Asphalt is a composite material used on driveways, parking lots, airports, and other roadways. Asphalt concrete is made up of mineral aggregate, which has been adhered to a binder. This type of paving style has gained popularity due to its reliability that over 90% of parking areas in the U.S. have asphalt pavement, which is the material of choice for most development owners. Therefore, asphalt paving has a great future in the development field.
Types of Asphalt Concrete
Various kinds of asphalt concrete used on pavements exist, and they include:
1. Hot Mix Asphalt Concrete (HMA)
This type of concrete is made by drying the aggregate to remove moisture from it and then heating the binder to decrease its viscosity. The binder and aggregate are mixed at 95 to 150 °C depending on the aggregate used, which can be virgin asphalt, asphalt cement, or polymer asphalt cement.
Paving is done when the concrete is still hot. This concrete is usually used in the summer because, during winter, the compacted base will cool the concrete. This concrete is used to pave major highways, airfields, and racetracks.
2. Cold-Mix Asphalt Concrete
The cold mix-asphalt concrete is made by emulsifying the asphalt with soap before mixing it with the aggregate. Emulsion lowers the viscosity of the asphalt, making it easier to be used. The emulsion will break after the water has evaporated from the mix, and at this point, this concrete will have the same properties of HMA. This concrete is used to pave less is trafficked service roads.
3. Warm-Mix Asphalt Concrete
Abbreviated as WMA, this asphalt concrete type is produced by adding either asphalt emulsions, waxes, zeolites, or water to the binder before mixing it with the aggregate. This mixture allows paving to be done in lower temperatures, and in turn, lower consumption of fossil fuels.
4. Cut-Back Asphalt Concrete
This is a form of cold mix asphalt, but first, the binder is dissolved in kerosene and another lighter type of petroleum before mixing it with the aggregate. After laying the mixture down, the lighter type of petroleum will evaporate.
5. Mastic Asphalt Concrete
Also called sheer concrete, it is made by heating bitumen in a mixer until it becomes a viscous liquid, and then the aggregate is added. The bitumen should be partly oxidized. The mixture is then transferred to the construction site and laid to the desired thickness.
6. High- Modulus Concrete
This type of asphalt mixture is produced using a tough bituminous formulation. The unique part of this concrete is that it is modified in a proportion close to 6% to the aggregate weight and 10% to mineral powder making asphalt concrete with a high modulus of elasticity.
7. Asphalt Pavement Installation
Now that you have information on the types of asphalt concrete, it is important to discuss the pavement installation methods. First, the existing surface is demolished and removed, but if it is asphalt concrete, it can be recycled to save on money. Recycling is usually common during driveway resurfacing.
During asphalt paving, before anything is laid down, the surface is thoroughly checked to remove water. A sub base is then laid, and the asphalt mixture is rolled using machines.
Advantages of Asphalt Paving
Paving solutions that have been brought about by asphalt paving are breathtaking. One of the advantages is flexibility. Cracking is a problem faced mostly by commercial paving, as many people use that particular roadway. Asphalt paving is durable and flexible, and thus, it is not prone to cracking.
Also, it is cheaper than other concrete types. Asphalt services are affordable, and that is the reason residential paving services are on the rise. Moreover, asphalt paving sets by cooling, and not curing, which means, its setting is fast, and thus receiving asphalt services save on time.
Residential and commercial paving services are on high demand, which has made development companies come with better solutions such as asphalt paving. This guide offers in-depth information about asphalt paving. Asphalt services are being provided enormously due to the advantages that they provide.
