WM. MUELLER & SONS
Asphalt Paving
Asphalt Paving Benefits
Asphalt is the most recycled product, by weight, in the USA.
Asphalt is incredibly durable and flexible, making it an excellent material for paving roads, driveways, parking lots, and trails. Asphalt is a good choice for Minnesota due to its durability in different weather conditions. It can handle the freezing and thawing cycles common in Minnesota’s cold winters and stand up to the heat of the summer.
Cost-Effective: Asphalt is usually less expensive to install and maintain compared to other pavement types. Its maintenance and repair costs are also lower, and it has a longer life cycle.
Recyclable: Asphalt is 100% recyclable, making it a sustainable choice for paving. Old asphalt can be removed, ground up, and used again in new asphalt mixtures.
Noise Reduction: Asphalt roads help to reduce noise produced by vehicle traffic.
Safety: The dark color of asphalt helps to provide high contrast with road markings, making them more visible to drivers. Its smoothness also ensures better contact with vehicle tires, leading to safer driving conditions.
Speed of Construction: Asphalt pavements can be constructed more quickly than other types of pavements.
Repairs and Maintenance can be done quickly, which is important in areas where winter road damage is common.
Asphalt Paving Process
Remove Old Pavement: If there’s existing pavement, it’s removed using heavy machinery.
Prepare the Sub Base: The area where the asphalt will be installed is prepared. This often involves grading and compacting the soil or gravel to ensure a stable base.
Install the Binder Layer: A binder layer is added. This layer is a large aggregate mixed with oil, providing a strong, flexible base.
Install the Asphalt Layer: Next, the asphalt layer is installed. This layer is a mix of smaller aggregate, sand, and oil. It’s heated and mixed before being spread over the road or driveway.
Compact the Asphalt: The asphalt is then compacted using a series of rollers to ensure it’s firm and smooth.
Cure the Asphalt: The asphalt is then allowed to cure before it can handle heavy traffic.
Asphalt
RECYCLING
Asphalt recycling is a win-win practice in construction and road repair, saving money, conserving natural resources, and producing high-performing roads.
Economic Benefits: Asphalt recycling can save a significant amount of money. It reduces the need for new materials, and the process is often cheaper than the mining, refining, and transportation associated with creating new asphalt from scratch.
Environmental Benefits: Asphalt recycling is excellent for the environment. It saves natural resources by reusing existing materials, reduces the demand for new asphalt binder (a petroleum product), and lessens the amount of construction waste that ends up in landfills.
Performance Benefits: Many studies show that recycled asphalt performs as well or better than fresh asphalt in many cases. The process of recycling can improve the asphalt’s properties, making it more resistant to cracking and rutting.
