Asphalt has become an integral part of residential and commercial outdoors. It can be seen almost everywhere. This black and sticky material is versatile and helps create smooth and durable surfaces for parking lots, driveways, and walking paths. It finds greater outdoor applications, depending on the kind of project you may have. Besides its durability, asphalt is also valued for its waterproof properties.
So, what is involved in the asphalt paving process and what steps are involved in it? Let’sfind out here.
Asphalt Paving Process
Asphalt paving involves paving a surface using asphalt aggregate. This versatile pavement material helps form a smoothand resilient surface. The pavement structures formed using it can withstandheavy loads of vehicles and heavy foot traffic. It has low life cycle cost and offers the best-possible value.
The exceptional pliancy of asphalt pavementsmakes them perfect for all types of paved surfaces. When properly laid, the surface will not need to be replaced for decades. It is important to find the right professionals for the task to ensure that the proper process is followed.
The key steps involved in asphalt paving process are as follows:
Removal of Existing Surface
The existing surface is removed, whether it is made of asphalt or concrete. Typically, the process involves the use of old recycled asphalt materials. Almost 80% of asphalt materials can be recycled and reused.
This makes asphalt an environment friendly paving material. Your asphalt pavement company may use heavy equipment in the removal of the existing surface, including:
- Bobcats
- Forklifts
- Front ladders
- Dump trucks
Sloping& Grading
The grading and sloping steps are essential for creating an asphalt surface that allows proper water drainage. This step is essential to prevent the formation of potholes. The professionals will use proven techniques to drain all the water before the paving process begins.
Asphalt Preparation
- Asphalt is a mixture of hot asphalt cement, stone, gravel, and sand
- The mixture is warmed to 300°F and spread once it becomes hot
- The experts ensure that the asphalt is at the right temperature before spreading
The aggregate has a tendency to cool rapidly after spreading. This further makes it important that this process is handled only by experienced and fully equipped professionals.
Testing Uniformity
One the first load of the mixture has been spread;the uniformity of the texture is checked. If any segmentation of materials is detected the process is stopped. Crown control is another factor that is checked. If a pavement has crown, it may need to be redone completely.
Operators will also ensure that the mix clinging to the sides of the hopper is regularly loosened. This mix is pushed back into the active mix. The mix cannot be allowed to get cold, as this will affect compaction and strength.
Compaction
Compaction is an important part of the process of asphalt paving. Lack of proper compaction will mean that the surface will not be able to withstand the seasons and hold together.A professional asphalt paving company will use a combination of rollers to optimize the results. This can include the use of the following machinery:
- Vibratory/steel-tired static rollers
- Steel-tired static
- Vibratory rollers in static and vibrating modes
Types of Asphalt
There are different types of asphalt paving that are used for different types of projects. The most commonly usedpaving types include:
- Hot Mix: This asphalt paving is heated and poured at a temperature of 300°F. It cools at a fast rate.
- Warm Mix: This paving is mixed and shipped at lower temperatures. It doesn’t cool at the same rate as hot mix. Addition of emulsions makes pouring and spreading easier.
- Cold Mix: This type of asphalt paving is used for repair of cracks and potholes. No heating is involved, which makes it more affordable.
- Cut-back: This paving is made by mixing petroleum solvent into asphalt cement. It is preferred for its thickness and lower viscosity.
- Mastic: This material is more commonly used as a waterproofing medium. It is made by mixing and heatingasphalt and stone with mineral powder and fillerto high temperatures. The result is a durable and dense material.
Asphalt paving is a sophisticated process and is best handled by experienced operators. Soyou should choose an asphalt paving companywith specialized experience.