Resisting ice and heat: road markings in extremes

Road markings in Scandinavia: masters of extremes

Let's start in Scandinavia, where being mobile means battling the elements. The climatic conditions are as extreme as they come, with temperatures fluctuating between minus 35°C in winter and plus 30°C in summer.

The icy winters are particularly hard on the road markings in the north. The frosty temperatures come with lots of snow and ice. It is hardly surprising that many drivers fit studded tyres – especially in Sweden, where the highest proportion of studded tyres in the world can be found. These special winter tyres provide more grip in winter driving conditions, but the metal studs not only dig into ice and snow, but also into the road markings. This can cause pieces of the road marking to be literally torn out. Intensive winter road maintenance with snow ploughs also contributes to increased abrasion. Applying long-lasting, robust road marking systems under these conditions is no easy task!

First choice: thermoplastics

As so often, the secret is the perfect balance – in this case between hardness and flexibility. To achieve this, the special properties of the road surface (e.g. the specific bitumen content in the asphalt) must be considered so that the road markings adhere to the substrate as well as possible. The clear favorite in Scandinavia is thermoplastic. This hot-applied, liquid marking material dominates on roads when hardened, as it is best suited to Scandinavian conditions.

Retroreflective glass beads make all the difference

During the long winters, retroreflective glass beads also play a crucial role. They provide good visibility of the markings in the dark and protect the marking material from early abrasion. This means that in Scandinavia, micro glass beads are needed that can withstand both studded tyres and snow ploughs. A requirement profile that is tailor-made for SWARCO SOLIDPLUS & SWARCO DURALUX beads: thanks to their particular robustness and excellent retroreflective properties, they enable optimised night-time visibility of the markings over longer periods. In addition, the premium reflective glass beads can be used with all marking materials, both as premix and as drop-on beads.

‘’The quality of the glass beads used plays a crucial role in achieving a uniform and high-quality road marking,‘’ emphasises Pierre Krips, who is responsible for the Scandinavian market at SWARCO Road Marking Systems – and he adds: “High-quality premix beads significantly improve the flow properties of the thermoplastic material.” That is why SWARCO Road Marking Systems optimally matches the sieving curves and coatings of the reflective glass beads with the partners in the Scandinavian countries to meet their requirements. SWARCO thus counters the challenging conditions with many years of expertise and high-quality products to improve road safety in Scandinavia.

Under Australia's scorching sun

From the north, we now move to the southern hemisphere. While Scandinavia is dominated by snow and ice during the winter months, Australians are currently enjoying the height of summer in their country. Temperatures in the dry and hot regions of Australia can climb to 50°C in summer. The concentrated energy of the sun heats up the roads – and with them the lane markings. The materials used must be able to withstand this heat to avoid becoming soft and deformed or fading. As the sun rises, so does UV radiation, which can fade materials and accelerate degeneration.

The daily struggle with the giants of the road

Sand and mineral dust pose another challenge. Strong winds can blow them across the roads, increasing abrasion. The legendary four-trailer road trains in Australia put the road markings through an additional endurance test. Australia's vast and remote landscapes have given rise to this extreme form of heavy transport. The huge vehicles, which often exceed 50 metres in length and weigh up to 185 tonnes, have become indispensable for transporting goods across the expansive outback. Their sheer size and associated weight place a considerable burden on the road infrastructure.

The constant heavy traffic also increases the wear on the road markings. In addition, the strong wind turbulence caused by these giant trucks can stir up additional dust and debris, further damaging the markings.

Solutions for every challenge

To meet these challenges alone, high-performance, wear-resistant road marking systems are required. Meanwhile, other parts of Australia present entirely different climatic challenges. On rural road networks, water-based paints are the material of choice. However, to ensure that road markings remain clearly visible despite the extreme conditions, cold and thermoplastics are essential due to their excellent adhesion and durability.

Australia's extreme conditions require expertise and innovation to ensure that road marking materials are tailored to the challenges and designed for the best possible durability, visibility and safety. This expertise is also emphasised by John Sanford, Regional Business Manager for SWARCO Road Marking Systems in Australia: “With our many years of experience, we develop products that increase road safety even in the most demanding environmental conditions. Our focus is on ensuring strong performance in extreme temperatures, high UV radiation and heavy rain.”

The commitment in Australia illustrates the tireless efforts of SWARCO to continuously improve the portfolio of road marking systems and their components. We chemically formulate our road marking materials to suit the climatic conditions on site. SWARCO experts are constantly working to further optimise the durability, retroreflection and resistance of the systems to contribute to the highest possible safety for all road users – even under extreme conditions, worldwide.

About SWARCO Road Marking Systems

Quality products and services from SWARCO Road Marking Systems guide traffic safely from A to B by day and, above all, by night. On all types of roads. Whatever the weather. From a single source. Over 5,000 customers in more than 80 countries place their trust in them.