Frequently asked questions

LL-TEQ is a pavement-stabilization system made of two complementary products: LL30, a polymer binder that integrates into in-place materials (recycled asphalt, aggregates, natural soils) to create a single, dense and watertight structure, and LL25, a topical sealing coat that protects the surface. The technology is deployed in 39 countries and has been used by the U.S. military since 2012. LL-TEQ is the Québec adaptation of the system, produced here and engineered for the specific challenges of our roads: water, freeze-thaw and heavy loads.

Yes. An independent report signed by a third-party Engineer of Record in May 2026 evaluated the freeze-thaw performance of the LL-TEQ system across 9 reference sites in the United States, totalling 77 cumulative winters of service in 4 climate regimes comparable to that of the St. Lawrence Lowlands. The finding is unequivocal: 0 defects attributable to freeze-thaw observed on any of the 9 sites. No cracking, no potholes, no heaving, no rutting. The secret: LL-TEQ keeps water out of the pavement structure. No infiltrated water, no freezing expansion, no thaw creating voids — therefore no degradation.Source: LL-TEQ Dossier – Freeze-thaw performance, May 2026.

The reference sites evaluated in May 2026 by a third-party Engineer of Record have up to 10 winters of real service with no structural defect and no defect attributable to freeze-thaw — all backed by visual inspections. How many winters an LL-TEQ pavement will then last depends on the road type, traffic volume, vehicle weight and site conditions. Because the system is not a floating surface added on top but a single, watertight structure integrated into the soil, the classic failures (cracking, rutting, potholes) that come from a water-weakened sub-base are nearly nonexistent. Light periodic surface maintenance extends the service life further.

Significant. Traditional Québec practice requires a total thickness of 550 to 950 mm (bituminous layers + base + sub-base). LL-TEQ does the same job in a single 150 mm layer, integrated directly into the soil — up to 6 times thinner.Source: LL-TEQ Dossier – Freeze-thaw performance, May 2026.

Major. Traditional Québec practice requires a total thickness of 750 to 1,150 mm (bituminous layers + base + sub-base). LL-TEQ does the same job in a single 150 mm layer, integrated directly into the soil — up to 7 times thinner.Source: LL-TEQ Dossier – Freeze-thaw performance, May 2026.

Enormous. Traditional Québec practice requires a total thickness of 1,000 to 1,500 mm (bituminous layers + base + sub-base). LL-TEQ does the same job in a single 150 mm layer, integrated directly into the soil — up to 10 times thinner.Source: LL-TEQ Dossier – Freeze-thaw performance, May 2026.

Very simply. A single pass of a pulvomixer is enough to break up the layer — no excavation, no hauling materials off site. The treated soil stays in place and becomes workable soil again. Because LL-TEQ is non-toxic and biodegradable, you can replant trees, return the area to cultivation or give it back to nature without contaminating the soil or nearby watercourses.

No. Potholes are the evolution of cracks that let water in, which freezes and ejects the material. Because LL-TEQ is watertight and formed as a single block, with no cracks or interface where water can infiltrate, the mechanism that creates potholes simply does not exist. Across 9 sites and 77 cumulative winters of service, no potholes observed.Source: LL-TEQ Dossier – Freeze-thaw performance, May 2026.

No. Cracks in a traditional pavement come from thermal shrinkage of the bitumen and fatigue of the asphalt matrix. LL-TEQ uses a dual-architecture polymer: hard segments that provide strength, and soft segments that absorb variations in temperature and pressure — the structure deforms slightly rather than cracking. Across 9 sites and 77 cumulative winters of service, no cracking observed.Source: LL-TEQ Dossier – Freeze-thaw performance, May 2026.

No. Alligator cracking is caused by fatigue of the asphalt under repeated traffic, amplified by freeze-thaw weakening of the base. LL-TEQ has neither an asphalt layer that fatigues nor a separate base that can weaken — it is a single block that distributes load throughout its volume. Across 9 sites and 77 cumulative winters of service, no alligator cracking observed.Source: LL-TEQ Dossier – Freeze-thaw performance, May 2026.

No. Frost heave occurs when water accumulates in the soil beneath the pavement and forms ice lenses that push the surface upward. LL-TEQ keeps water out of the structure from the start: no water in the treated soil, no ice lenses, no heave. Across 9 sites and 77 cumulative winters of service, no frost heave observed.Source: LL-TEQ Dossier – Freeze-thaw performance, May 2026.

No. Slippage cracking is a defect specific to multi-layer structures: the surface laid on top slides over the layer below when adhesion fails (braking, water, frost). LL-TEQ is not laid on top of anything — it is a single layer integrated into the soil, with no interface that can slip. The mechanism does not exist. Across 9 sites and 77 cumulative winters of service, no slippage cracking observed.Source: LL-TEQ Dossier – Freeze-thaw performance, May 2026.

No. Rutting is a permanent depression in the wheel paths caused by settlement of the layers under vehicle weight, amplified by spring-thaw weakening of the base. LL-TEQ has no layers to settle and no base to weaken: the load distributes through the entire volume of the treated block, with no weak point. Across 9 sites and 77 cumulative winters of service, no rutting observed.Source: LL-TEQ Dossier – Freeze-thaw performance, May 2026.

No. LL-TEQ is a water-based polymer binder, non-toxic and biodegradable. It coats the soil particles without releasing contaminants. That is precisely why it was approved by the U.S. Department of Fish & Wildlife for use in sensitive ecological habitats. No soil contamination documented.Sources: U.S. Department of the Interior – Fish & Wildlife Service letter (May 2017); LL30/LL25 LL-TEQ technical data sheets, May 2026.

No. An independent study (Coastal Bioanalysts, a NELAP TNI–accredited laboratory) tested rainwater runoff from an LL25-treated surface using EPA methods. The result: no acute toxicity observed on the two aquatic species tested (Ceriodaphnia dubia and Pimephales promelas), with a 100% survival rate even at the maximum concentration.Source: Coastal Bioanalysts, Acute Toxicity of Runoff Water – LL25, July 2013.

No. LL-TEQ is applied cold, with no heating of the product or the soil, unlike traditional asphalt which must be produced and laid at 150–180 °C. No combustion, no bitumen fumes, no smoke. The process significantly reduces the carbon footprint and improves air quality during and after installation.Sources: LL30/LL25 LL-TEQ technical data sheets; system technical documentation.

Minimum 12 hours, depending on site conditions. Once the initial cure is complete, the road can be opened to traffic.Source: LL-TEQ technical guide.

Yes. LL-TEQ can rehabilitate an existing pavement by integrating the degraded asphalt and the underlying granular base directly, through cold in-place recycling. There is no need to remove the existing materials — they are transformed into a single unified layer. Repaired zones bond perfectly to the surrounding pavement, with no bump or marked interface.Source: LL-TEQ technical guide.

Virtually all soil types: sandy, clayey, silty, gravelly or mixed soils, natural gravels, lateritic materials, decomposed granite, crushed limestone, as well as recycled asphalt (RAP), granular base materials and other recycled materials. LL-TEQ adapts to the in-place material — the design engineer determines the optimal solution based on project conditions.Source: LL-TEQ technical guide.

Yes. LL-TEQ applies to parking lots, lanes, driveways, municipal roads, rural roads, heavy-traffic roads, drainage ditches, airstrips and many other applications. The design is adjusted to the intended use.Source: LL-TEQ technical guide.

No. Asphalt softens at 45–65 °C and melts at 232 °C. LL-TEQ withstands 927 °C (a temperature validated by the U.S. Department of Defense Unified Facilities Criteria for the F-35B jet exhaust). At those temperatures, LL-TEQ only blackens at the surface over 1 to 3 mm with no structural loss. A road in Québec never exceeds 60 °C — that is 15 times below the LL-TEQ threshold.Source: LL-TEQ technical dossier – Heat resistance.

No, quite the opposite. On traditional asphalt, water penetrates the surface voids, making it smooth and slippery over time. In winter the problem worsens: infiltrated water freezes in the pores and the surface becomes truly icy. LL-TEQ works differently: water does not enter the structure. It stays on the surface and runs off normally. As a result, the surface keeps its grip in the rain, and no ice forms from water trapped in winter.Source: LL-TEQ technical documentation.

No. Asphalt softens as early as 45–65 °C, deforms under vehicle weight in hot weather (rutting) and melts at 232 °C. LL-TEQ does not soften, does not deform and withstands 927 °C — a temperature validated by the U.S. Department of Defense Unified Facilities Criteria for the F-35B jet. At those extreme temperatures, LL-TEQ only blackens at the surface over 1 to 3 mm with no structural loss. A road in Québec never exceeds 60 °C — that is 15 times below the LL-TEQ threshold.Source: LL-TEQ technical dossier – Heat resistance.

Yes. An accidental vehicle fire typically reaches 600 to 900 °C — LL-TEQ holds at 927 °C with no structural degradation. The surface ablative protection (charring over 1–3 mm) acts as a thermal shield and preserves the integrity of the pavement.Source: LL-TEQ technical dossier – Heat resistance.

No. LL-TEQ is installed with the standard road equipment already used in Québec: a water truck with a spray bar, a cold recycler, a grader and a compaction roller. No specialized equipment required.Source: LL-TEQ technical guide.

Yes, and it is one of its big advantages. Unlike traditional asphalt, which requires a nearby asphalt plant and the transport of hot materials, LL-TEQ uses the materials already on site. No plant needed, no massive material transport — ideal for remote job sites.Source: LL-TEQ technical documentation.

Yes. A reference site in the United States (Bridgeport, California) hosts in real service the C-17 Globemaster III, a military aircraft whose takeoff mass reaches about 265,000 kg. This load regime far exceeds anything found on civilian road networks. After 10 winters of service, no structural defect.Source: LL-TEQ Dossier – Freeze-thaw performance, May 2026.

Yes — to a degree that defies intuition. Under normal immersion, it takes about a year of standing water for water to penetrate just 1 millimetre into the structure. An LL-TEQ road submerged for an entire winter would see water advance less than a millimetre. Meanwhile, traditional asphalt lets water infiltrate within minutes through its small surface voids. This is precisely why LL-TEQ does not degrade under freeze-thaw: water does not get in — period.Source: ASTM D5084 test, S.A.M. Consultants.

Yes, very simply. You saw-cut the zone, do the work, then lay a new layer of LL-TEQ. Whether the existing road is LL-TEQ or asphalt, the cohesion is perfect — no bump, no visible scar.Source: LL-TEQ technical guide.

The difference is dramatic. Traditional method: a complete structure 1,000 to 1,500 mm thick — hot-asphalt layers (plant-produced at 150–180 °C), an MG-20 base and an MG-112 sub-base. For 1 km of a 2-lane highway, that represents about 25,000 to 30,000 tonnes of material, i.e. several hundred truckloads to haul, stack and compact layer by layer. LL-TEQ: a single 150 mm layer, cold-integrated into the materials already in place. The product needed fits in about one 40-foot container, delivered straight to the site. Several hundred times less material to transport, no heating, no asphalt plant, no import/export of aggregates. The carbon footprint is in a different league.Source: LL-TEQ technical documentation.