cold-plastic:

Profiled markings – these markings make a sound when a vehicle crosses over them

Cold-spray plastic markings – these markings were enabled by the development of new high-quality, large-size reflective beads with optimized adherance properties

Textures markings or cold-plastic agglomerates – these markings make a lower noise than the profiled markings

TEXTURED ROAD-SAFETY MARKINGS

Textured road-safety markings (also called cold-plastic agglomerates), are similar to profiled markings in that they produced a noise when run over by a vehicle. However, the noise produced is lower. Other advantages include the reduced material consumption and

better snowplough resistance. Due to these and other advantages, the structure road-marking design of these cold-plastic agglomerates has gained popularity very quickly.

Structure markings, consisting of irregular small cold-plastic agglomerates of approximately 4mm thickness, are now available in several patterns. During wet conditions, the rain is channelled away from the agglomerates, allowing for continuous visibility. High-reflective glass beads on the marking surface provide superior retro-reflectivity.

DEGAROUTE classic cold-plastics are particularly suitable for manufacturing textured markings because they are not deformed by traffic even at higher temperatures. The good dimensional stability of the markings, provided by DEGAROUTE, is one of the main factors in the road-markings’ long-lasting visibility.

METHACRYLATE RESINS

Methacrylate systems adhere well to asphalt and concrete substrates. This quality, combined with excellent bead retention, makes methacrylate ideal for road markings that meet retro-reflectively requirements over many seasons.

Methacrylate reactive resins are well-suited to the formulation of structure markings. They are blended with fillers, glass beads, pigments and additives to create highly thixotropic materials that hold their shape during applications.

Methacrylate markings do not deform, as other profiled systems do under high ambient temperatures and repeated traffic loading, because of the chemical curing process. A life span of five years or longer is not uncommon for these systems.

SUPERIOR NIGHT VISIBILITY

Methacrylate road markings provide excellent night visibility. For profiled markings, the beads on the front sides, as well as those on the peaks of the elevations, have an effect. These beads, on the sides, are protected against tire contact and general wear and tear, and thus the visibility they provide is very durable.

These safety road-markings are also environmentally friendly as they do not require solvents or external heat for application. Other benefits include:

Skid resistance – providing safety, especially for cyclists and pedestrians Existing markings can be maintained by respraying, as the materials readily bond

to themselves Easy application

MARKINGS LINKED TO ROAD SAFETY

Over the last years, methacrylate structure markings have proved their practical suitability in many different countries. These superior road markings have gained in popularity due to their durability and wet-night visibility.

For example, in Switzerland,where structure markings where invented, approximately 70% of highways and 35% of all roads in the 71,000km (44,000 miles) Swiss transportation system include the use of structure markings for improved delineation and driver guidance.

Although not attributed directly to the use of structure markings, per capita fatalities on Swiss roads during the 10-year evaluation period fell from 12.4 in 1991 to 8.3 in 2000, a decrease of 33%. Similar experiences have recently been reported recently on a structured marking trial site in the UK, where personal injury accident wet-night accidents have been reduced significantly

PMMA Classic Cold Plastics 

PMMA classic cold plastics are two-component systems (base material and hardener) whose components are delivered separately, continuously mixed prior to application and applied to the road/pavement surface.

The mixed components remain liquid during the entire pot-life and then cure rapidly by means of a chemical reaction. Classic cold plastics are applied in layer thicknesses of 1.5 – 3.00 mm.

 

Application of DEGAROUTE® Classic Cold Plastics

 

Manual Application Methods

Directional arrow and other symbols as well as letters and numbers are outlined on the cleaned road surface using templates and chalk. The templates are then removed, the edges covered with adhesive tape and the entire inner surface evenly filled with the catalyzed marking compound in the desired layer thickness (by smoothing trowel). The self-adhesive tape should be removed after 5 – 8 minutes. Reflective beads and antiskid aggregates can

additionally be dropped onto the freshly marked surface.

Zebra stripes, center lines, side lines etc. can be applied by means of a "shoe." This is a metal frame with a slit at the back for material throughput that determines the layer thickness and line width (= selected width of application

"shoe").

 

Various easily transportable and inexpensive marking devices have been developed in line widths of 10 – 25 cm. They all work according to the application shoe method. The catalyzed marking compound flows from a tank into the shoe, which can be opened and closed by hand via a system of levers. With these devices, the beginning and end of the marking must be outlined beforehand. Profiled markings can also be applied with these devices (this

requires an additional fitting).

The companies Grün and Röhm can provide information on availability etc..

 

Application by means of automatic marking devices

For large construction projects on highways and interstate roads, the use of automatic marking machines with automatic line length measurement is customary. Various machines from Grün und Hoffmann are commercially

available for this purpose. Further information on these companies can be obtained from our database tool.

 

Machines that operate according to the application shoe principle

For these, the marking compound is mixed with hardener and poured into the shoe.

Extrusion machines have two material tanks for the A and B components, two interconnected feed systems and an extruder with a preceding mixing chamber. The line length and cutoff are controlled fully automatically. Different

extrusion dies are required for different line widths.

Such fully automatic 2-component extrusion machines make it possible to apply layer thicknesses of 1.5 – 3 mm and line widths of 10 – 30 cm.

Further information on availability etc. of fully automatic marking machines can be obtained from Hoffmann and Grün.

PMMA Cold Spray Plastics 

PMMA cold spray plastics are cold plastics that contain low-viscosity binders and fine fillers, and can therefore by mechanically sprayed, enabling higher application speed. They are generally applied in layer thicknesses of 0.4 –

1.00 mm.

 

Application of DEGAROUTE® Cold Spray Plastics

 

By Roller

All sprayable marking materials can generally be applied by lambskin roller as well. This type of application is particularly popular when applying no-passing areas and colored bike paths. Templates or adhesive tape are used

for edge lines. Hardener powder is normally added to promote curing.

Application by Means of Fully Automatic Spraying Machines

Layer thicknesses between 0.3 and 1.2 mm can be obtained using fully automatic spraying machines. The line widths can be adjusted between 10 and 30 cm. The AMAKOS system always provides the same layer thickness

even at different application speeds.

Various machines manufactured by Grün and Hofmann are commercially available. For further information on companies, please look here.

DEGAROUTE® Textured Safety Markings 

Every driver appreciates bright white road/pavement markings that show the way, both during day and at nighttime. Road markings offer the best guidance to drivers, particularly in the dark. Safety markings (profiled or

textured markings) are characterized by different kinds of raised structures.

Detail

If professionally applied and correctly selected, such marking materials offer a range of interesting and extremely useful properties to road users.

 

Textured markings function according to the following principle:

In classical road markings, glass beads are used to achieve retroreflection of the light from vehicle headlamps. The correct embedding of the glass beads in the liquid marking material during application is crucial for good, bright

retroreflection.

If the glass beads are covered with a film of rainwater, however, this principle ceases to function. Headlamp light is no longer reflected toward the driver, but is reflected as by a mirror, according to the well-known physical law for light rays "the angle of incidence is equal to the angle of emergence." This means that center lines of this type

remain largely invisible to drivers at night and in wet weather.

If the glass beads are incorporated in a raised position on a specially textured marking, though, retroreflection is ensured even in the presence of rainwater. Various types of raised effects are conceivable in a more or less

regular form.

 

Profiled Marking

Agglomerate Marking

As shown in the schematics, the following types of marking are in principle used:

Profiled Marking

Detail

Agglomerate Marking

 

Marking with Large Glass Beads

Detail

The retroreflection in wet weather based on three-dimensional causes has considerable effects on the visibility of a road marking. The textured marking with agglomerates is particularly worth mention. This is a "random" textured

marking applied by means of special techniques.

This special technology invented about 10 years ago in Switzerland provides excellent nighttime visibility in wet weather, i.e. the driver is provided with optimum guidance at night by the road markings.

 

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DEGAROUTE® classic cold plastics are particularly suitable for manufacturing textured markings because they are not deformed by traffic even at higher temperatures. This particularly good dimensional stability of the

markings based on DEGAROUTE® is one of the main reasons for good and long-lasting visibility values. You will find further information on the safety markings described here in our overview of references as well as the BASt

test reports.

DEGAROUTE® Bike Path Markings 

Colored bike path markings make a major contribution to greater road safety.

DEGAROUTE® classic cold plastics and cold spray plastics can be manufactured in almost all colors. For bike path markings, iron oxide, chrome green or cobalt blue pigments can be employed, for example, depending on the

desired hue.

 

The use of DEGAROUTE® resins as binders offers the following advantages:

 

a) various application methods, e.g. by trowel, roller, spraying or textured coating

 

b) variable layer thicknesses of 0.4 – 3 mm

 

c)  desired skid resistance can be obtained by

← applying colored sand ← thixotropically adjusted formulations

← surface texture d) colorfastness with all inorganic pigments, since no heating is required

 

e) short traffic interruption times

 

f) retroflection of textured marking plus reflective beads

 

Special DEGAROUTE® Applications 

Hall Markings

Interior hall markings lack the cleaning effect of weathering and traffic. Resin grades are available that show low dirt pickup under these conditions or are easy to clean.

DEGAROUTE® Films

Special grades of DEGAROUTE® can be used to manufacture preformed marking films for various applications.

Directional arrows on a DEGAROUTE® base offer better orientation in road traffic. They can be applied with smoothing trowels or using stationary spraying units.

Marked crosswalks enable pedestrians to cross the road on a specially designated section. Being a different color to the road surface, the strips are clearly visible.

 

2-component cold plastic systems for road markings 

offer a wide variety of solutions ...

 

 

 

Advantages of 2-component PMMA classic cold plastic systems:

← Very good adhesion to concrete and asphalt ← Very good dimensional stability, even at higher temperatures (absolutely essential for profiled

markings) ← Very good adhesion to existing 2-component cold plastic markings of a similar nature Very good grip

through the use of coarse fillers ← Very good adhesion of glass beads

← No stress cracking in the asphalt or plastic thanks to the flexibility of road markings based on DEGAROUTE®

← Processing and curing times can be adapted to the application method. Applicable at temperatures between 5 and 50°C

← DEGAROUTE® road/pavement markings are extremely abrasion-resistant. ← Plastics based on methyl methacrylate are characterized by their extremely high weather resistance.

That is the prerequisite for complying with traffic engineering values such as day and nighttime visibility, skid resistance and durability.

← Very good resistance to engine oil and fuels ← Very good resistance to deicing salt

← Very good resistance of agglomerate markings to snowplows A worthwhile investment in durability, economy and safety.