Is there anything more ubiquitous than asphalt material? We use it to pave roads, highways, driveways, parking lots, and backyards? It’s everywhere. Paving companies prefer using asphalt than concrete because the former is cheaper and long-lasting. The countless advantages it presents make it hard for pavers to deny that this material is the best choice for public and private properties.
The construction of roads and highways begins with preparing the soil. Both methods will use a tamping compactor to make sure that the soil is void of air pockets. This increases the strength of the soil and its ability to reject large water pressures that give in during earthquakes and other natural calamities.
Flexibility
Both concrete and asphalt are made of aggregates. For concrete, it’s mixed with crushed rocks and sand. For asphalt, it is made of bitumen, a dark and sticky substance from crude oil. While both offer strength, asphalt is more durable and flexible because it doesn’t harden the same way concrete does. Asphalt is strong enough to withstand automobile traffic. It is also flexible enough that it accommodates the imperfections under the surfaces, making it more pliable to withstand heavy foot and vehicle traffic.
Safety
Asphalt is the smoothest surface to drive on. Accidents are kept at a minimum when the road is free from potholes and cracks. Some types of asphalt can even minimize splash and spray when it’s raining. This reduces the possibility of vehicles skidding on the roads and causing accidents.
Ease of Application
Paving the road with asphalt can be done overnight. Asphalt dries more quickly than concrete. You need to give asphalt just a day to dry. The roads can be used again and without so much as a fuss. There are less traffic disruption and congestion because asphalts can be applied one lane at a time. There is no need to close the roads for workers to apply asphalt.
It is also easier to remove and replace asphalt. Local government units need only about a day to remove and replace the asphalt layer of the road or highway. It is a relatively easy process compared to other types of paving.
Recyclability
Asphalt is 100% recyclable. It doesn’t take up valuable and limited landfill space. Pavers can use it over and over again. Simply put, its life cycle never ends. Broken pieces of the asphalt removed from old roads can be reused again for new pavements. This makes asphalt perhaps the eco-friendliest material to work with in road and highway construction.
Winter Solution
In the dead of the night when you fear the thought of plowing snow in the morning, having an asphalt road or driveway will give you a good night’s rest. Asphalt absorbs the sun’s heat efficiently, which means that it melts ice and snow faster. This reduces the time and cost it takes to have snow plowed from your driveway.
There seems to be no end to the benefits and advantages of using asphalt for roads and highways. If you are looking for an economical way of paving your driveway or outdoor garage, asphalt is the way to go. Not only is it cheap, but it gets the work done efficiently, too.
