Final paving began today.
Circuit of The Americas begins final paving process for racetrack
Complex, two-month process starts Aug. 10, includes paving access and service roads and walkways
AUSTIN, Texas (Aug. 10, 2012) — Circuit of The Americas has begun an intensive paving process that is
required to prepare the racing circuit and entire facility for the inaugural 2012 FORMULA 1 UNITED
STATES GRAND PRIX, scheduled for Nov. 16-18.
The massive paving project will involve final paving of the 3.4-mile racing surface, venue access and
service roads, and walkways around the property. A paving project this large and complex requires
acute attention to detail to ensure the finished surface can accommodate varying weather conditions, as
well as high performance vehicles racing at extremely high speeds throughout the year.
“This is an exciting milestone in our construction process, and will help us quickly transform Circuit of
The Americas from a construction site into a working sports and entertainment facility,” said Circuit Vice
President of Public and Community Relations Julie Loignon. “Our paving team, which is comprised of
Austin Commercial, Tilke GmbH and a variety of subcontractors, has extensive experience in projects
requiring this extreme level of detail, and we’re confident the end result will be a Grade 1 racetrack that
puts Austin on the world motorsports map.”
Defined as “echelon paving,” the process involves three to four paving machines moving in unison along
the racetrack surface to ensure a uniform, seamless top layer of asphalt. The process and equipment are
considered to be highly specialized. One particular instance in which this paving machine is being used is
in Central Texas to pave the State Highway 130 extension.
The pavement material itself has a unique composition compared to that used for public roadways. It is
required to be highly skid-resistant for the type of vehicles driving on the track, as well as the high
speeds being reached. The composition ensures consistency of texture, smoothness of ride, and the
conformance to the specifications outlined by motorsports governing body, the Federation
Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA).
The paving process will limit access to on-site visits and interviews. The Circuit of The Americas
communications team will work to accommodate interviews or meetings at our downtown offices
during this time.
About Circuit of The Americas
Circuit of The Americas will be a world-class destination for performance, education and business. It will
be the first purpose-built Grand Prix facility in the United States designed for any and all classes of
racing, from motor power to human power, and be the U.S. home to the 2012 FORMULA 1 UNITED
STATES GRAND PRIX™ Nov. 16-18. Page 2 of 2
The Circuit of The Americas’ master plan features a variety of permanent structures designed for
business, education, entertainment and race use. Its signature element will be a 3.4-mile circuit track.
Other support buildings will include an expansive outdoor live music space, a conference center, a
banquet hall as well as a state-of-the-art medical facility. Future proposed amenities include a
driving/riding experience, a motorsports driving club, kart track, grand plaza event center and tower,
and a trackside recreational vehicle park. For more information and downloadable video, audio and
photos, visit:
www.CircuitofTheAmericas.com.
Key Paving Facts
The different layers of pavement are unique in that they each are composed of a different
combination of materials, or aggregates. Aggregates have been sourced locally from Central Texas.
The closer to the surface a layer is the higher percentage of bitumen- a material used for paving- it
contains. The layers are as follows:
3.1 in. of base course
2 in. of binder course
1.6 in. of wearing course
Cure time between layers can vary with the construction schedule. It is typical to have at least a day
or two between different layers being laid, but it is permissible to have even longer periods to fit the
access requirements for construction. It is desirable to have the shorter period between the final two
layers as this minimizes the amount of surface cleaning between layers.
Cleaning the track prior to paving each layer will require the use of power brooms to remove the
majority of the heavy dirt. Any material stuck to the track may require removal by scraping the
surface with a shovel or blade. This may be followed by the use of sprayed water from a water truck
and possibly a vacuum truck as well. Blowers will be used in some areas where larger equipment
cannot access.
This pavement is unique in that it provides a high level of skid resistance and is composed of a
unique combination of materials. A similar material is used on other racetracks around the country.
This is a unique combination of materials compared to what is used for public roadways. The level of
performance required, daily traffic volume, and the weight of the vehicles on a public roadway are
very different than that of a racetrack and require a different composition.
The paving process takes approximately 7-12 days per layer, dependent upon the overall
construction schedule. Between the base course installation and the binder course installation,
many other safety features must be put in place. This takes a certain amount of time between those
two layers.
The paving machine is unique in that it paves with acute attention to detail throughout the paving
process. This type of paving machine is currently being used on the State Highway 130 project to our
south, to a limited degree on other highway projects, and on various racetracks. Each machine takes
three workers to operate. Three to four paving machines pave in unison in an “echelon” formation.
Approximately 60 workers will be dedicated to the paving process on site.
