Race track rebuild in Italy

A motor racing circuit in Italy has benefited from a new asphalt surface, with the paving work carried out by machines from Sumitomo.

The circuit is located on the island of Sicily and is a 4.95km track around Lake Pergusa, featuring three chicanes. Wear and tear was beginning to show on the track surface so the management of the facility opted to have it repaved.

The Italian contractor Arletti Pavimentazioni from Modena was awarded the package of works for the track, which involved milling off the old wearing course, improving the foundation layers and repaving the circuit. The contract also included a number of ancillary works at the site.

Because of the requirements set by the track owner, the contractor had to meet high specification. No joints were allowed on the chicanes and were only permitted on the straight sections of the circuit.

To deliver the required variable screed widths, the contractor opted to use 2714 Sumitomo HA60W-8 pavers supplied by Officina Macchine Stradali (OMS), which handles the brand in Europe. The two pavers were equipped with Sumitomo’s JP2360 screeds, which were of benefit for the project as they can transition between widths of 2.3m to 6m without the need for bolt-on extensions. The screeds also allowed the paving crew to adjust the surface flatness continuously, ensuring a high-quality paving job. The strike-off device mounted ahead of the tamper bar also helped deliver a quality surface for the job. Other benefits of the Sumitomo pavers included low fuel consumption and minimal exhaust emissions.