Friday, May 9, 2014

How A Get A Durable Asphalt Paving Surface

By Essie Osborn


While undertaking paving constructions, a series of processes have to be carried out. Preparation is the first stage in asphalt paving. Before lying down the pathway, the base has to be prepared by clearing the area and removing loose soils. This involves constructing and firmly compacting the base before installing asphalt over the existing aggregate.

If the existing driveway is in a good state and without fault, there is no need of putting up a new pavement. To put the pavement, you use a hot mixture of asphalt on the road course. The most important section of the asphalt course way is the base. It is the base that determines the lifespan and the durability of the paving.

It is the preparation step that has a bearing for the lifespan of a pavement. All unusable materials should be excavated and removed from the job site. Items that should be discarded from the site before the commencement of job include loam, clumps, clay as well as other soft material in the ground.

For a strong and compact finish to be obtained, the preparation stage should be completed satisfactorily. It is then that compaction can be undertaken. Compaction ensures that asphaltic compounds stick together so that no weather or external conditions will split the road surfaces giving forth cracks and potholes.

Though asphaltic material cannot last forever, its destruction can however be increased when subjected to certain severe conditions unfavorable to the asphaltic compounds. Solar energy is the number one threat to these roads. When solar rays heat the asphaltic blacktop, they cause expansion to occur leading to the driveways expanding unevenly thereby cracking.

When subjected to heavy weights such the masses of mammoth trucks and trailers, the asphaltic paving material weakens and it may split causing potholes to arise. Cracks in asphaltic surfaces are a great setback to the pavement stability as they allow water to enter into the surface and drain deep down into the base. When the pavings are constructed inappropriately in such a way that inhibits drainage of water, asphalt may get spoilt by suspended water on the surface.

Excessive loading especially by the heavy trucks are the main factors that contribute to the worsening of the asphaltic paving surfaces. Either way, a pavement having a very thin base may fail to accommodate the heavy loads of truck and weighty vehicles. Water penetrating from the surface can get into the base course and cause troubles. The poor drainage may exacerbate the awful situation of roads. Automobile and trucks which spill oil and gasoline on the pavements may also soften the asphaltic material and cause it to breakup.

It is from cracks that potholes are formed. When these potholes merge, they cause a pavement to lose its shape and resemble a dusty footpath. This is what happens with alligator cracks. Repairing such roads is usually a tall order. However, pothole formation can be avoided if only the roads are maintained properly.




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