How Calcium Chloride Helps Stabilize Roads - OxyChem Calcium Chloride
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How Calcium Chloride Helps Stabilize Soil

How Calcium Chloride Helps Stabilize Soil Before Road Reconstruction - OxyChem Calcium Chloride

Before Road Construction

Road base stabilization (also known as soil stabilization or gravel stabilization) has been used in new construction and reconstruction of roads for decades. The process can reduce material needs and costs by conserving natural resources. It’s used to rehabilitate unpaved roads or to prepare a road base for paving. Either way, getting the road base stabilization process right can result in lower material and labor costs, while enhancing the road base strength, quality, resilience, and longevity.

How Does Calcium Chloride Work to Stabilize Soil and Gravel?

Using calcium chloride for soil stabilization extends the life of unpaved roads and enhances base strength and resistance to deterioration caused by traffic and weather.

Calcium chloride attracts and retains moisture from the air to hold fines and larger gravel particles together, which facilitates compaction and contributes strength and stability to the road base. The cohesive power of calcium chloride helps prevent base failures, increases the road’s load bearing capacity, and minimizes the effect of freeze-thaw cycles and resulting frost heaves. To achieve maximum compaction, the moisture content of the aggregate is critical; too much moisture results in insufficient compaction, while too little can cause particles to be forced apart under pressure. Liquid calcium chloride provides the ideal moisture content to ensure the ongoing stability of the road base. 

LIQUIDOW® Calcium Chloride Solution is the Proven Choice

Adding LIQUIDOW Calcium Chloride Solution to the subgrade stabilizes soil and improves compaction, making it the superior choice for better, longer lasting roads. Benefits include:

  • Effective dust abatement, reducing the potential for vehicle accidents caused by visibility issues.
  • Reduced inhalation of airborne particulate (and improved quality of life) for those who live, camp, or work nearby.
  • Less road blading required, decreasing both maintenance costs and sediment load on nearby streams and lakes.
  • Reduced need for aggregate replacement, conserving resources and lowering costs.
  • Minimized potential for frost damage. 

LIQUIDOW Technical Grade Calcium Chloride Solution, available in a range of concentrations from 28% - 42%, is key to successful soil stabilization for road reconstruction and construction, helping ensure the quality, resilience, and longevity of the road while reducing costs. Learn more about LIQUIDOW for soil stabilization by contacting an OxyChem distributor today.


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