Asphalt (bitumen) comprises various crushed and blended substances to produce a beautiful and solid finish. While the material is common in roofing, it's also ideal for pavements and driveways.
Unfortunately, many people don't understand the numerous benefits of asphalt and its uses. Read this post for the ultimate guide on asphalt paving.
Types of Asphalt for Pavements
Asphalt is available in different types, which differ based on the components used to make it and their proportions.
One common type of this material is porous asphalt, which consists of small holes. The perforations make the substance environmentally friendly since they allow drainage. They also cleanse water and reduce impurities that get into the soil beneath.
Cold mix asphalt is a water-repellent material suitable for pothole repairs. You can also use the mixture to patch some sections of your pavement stagnant water has damaged.
Hot mix asphalt is a material made and installed at high temperatures. It comes in three categories: dense-graded, open-grade, and stone matrix asphalt.
Coarse-graded asphalt is another type you can use on your pavement. This material mainly functions as a base to support a fine-graded dense mix. You can also use it to lift some sections of your pavement when you want to install a ramp, bump, or steps.
Benefits of Asphalt
Asphalt has many benefits, which make it a popular paving material. One pro of this substance is that it's 100% recyclable. Hence, when your pavement wears out, you can remove and reuse it to make a durable material resistant to rut.
Pavements and driveways are a significant investment on any property. Luckily, you can enjoy up to 20 years of service if you install asphalt. This material may also last longer if you observe care and maintenance practices then repair minor damages before they affect the integrity of the entire surface.
More benefits of asphalt are:
- Asphalt is ideal for noise reduction on your pavement
- Asphalt is easy to install and maintain
- Asphalt can enhance water drainage on your pavement
- Asphalt is cost-efficient
Asphalt is a relatively safe pavement option due to various reasons. First, its rough texture improves skid resistance and grip. This aspect makes your pavement safer for vehicles and pedestrians. Besides, the dark shade will melt snow and ice faster to lower the risk of slip-and-fall accidents.
Common Types of Asphalt Damage
While asphalt is relatively durable, it may suffer damage due to poor installation or external factors. Cracks are the most prevalent form of wear and tear on bitumen pavements.
These problems can be due to excessive pressure from heavy objects and vehicles. Cracks can also result from a poor base and top layers bond. Other common causes of such damage are:
- The use of a weak mixture
- The lack of support at the pavement edges
- Thick vegetation near the edges
- Rapid temperature changes
Another common type of asphalt wear and tear is potholes, often due to high pavement traffic. Such damage mainly occurs in early spring or late winter when the water below the surface changes temperature constantly. This issue then weakens the upper surface and makes it prone to breakage.
Base failure is a form of asphalt damage from insufficient support and installation mistakes. This may also be due to significant weight on one section of the pavement or poor drainage.
If you notice your asphalt base isn't stable, get repair services from an expert. These will remove the upper layer and fix the underlayment to prevent problems in the future.
Asphalt pavements are durable and cost-efficient if you maintain them properly. At Star Paving Company, we provide pavement installation services for homes and commercial properties. Our contractors use the right equipment and mixture to ensure a high-quality and durable finish. Call us today for reliable paving services.
