road camber

What is a Road Camber?

BituChem Ltd |

Roads are not flat but are designed and constructed to assist in the drainage of water. This is known as a camber. The surface is angled to stop rain water and snow melt gathering into puddles. Surface water on a road can cause aquaplaning where a vehicles wheels are lifted from contact with the asphalt while in motion. This lack of grip and traction results in the loss of control and is very dangerous and frightening. If water gathers and does not drain away, it can deteriorate the surface with cracks and potholes appearing over time, especially if it freezes.

Different Types of Road Camber?

Most roads in the UK are angled with an “A type” camber. This is where the central point is at its highest and the lowest is positioned by the kerb. The central point is known as the crown and the surface water is distributed into the gullies at the edges and guided into the urban drainage system. The influence on driving with this camber is that the effect on your steering increases as you manoeuvre through a left hand turn but reduces on a right hand turn.

Motor racing tracks and high speed roads are different in that they have an “Elevated Camber”. This is where the entire width of the road is banked upwards towards the outer edge of a bend. The result is to assist drainage but also to reduce the centrifugal force a vehicle experiences when cornering at high speed.
Another kind is the adverse road camber. This is where the slope of the road angles downwards towards the outside and is the opposite of a banked corner. We sometimes encounter this when there are road works and a contraflow is in place.

Protecting Road Cambers with BituChem

Bituchem supply a wide range of road preservation and highway waterproofing products which protect the top layer of the surface. When combined with the camber of a road, excess water distributes and runs off making the highway a safer place to travel over and adds to the longevity of the surface.

For further details of BituChem products, please contact us.