Road base commonly provides both the load-bearing strength and stability required to support heavy loads such as cars, trucks and even light rail systems. The product commonly helps drain away excess water on road surfaces by allowing it to seep through small openings in the rocks while preventing erosion of the surface from rain or melting snow over time.

 

The most common type of rock used in road base is limestone, which comes from sedimentary rock composed primarily of calcium carbonate. Crushed stone and gravel are also common ingredients. This mix contains some clay and requires an extremely high amount of shale. Road base also uses a small fraction of bitumin, or “asphaltic,” material to act as binders, holding the rocks together. It can use blue metal and other materials suitable for roads, which can give strength to the road base. They can differ based on the shape, manufactured by different makers.