The curing layer is used to protect road layers made with :
- hydraulically treated / bound materials layers, or
- Grave Emulsion mixtures
The curing layer acts as a waterproof membrane that :
- Prohibits any ingress of water in the event of wet weather, as well as any loss of water by evaporation (particularly indicated for materials treated with hydraulic binders)
- Allows site construction traffic or even temporary normal traffic pending construction of the next road layer
- Encourages bonding between the layer underneath and subsequent road layer above
The bitumen emulsion used is slow-breaking and has a binder content of approximately 60% or less, resulting in a low emulsion viscosity and allowing a good even distribution over the treated layer. Often, the curing layer is slightly gravelled or chipped to reinforce the surface bond with the treated material or substrate.