What Equipment is Used by Asphalt Paving Professionals?
asphaltplant > 09-15-2022, 12:57 AM
Reclaimers
Reclaimers are vehicles designated to cut and destroy old pavement to be replaced. The rotors on these vehicles will also often be used to mix lime, cement, and other materials into the foundation to help stabilize a poor bed surface.
Milling Machines
Following the use of a reclaimer, milling machines come in to remove the top layer of the existing pavement to create a bed surface for an asphalt company to work. Milling machines create a friction rich surface that is serviceable to drive on while working toward the final product. These tools can also work as graders in lieu of a dedicated grader machine.
Graders
If the foundation of the area to be paved is hard dirt or gravel, a grader can be used instead of a milling machine in order to create a flat surface to lay asphalt. Flat surfaces are key for both drivability and to avoid having to seek out any major asphalt driveway repair options or asphalt road repairs down the line.
Sweepers
Following milling or grading, sweepers come through to clean the road surface of any loose rocks and debris. Not only can these cause damage to vehicles, but an excess of this type of debris will hinder the bonding capabilities of the freshly laid asphalt to the bed surface.
Asphalt Pavers
Finally, we get to pavers – the machines responsible for actually laying the asphalt material often delivered by a dump truck. Pavers are generally self-propelled machines responsible for evenly spreading asphalt on the newly levelled and cleaned surface. Asphalt is loaded into the front of a paver and slowly spread out the back of the machine. A screed works to level the material on the ground as it is spread.
Compactors
Once the asphalt is laid, it is the job of an asphalt contractor operating a compactor to settle and condense the new surface layer. The weight of the compactor in addition to slow speeds work together to compress the asphalt into a solid, uniform, and strong final surface.