How to Pave an asphalt driveway

What is bitumen?

Bitumen is a black-brown complex mixture of hydrocarbons of different molecular weights and their non-metallic derivatives, a kind of high-viscosity organic liquid, mostly in liquid or semi-solid petroleum form, with a black surface, soluble in carbon disulfide, carbon tetrachloride. Bitumen is a waterproof moisture and corrosion-resistant organic cementitious material. It has good adhesion, durability, and waterproofing, and is widely used in roads, and parking lots and waterproofing.

Classification and selection of bitumen

Bitumen can be mainly divided into three kinds coal-coke bitumen, petroleum asphalt, and natural asphalt: among them, coal-coke bitumen is a by-product of coke refining. Petroleum bitumen is the residue of crude oil distillation. Natural bitumen, on the other hand, is stored in the ground, some of which form mineral layers or accumulate on the surface of the earth's crust. Bitumen is mainly used in industries such as paints, plastics, and rubber, as well as for paving roads.

The type of bitumen you choose depends on many factors, including road usage, climatic conditions, budget, etc. Below I will provide some common types and characteristics of bitumen for your reference:

1. petroleum bitumen: This is the most common type of asphalt and is usually used for general roads and driveways. It has good adhesion and durability and is adaptable to various climatic conditions.

2. Modified Bitumen: The properties of bitumen are improved by adding modifiers such as polymers or rubber. Modified bitumen usually has better high-temperature stability and crack resistance, and is suitable for areas with heavy traffic or harsh climate.

3. High-performance bitumen: This type of bitumen has higher performance indicators, such as better fatigue resistance and durability. It may be suitable for special requirements of the road, such as highways or heavy roads.

4. Recycled Bitumen: Processed from recycled old bitumen materials. Recycled bitumen is not only environmentally friendly but also reduces costs.

Bitumen road paving process

1. Foundation preparation Thoroughly clean up the old road surface, remove debris, oil stains, etc., to ensure that the basic road surface is smooth and solid, remove debris and water to ensure that the new bitumen concrete and the old road surface are effectively bonded. Carry out necessary soil reinforcement and drainage treatment.

2. Material Preparation Select suitable bitumen materials according to the design requirements and prepare the concrete in strict accordance with the proportion to ensure the quality of concrete.

3. Paving process Heat the bitumen to the appropriate temperature to ensure good fluidity. Use professional paving equipment for concrete paving, control paving thickness, flatness, and other parameters to ensure paving quality. Compacting bitumen, after the paving is completed, use the roller to compact the concrete to ensure that the compaction degree reaches the design requirements.

4. Joint treatment Handle the joints of the bitumen layer to avoid cracks and unevenness.

5. surface treatment Optional surface texture treatment, such as spraying modified bitumen using a bitumen sprinkler to increase friction.

Required equipment

Asphalt paver: for paving asphalt mixture.

Roller: to compact the bitumen pavement and improve the density.

Vehicles: to transport the bitumen mixture and other materials.

Heating equipment: Used to heat the bitumen to keep it flowing well.

Measuring tools: such as levels and rangefinders to ensure construction accuracy. Laying a high-quality bitumen driveway requires specialized knowledge and experience. During the construction process, it is important to follow the specifications strictly to ensure the quality of each part of the process.