What's In Asphalt?

A brief introduction to the "recipe" for asphalt pavement.

4 Most Common Forms of Asphalt Distress

Your driveway will go through a lot of changes from the time it’s new to the day you have to replace it. Each stage requires a different plan of action and the list below will help steer you in the right direction.

Stage 1: Preventative Maintenance

For the first few years, your driveway will only need preventative maintenance, sealcoating and crack filling every other year. Your driveway will stay in Stage 1 for as long as the cracks are not interconnected (alligatoring) and are not accompanied by settlement. Find a good local Sealcoater that will provide a written estimate.

Stage 2: Surface or Base Defects 

Your driveway has entered Stage 2 when sealcoating and crack filling alone will not take care of the problem areas. The driveway may have settled at the garage or curb (very common) or developed spider/alligator cracking or potholes. At this point, you’ll need an asphalt repair to get your surface back in shape. Call an asphalt repair company that can either perform infrared repair or saw cut and remove repairs. Then every other year sealcoating and crack filling regimen mentioned in stage 1 should continue throughout stage 2.

Stage 3: Replacement or Resurfacing 

When 20% or more of your driveway is in poor condition, it’s probably time for a new surface. At this point, repairs are no longer a cost-effective alternative. If you find yourself saying my driveway has potholes, cracking or settlement all over, it’s time to start over with a new driveway. Call a paving contractor and ask them whether you need complete removal and replacement or if resurfacing over your existing surface may be an option. There are certain circumstances that can make a case for repairing a driveway that’s in very bad shape. You may not have budgeted for a new driveway, but have some areas that can’t wait. In that case, just repair the very worst areas to get you by until a new driveway is in the budget.

A typical driveway will last 10-15 years, but this can vary due to the quality of the initial installation, poor drainage, ground movement, and proper maintenance. The key is to find quality contractors that will recommend the right process for your driveway’s condition, regardless of whether they provide that service or not.

Article Source: http://www.asphaltadvisor.com/2013/10/your-driveway-stages-and-solutions.html

Allow Vaca Vet Striping to Make Your Business ADA Compliant

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Allow Vaca Vet Striping to make your business ADA (Americans with Disabilities Assoc.) compliant. 

We understand the importance of quality asphalt maintenance and the importance of leaving a lasting impression to prospective tenants, home buyers, customers and the general public.

V.V.S. strives to provide quality work and great service at an affordable cost. We provide services in Solano, Napa, Yolo and Sacramento counties. Our services include city, county, and state roads, highways, airports, commercial parking lots, driveways and racetracks.

Asphalt Pavement Principles: Density and Durability

More than 18 billion tons of asphalt pavement are in place on U.S. roads. Long-lasting asphalt pavements are the result of collaborative partnerships between researchers, manufacturers, paving contractors, and agencies. When striving to make asphalt pavements more durable, research and lessons learned show that density is an important factor. This video talks about several keys to achieving proper asphalt pavement density, as well as new technologies that are moving the asphalt industry forward.

Regulating Traffic With Speed Bumps

Most drivers and pedestrians have encountered one or more types of speed bumps. There are several different types, each with its own specific purpose when it comes to traffic and parking lot management.

Street speed bumps, known as traffic calming features are designed to cause drivers to slow down significantly in order to go over them safely. Placed across the entire roadway, with a space on either side for drainage, the raised road surface is a bump in the road with heights typically ranging between three and four inches. The depth of the bumps are typically less than one foot. The bumps serve as a reminder to drivers to watch their speed and making it impossible to drive too fast through the areas in which traffic calming features have been placed.

Commercial speed bumps on streets and in parking lots tend to be larger and made of high impact materials, such as concrete or asphalt. They can have stripes or the entire surface painted in embedded reflective tape or highly visible paint colors, such as yellow or orange.

In residential areas, this type of traffic calming feature is used to reduce the rate at which the motor vehicle travels in high traffic or areas that have had racing or other traffic related problems. These bumps are typically smaller in size and are made of lower impact materials, such as recycled plastic or rubber. They may also be painted orange or yellow or embedded with reflective tape for easy visibility, day or night.

Speed humps are used for the same purpose as speed bumps, but they are designed to be driven over at rates of travel of up to twenty miles per hour without having to stop or slow down. This type of traffic calming feature is wider than the typical bump in that they are typically ten to fourteen feet in-depth. Unlike the smaller traffic calming devices, which are intended to make drives stop abruptly, speed humps are designed to encourage a gradual stop and to remind drivers to maintain the speed limit. Speed humps can be used for different traffic and parking situations; however, they are primarily used in residential areas.

Poorly designed raised road features can be hard to negotiate in vehicles with low clearance even at slow speeds. These traffic calming devices can also pose a hazard to motorcycles, bicyclists, and even pedestrians if not visibly marked. In some cases, the speed bump will be designed so that a break in the bump in the middle of the road allows two-wheel vehicles to pass without having to pass over the bump.

Controlling vehicle speed with a speed bump or speed hump is the most effective method to improve the safety of a parking lot, driveway or private lane. High visibility speed bumps and signs are the best way to communicate to drivers to keep their speed to a minimum.

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Maureen McHale is a marketing consultant specializing in SEO and content management.

Article Source: https://EzineArticles.com/expert/M_McHale/676160

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Paving - What You Need to Know Before Starting a Paving Project!

Paving

Paving is described by Wikipedia as 'a stone or tile structure, the paving, which can serve as a floor or external feature... can be made of flagstones which are used for things like paving gardens.

History

Paving has been used for thousands of years. In fact, some roads and paths built by the Romans with tightly fitting pavers over a base aggregate, two thousand years ago still form the base for modern roads in parts of Europe. If nothing else, this tells us that they're durable!

Today

Whilst we spend a lot of time and money on being creative on the inside of our houses, it won't have the same impact if we neglect the exterior.

The outside of the house is what people see first. The idea that 'first impressions count' is a valid one. If your property has not been maintained and/or improved on the outside via considered landscaping, then it will detract from all your efforts on the inside. People will have that negative first impression which will be hard to overcome.

Likewise, people spend a lot of time in their yards, children are encouraged to get outside and do something physical rather than sitting in front of the PC. You're more likely to enjoy spending time outside or entertaining, if the backyard looks good.

Paved Areas

A big part of any landscaping or improvement is paving, be it a paved driveway, a paved edging to an existing driveway, a paved path, edging along garden beds, or a paved patio.

We have found that a lot of people are finding that maintaining a large lawn area is, not only time consuming, but more difficult with water restrictions. One way of cutting down on their lawn area is to have a paving feature which adds a bit of character to the yard as well as reducing the time and work involved in upkeep.

By utilizing one of a range of paving styles, you are able to create a unique paved area that will lift your yard. Your landscape advisor should be able to show you a range of styles from which to choose and suggest what would work best for what you are hoping to achieve.

Questions to Ask

Before beginning any paving project you need to answer a few questions, whether it be a paved driveway, a driveway border, a paving path, garden edging, a paved patio or bbq area. How big is the area to be paved? What colour scheme are you after? What is the existing surface and how will you need to prepare it for the paving? Do you need to allow for water run off? What about weed control? These are all important questions which need to be answered. Your paving professional will be able to help you answer these and other more technical questions.

Paving versus Concrete

If comparing pavers to concrete, consider that concrete can crack, breakup and stain, becoming unsightly and lowering the value of your home. Pavers, on the other hand, have a greater weight distribution and, should they ever crack or become stained, are so much easier to replace, with minimum cost to you.

Landscape Melbourne

Ultimately, to balance a quality product and service at a competitive price, your best option is to obtain a high standard of design by hiring a contractor. A side benefit of using a paving professional such as Landscape Melbourne, is that they will usually get a trade discount on the pavers which they pass on to you. This allows you to get a high quality finish with the expertise to know that the job is down well - a great scenario if you're too busy or don't feel confident in doing the job yourself.

Nic Tashkoff is Senior Landscape Designer and Landscaping Project Manager and Consultant at:

[http://www.landscapemelbourne.com]

Your Melbourne Landscaping Solution for all budgets.

If you'd like to learn more about paving designs, paving types, layout, or receive some assistance prior to commencing your paving project, please email Nic Tashkoff at [http://www.landscapemelbourne.com/contact.html]. The friendly and knowledgeable staff at Landscape Melbourne will be happy to assist you with advice or a free quote.

Article Source: https://EzineArticles.com/expert/Nic_S_Tashkoff/580500

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New Asphalt Repairs Its Own Cracks

They're a common sight on many roads and the bane of motorists' lives, but potholes could soon be a thing of the past thanks to nano-technology.

Researchers in Switzerland have patented a method that repairs stress-induced cracks in asphalt to prevent potholes forming in the first place and could double the life span of roads embedded with the technology.

A precise amount of iron oxide nanoparticles are mixed with bitumen - the sticky, viscous black binder obtained from crude oil and used to keep road material together.

Ever-so slightly heating up this asphalt using a small magnetic field melts the bitumen, allowing it to seep into the minute cracks to 'self-heal'.

Preformed Thermoplastic Road Marking

Application of PREMARK preformed thermoplastic road marking sign in England. The preformed thermoplastic road marking is heated with a gas burner, and thereby fuses to the road surface. On concrete and old asphalt a primer most be used to secure bonding between the road marking and the surface

How to Know When to Seal Coat or Repave Asphalt Pavements

What is the most cost-effective resurfacing solution after repairing cracks, potholes and depressions in asphalt driveways and parking lots

By Jeff Lax

When it comes to old, worn asphalt driveways and parking lots, commercial real estate owners, property managers, and even owners of single-family homes struggle with the same questions: Do we repave or sealcoat after making repairs to cracks, potholes, and depressions? What is the most cost-effective and durable solution?

The industry has debated this issue for decades, and what has been learned is that each option has lasting, dramatic effects and that they actually complement one another. That’s the information pavement maintenance contractors need to convey to their clients who are trying to decide which pavement maintenance option best suits their needs and property.

Sealing

Sealcoating is one of the most important steps to protecting an owner’s investment in an asphalt driveway or parking lot. Sealers consist of emulsions that combine asphalt or refined coal tar with clays, mineral fillers, and water. Once applied, the water evaporates and the emulsion hardens to form a protective coating. It also becomes a beautiful black surface that adds curb appeal, giving a single-family home, multi-family residence, or commercial or industrial property a polished look. Industry experts agree that driveways or parking lots lacking the sealer can generally last only five to six years before the beginning stages of breakdown.

Initial sealing should occur six to 12 months after the asphalt surface is laid to allow the pavement to “cure” so oils can escape and the surface becomes ready for sealer. The initial sealer application forms a barrier to prevent water penetration and to inhibit deterioration of the asphalt binder by oxidation and over-drying.

As unprotected pavement ages, the asphalt binder hardens, losing flexibility and becoming increasingly brittle. Ultraviolet rays from the sun break down the carbon bonds in asphalt, further weakening the pavement. Also, daily and seasonal cycles of heating and cooling cause the pavement to expand and contract. These stresses eventually exceed the pavement’s ability to flex, and cracks form. If water seeps into the cracks and freezes, the cracks expand, allowing more water to penetrate, making the cracks wider and deeper. This cycle leads to accelerated deterioration of the parking lot surface. Early sealcoating can prevent all these preliminary dangers to the life of the asphalt.

Sealer is typically the most cost-effective solution and should be reapplied every two to three years as preventative maintenance. In fact, several government and Asphalt Institute studies have shown that neglected asphalt pavement can cost up to five times as much to repair as asphalt that has had a regular maintenance program, including sealcoating.

Pavement maintenance begins by filling cracks, patching deteriorated areas, and cleaning (and possibly priming) oil-saturated spots on the pavement surface. The asphalt also must be cleaned of dirt and debris before sealer can be applied.

While some homeowners sealcoat their driveways themselves, professional contractors not only apply a high-quality sealer material but also have professional equipment such as crack cleaners and power blowers that often enable them to perform a longer-lasting, high-quality job. Plus, professional contractors can handle other pavement repairs that a homeowner won’t be aware of, so property managers at any level will be best served by hiring a pavement maintenance professional to handle their pavement.

Repaving

Repaving is the only decision for driveways or parking lots that have severe deterioration, deep wide cracks, subsided depressions and numerous potholes.

An asphalt overlay consists of a compacted layer of one-and-a-half to two inches of hot mix asphalt being placed over the existing asphalt, essentially giving the driveway a new surface. Just as with sealcoating, the first task is repair of existing pavement. Areas, where the pavement surface has slumped, indicate failure of the stone foundation supporting the pavement. These areas require digging out existing asphalt, and repair and compaction of the stone base with new material before patching with asphalt mix to prevent trouble spots from returning after repaving. Then an overlay is placed over the old surface. No sealcoating should be added for six months to a year, just as with any newly constructed pavement.

And while an asphalt overlay can begin to deteriorate within five to six years without maintenance, it could last up to 25 years with regular upkeep. The upside to installing an overlay is the pavement has a renewed wearing course, providing a pliable, flexible surface. Also after the overlay, the maintenance program can start over, leading to a virtually brand new drive or lot. However, extreme weather, heavy loads, and shortcuts during construction could lead to premature wear and failure. The downside of repaving is that it is expensive (typically thousands of dollars more than sealing). Plus, if the original asphalt isn’t properly cleaned and prepared, cracks and uneven sections may return, as well as other problems that may not have previously existed such as delamination of the overlay because of poor adhesion to the old pavement.

What’s Better for your customer?

The amount and regularity of repaving will differ from climate to climate, and even when asphalt is maintained properly an asphalt overlay will be needed every 20 to 25 years.

Regardless of whether you repave or repair, sealcoating is one of the most important aspects of any pavement maintenance effort as it protects asphalt from weathering and degradation and extends pavement life. Without sealer, the asphalt could require an overlay in as little as five to six years, costing thousands of dollars. When comparing costs, industry experts believe the best investment a homeowner or commercial property owner can make is a well-tailored maintenance program that includes regular sealcoating.

Article Source: https://www.forconstructionpros.com/pavement-maintenance/preservation-maintenance/sealcoating-equipment-materials/article/10303124/how-to-know-when-to-seal-coat-or-repave-asphalt-pavements#&gid=1&pid=2

How to Replace your Entire Driveway (Complete Tear Out and Repave)

Learn how to repave your driveway, including digging out the old driveway, laying down stone for a good sub-base, grading, leveling, and compacting that stone, and finally laying down fresh hot mix asphalt. This new asphalt driveway came out amazing and I cannot wait to use it to make more videos! Oil Spill Mat: https://amzn.to/3xP230F Thank you Platinum Paving for doing a great job on the driveway. The owner is a fan of my channel and I appreciate him putting down his best driveway possible! https://www.platinumpavingnj.com/

ChrisFix

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Why Roads are Made of Asphalt

A layer of asphalt being laid down on the Kabul-Kandahar Road, Afghanistan.

Britannica:

Asphalt, black or brown petroleum-like material that has a consistency varying from viscous liquid to glassy solid. It is obtained either as a residue from the distillation of petroleum or from natural deposits. Asphalt consists of compounds of hydrogen and carbon with minor proportions of nitrogen, sulfur, and oxygen. Natural asphalt (also called brea), which is believed to be formed during an early stage in the breakdown of organic marine deposits into petroleum, characteristically contains minerals, while residual petroleum asphalt does not.

The use of asphalt is very old, dating back to its use as a water stop between brick walls of a reservoir at Mohenjo-Daro (about the 3rd millennium BC) in Pakistan. In the Middle East it was extensively used for paving roads and sealing waterworks, important applications even today. The Pitch Lake on the island of Trinidad was the first large commercial source, but natural sources have since declined in importance as petroleum became the major source. Gilsonite, wurzilite, and similar vein asphalts have special uses in heat-resistant enamels; they are hard and are mined like coal. Petroleum asphalt is produced in all consistencies from light road oils to heavy, high-viscosity industrial types.

More From Britannica

Why Are Roads Made of Asphalt?

Asphalt softens when heated and is elastic under certain conditions. The mechanical properties of asphalt are of little significance except when it is used as a binder or adhesive. The principal application of asphalt is in road surfacing, which may be done in a variety of ways. Light oil “dust layer” treatments may be built up by repetition to form a hard surface, or a granular aggregate may be added to an asphalt coat, or earth materials from the road surface itself may be mixed with the asphalt.

Other important applications include canal and reservoir linings, dam facings, and other harbour and sea works; asphalt so used may be a thin, sprayed membrane, covered with earth for protection against weathering and mechanical damage, or thicker surfaces, often including riprap (crushed rock). Asphalt is also used for roofs, coatings, floor tilings, soundproofing, waterproofing, and other building-construction elements and in a number of industrial products, such as batteries. For certain applications an asphaltic emulsion is prepared, in which fine globules of asphalt are suspended in water. See also bitumen.

The Editors of Encyclopedia Britannica

This article was most recently revised and updated by Adam Augustyn.