ASSIGNMENT

APPLICATION OF ASPHALT ROAD IS BETTER

THAN CONCRETE ROAD
ECS435

LECTURER’S NAME : MDM BALQIS BINTI MOHD YUNUS

CLASS : EC2203A3

GROUP MEMBERS:

NO NAME STUDENT ID

1. MUHAMMAD ARFAN BIN ABDUL AZIZ 2016209196

2. WAN NUR SYUHADAH BINTI RAMLI 2016209138

3. NOOR AMNANI BINTI MOHD SOFI 2016209206

4. NURANIS SHAHIRAH BINTI NORARIFFIN 2016209256

Introduction of Asphalt Concrete

Asphalt also known as bitumen, is a sticky, black, and highly viscous liquid or semi-solid form
of petroleum. It may be found in natural deposits or may be a refined product, and is classed as a
pitch. Before the 20th century, the term asphalt was also used. The primary use (70%) of asphalt
is in road construction, where it is used as the glue or binder mixed with aggregate particles to
create asphalt concrete. Its other main uses are for bituminous waterproofing products, including
production of roofing felt and for sealing flat roofs.

Asphalt is a mixture of aggregates, binder and filler, used for constructing and maintaining all
kind of roads, parking areas but also play- and sport areas. Aggregates used for asphalt mixtures
could be crushed rock, sand, gravel or slags. To bind the aggregates into a cohesive mixture a
binder is used. Most commonly, bitumen is used as a binder. An average asphalt pavement
consists of the road structure above the formation level which includes unbound and bituminous-
bound materials. This gives the pavement the ability to distribute the loads of the traffic before it
arrives at the formation level. Normally, pavements are made of different layers:

Uses of Asphalt

Although asphalt is mainly used for paving roads, it can also be used for various other purposes.
The versatility of asphalt makes it such a widely used material. Among others, it can be found in
the following sectors:

 Transportation (e.g. roads, railway beds or airport runways, taxiways, etc.)

 Recreation (playgrounds, bicycle paths, running tracks, tennis courts.)
 Agriculture (barn floors, greenhouse floors.)
 Industrial (ports, landfill caps, work sites.)
 Building construction (floorings.)
AET delivers sophisticated testing, reporting and design for asphalt and bituminous roadway or
parking lot construction utilizing our in-house laboratory and an experienced team dedicated to
this core specialty. Our team works with our environmental, geotechnical, construction materials
testing, petrography and pavements professionals — with specialists in chemistry and
cement/concrete testing and non-destructive testing. You gain a comprehensive, thoughtful
approach for your project.

Aside from basic tests for extractions, gradations and Gyratory and Marshall mix designs, AET
also offers the knowledge and tools to conduct more sophisticated and accurate testing, including
but not limited to:

• Cold-in-Place Recycling Mix Design

• Disc-shaped Compact Tension testing (DCT)

• Falling Weight Deflectometer testing (FWD)

• Foamed Asphalt Mix Design

• Ground Penetrating Radar

• Hamburg Wheel Rut testing

• Low Temperature Cracking (AASHTO T322/ASTM 6931)

• Resilient Modulus testing/Dynamic Modulus testing (SPT)

• R-Value and CBR testing

• Semi-Circular Bending Test (SCB)

• Stabilized Full Depth Reclamation Mix Design

• SuperPave Mix Design

• Tensile Strength Ratio testing (TSR)

AET's knowledge and implementation of these technologies helps deliver thorough reports and
consultation — increasing efficiency and reducing costs in the design and construction of
roadways, railways, bridges and airport runways, in addition to serving a variety of energy,
industrial, commercial and government markets. We balance our strong focus on quality and
compliance with the practical needs of the client to maintain their timelines and budgets.
Asphalt road vs Concrete Road

As a rule of thumb, concrete is an easier material to work with to get different finishes. Concrete
can be stained or tinted to an array of colours and can be stained differently in a single driveway
to get unique patterns. Concrete can also be stamped into assorted designs, etched or engraved to
get different looks and it can have different finishes such as brushed or exposed aggregate. All
these different options can create a plethora of unique options when designing your driveway.

Asphalt is more limited. Since asphalt must be rolled and compressed, there is little in the way of
unique finishes. Moreover, until recently, there was little option in colour apart from standard
black. However, there are now tints that can be added at the end of as a sealant or even integral
colouring that is added during mixing.

Asphalt vs. Concrete Driveway

Asphalt Driveway Concrete Driveway
Cost $2.50 - $4.00 /sq. ft. $4.00 - $6.00+ /sq. ft.
Durability Less durable More durable
Weather Issues Softens in high heat Cracks in freezing temperatures
Longevity 20 years+ 40 years+
Maintenance Resealing every 3-5 years Sealing optional; occasional degreasing
Finishes None Multiple types
Colors Primarily black Multiple color options
Resurfacing Yes No
Repairs Easy Difficult

Asphalt Driveway Concrete Driveway

Climate

For those who live in areas that have either very cold winters or very warm summers, climate can
be an important consideration. Concrete has the tendency to crack and suffer from frost heaving
in cold and freezing winters. Furthermore, salt used for ice melting can create pits in concrete
leaving blotches across the driveway. Alternatively, asphalt has issues in hotter climates. The tar
in asphalt can become soft in the high heat of summer and can become tacky and even deform in
some cases. It is important to talk to a reputable contractor about the effects the local climate will
have on both asphalt and concrete prior to finalizing any decisions.

Maintenance

There are definite differences when considering maintenance. After about six months to a year
after installation, asphalt driveways should be sealed. Asphalt should then be subsequently sealed
every three-five year afterwards. This can be done by anyone and does not require any special
tools or machinery. Sealing the asphalt will extend the life of the driveway, which when properly
maintained may last upwards of 30 years.

Concrete driveways do not necessarily need to be sealed to last upwards of 50 years. However,
sealing a concrete driveway can preserve the look and finish. Concrete driveways will stain
easier than asphalt (although sealing will help) and will require a degreaser to remove any oil
based stains that may occur.

Both asphalt and concrete driveway cracks can be repaired. However, asphalt cracks are easier to
repair and blend into the original. Meanwhile, concrete repairs are more obvious due to
weathering. An added plus with asphalt is that it can be resurfaced inexpensively leaving a
brand new top coat if the old layer falls into disrepair, which is impossible for concrete.

Cost

Ignoring any maintenance costs, asphalt is generally much cheaper to install than concrete. On
average, the cost per square foot for asphalt will run between $2.50 to $4.00. Fluctuations in
crude oil prices can cause fluctuations in asphalt prices but the price will remain around this
range. Concrete, on the other hand, can run between $4.00 to $6.00 per square foot for basic
installation and can cost more depending on different finishes and detail. It’s not unheard of to
have a stained concrete driveway with a smooth finish cost over $15.00 per square foot.
Why Use Asphalt Instead of Concrete?

Though concrete once was used for paving roads, parking lots and other projects, asphalt paving
is the preferred choice today. To begin to understand why asphalt paving is superior to concrete
paving (also called cement paving), one should know how asphalt and concrete are made.

Concrete is made using aggregate (like crushed rock and sand), along with cement and water.
The cement acts as the binder in concrete, holding the aggregate together. As the mixture dries, it
forms a stiff, unforgiving solid that is prone to cracking and breaking, especially if the surface
beneath it is not perfectly smooth.

Like concrete, asphalt is made using aggregate. Its binder, however, is bitumen, a dark, sticky
substance derived from crude oil. When roads, parking lots or driveways are built using asphalt
construction, hot asphalt (bitumen mixed with fine aggregate) is poured onto a bed of heavier
aggregate and then pressed into it with a steamroller. Once the asphalt cools to the surrounding
air temperature, it is strong enough to withstand automobile traffic. While asphalt is extremely
hard and durable, it offers enough flexibility to accommodate imperfections in underlying
surfaces, a feature that concrete sorely lacks.

However, an asphalt road surfaces offer many benefits, including cost efficiency, reduction in
noise pollution and comfort. Using asphalt materials in road construction and maintenance can
improve the benefits for all road users and the environment. The advantages of asphalt simply
add up to superior value. Asphalt is safe, smooth and durable. It can be built constructed to last
indefinitely. Asphalt is fast to construct and maintain and asphalt contractors know how to “get
in and get out” of construction zones. Asphalt is the green pavement: It is up to 100% reusable
resp. recyclable. Furthermore its flexibility and new technologies are making asphalt the only
sustainable pavement choice.
Advantages of Asphalt Road

Asphalt roads wear more than concrete roads, but many countries are replacing concrete roads
with asphalt because it is cheaper, despite concrete roads having some major advantages. Learn
about the advantages and disadvantages of the different road paving surfaces in this article.

If you have traveled from Pune to Mumbai by road then you might have noticed the beautiful
concrete expressway. In almost all the new major road construction you can see the use of
concrete rather than asphalt these days. At the same time, some popular highways are still in
asphalt.

 Economical: Asphalt is a low-cost building material. It is less expensive, not just in

actual cost, but also in terms of the time it takes to complete construction. Asphalt is so
quick and easy to use that it saves the public, government and contractor’s time, and time
is money. Asphalt dries so fast that roads and highways will not be blocked or held up for
very long. Asphalt is still less costly compared to concrete. Moreover, it takes less time to
build an asphalt road than a concrete road. (Asphalt dries faster.)

 Recyclable: Asphalt is a recyclable material. It can be used again and again by melting it
and its life-cycle never ends. Asphalt roads can be dug up and then re-used again. This is
what makes asphalt such a popular, modern day material. When we use it we are
preserving our natural resources, by reusing the same material over again. This also helps
reduce our waste dilemma, it means less material is being turned into waste, and hence,
landfill. Asphalt also saves the environment since it will not run into our waterways when
it is spilt, as asphalt turns into solid mass quite quickly.

 Easy maintenance: Repairing just a part of the asphalt road is easily possible and also
quick. By maintaining cracks and resealing roads, driveways and highways regularly,
major degradation can be delayed over the old layer. Even when major degradation does
occur, asphalt can be re-laid.

 Safe: Asphalt roads provide better traction and skid resistance for vehicles. Asphalt tends
to help keep roads free from ice and snow. Asphalt’s safety feature is related to its
smooth-like finish. It offers drivers skid resistance, reduced splash back and better visual
distinction between road markings.

 Durability: Asphalt is a reliable weather resistant material and can be designed for low
and high traffic conditions. It can withstand the harshest of weathers and the heaviest of
semi-trailers. Asphalt can also be designed to fit a specific purpose.
 Disadvantages of Asphalt (Bitumen) Road

 Durability: heavy rain and other extreme weather conditions damage the asphalt road, and
the roads need to be repaired frequently.

 Weather Pollution: Melting asphalt produces lots of harmful greenhouse gases. Also, costly
petroleum is required to produce asphalt.
 Conclusion

Concrete roads are highly durable and more environmentally friendly as compared to asphalt
roads. However, asphalt paving costs far less than concrete paving. Also, asphalt road
provides a little better safety of the vehicle against snow and skidding.

Reference

i. http://www.paversearch.com/asphalt-paving-advantages.htm
ii. http://www.eapa.org/promo.php?c=171
iii. http://www.alphapavingtexas.com/faq/what-are-the-main-benefits-of-asphalt/