Asphalt Paving

Benefits of Asphalt Paving

 
ASPHALT IS DURABLE AND LONG-LASTING
An asphalt driveway or road installed by an experienced asphalt contractor will usually last about 15 – 20 years, that estimated lifespan will lengthen if you perform regular preventative maintenance to your surface.

ASPHALT IS GOOD FOR NOISE REDUCTION
Asphalt pavement is the “quiet” pavement option. Due to its open-graded surfaces, fine-graded surfaces and the materials used asphalt basically absorbs road noise.

ASPHALT IS COST-EFFICIENT
Asphalt is generally much more cost efficient to install compared to concrete. One of the main components of any asphalt mix is crude oil. Because of this fluctuations in crude oil prices can cause fluctuations in asphalt prices.

ASPHALT PROJECTS CAN BE COMPLETED QUICKLY
The materials needed to create asphalts are easy to get a hold of and able to be turned into asphalt very quickly.

ASPHALT PAVING IS GOOD FOR WATER DAMAGE
All asphalt is good for water drainage, but some types of asphalt are better than others. Porous asphalt allows water to pass-through the asphalt into a specially prepared gravel base with helps filter the water back into the ground. Other asphalts are laid specifically to help redirect water to gassy areas or other places where they can be well-managed.

ASPHALT PAVING IS SAFE
Asphalt contributes to the safety of your property in a number of ways. Because asphalt has water managing qualities it helps with skid resistance, and the dark color helps melt ice and snow making your pavement safer for cars and pedestrians alike.

DIFFERENT TYPES OF ASPHALT
Asphalt aggregates are easy to mix and customize. There are hundreds of potential mixes that could be made to meet any specific asphalt need. Many asphalt contractors have their own asphalt production plants in order to better create solutions for those needs. For the most part, all mixes will fall into these four categories.

TYPES OF ASPHALT DAMAGE

Most types of asphalt damage are easily avoidable through preventative maintenance and proper installation. Should your asphalt show signs of damage it’s best to get it repaired right away as smaller problems cost less to fix and can be handled quickly.

Alligator Cracking
Also known as fatigue cracking, alligator cracking often caused by overloading which may be a result of the pavement being too thin or a problem with the sub base.

SLIPPAGE CRACKS
Slippage cracks can form because the asphalt mix was too weak or there was a poor bond between pavement layers. You can tell these apart from other cracks, as they resemble stretch marks.

EDGE CRACKS
As the name suggests, edge cracks form near the outer edge of your pavement. Heavy vegetation and a lack of support at the edge of your pavement causes this type of damage.

BLOCK CRACKING
Block cracking is when cracks form in the shape of interconnected, relatively rectangular-like shapes. These cracks are caused when the asphalt binder shrinks and expands during temperature cycles. If this happens, it’s because the mix was too dry when it was layed.

LONGITUDINAL CRACKING
Longitudinal cracking is caused by poor longitudinal joint construction. These cracks run parallel to the pavement centerline.

TRANSVERSE CRACKING
Transverse cracking forms perpendicular to a pavement’s centerline. They are formed when there are problems in an underlying layer.

POTHOLES
Potholes form due to the wear and tear from weather and the amount of traffic on the pavement. Most potholes appear in late winter or early spring because water is continuously going through the freezing and melting cycle. If this water is in the asphalt base it can weaken the pavement. This kind of damage can be avoided or minimized with preventative maintenance.

DEPRESSIONS
Depressions are areas of the pavement surface with lower elevations than the rest of the pavement. Depressions in pavement hold water, which can cause more damage later on.

BASE FAILURE
Base failure can be a result of poor drainage, too much weight in one area, a lack of support or installation error. In order to repair the sub base you must first remove the entire surface layer.