Asphalt is the all-important material used to build pavements, roads, and freeways. While concrete has replaced some forms of pavement and freeways, asphalt is still the hot commodity when it comes to paving road surfaces. It is because asphalt is cheaper, provides a much smoother surface and can be easily replaced when worn out.
Now firms that deal in manufacturing and sales of asphalt offer different types of asphalt mixtures, depending on what the contractor needs. While there are many types of asphalt available, here 3 of the most commonly used asphalt mixes in the United States:
Porous Asphalt
As the name suggests, this asphalt mix is porous, meaning it allows the flow of accumulated water from the surface deep down into the stone bed below which in turn is passed into the soil. It is usually beneficial in rainy seasons as it prevents accumulation of water and helps in their effective drainage. This asphalt is offered by all major firms that deal with asphalt sales and manufacture. They are usually used in areas prone to water logging.
Stone Matrix Asphalt
Stone matrix asphalt mixes make use of a stone bed with asphalt cement bound onto it along with many stabilizing agents to hold the surface firm and hard. It is generally designed to withstand high volume traffic such as in interstate highways or on professional race tracks as they are capable of holding high pressure and load intensity. The stone matrix asphalt is arguably the strongest and most durable form of asphalt, and need less frequent maintenance than other types of asphalt.
Warm Mix Asphalt
This asphalt mixture employs specific mixing processes that allow lowering of the temperature of the mixture on-site. This results in much better compaction of the road surface, and in some cases, have been attributed to providing better fuel efficiency for vehicles traveling on them. In some cases, they are laid out on the surface of an existing layer of asphalt to make the pavement stronger and more robust. Having a two-layer asphalt pavement allows for easier maintenance as a quick replacement in case of wear and tear.
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