There’s a good chance that you don’t think twice about the asphalt paving equipment used to pave roads and parking lots that you use daily, but we think about that equipment often.
Although we work on commercial projects, we also help with larger municipal projects like roadways. In these cases, equipment is the key to getting ROI and creating paved surfaces that withstand heavy traffic for years to come.
The last thing we want is for a timeline to be pushed back due to equipment breakdowns or failure; entire communities depend on asphalt paving jobs getting done quickly and with minimal interruptions.
At Leritz Busy Bee Paving, we avoid these problems by choosing the right equipment and train our team thoroughly to ensure it’s being operated correctly. The best equipment on the jobsite and backups waiting to take over means we provide our clients with the peace of mind that we’ll get their projects done on time with little disruption.
Some amazing tools are being used to create the paved asphalt surfaces that we all depend on every day; here’s what you need to know about them.
Asphalt Paver
Asphalt pavers are self-propelled machines that were originally patented in 1936. A dump truck adds asphalt into the machine’s hopper, and a conveyor brings the asphalt from the hopper to the auger which spreads the pavement material on the road or parking lot. The screed is a part of the machine that then flattens the asphalt.
Compactors
Often called road rollers, this machinery uses its weight to compact the surface to make them smoother and denser. Different compactors perform different jobs throughout the paving process, starting with the base layer of soil and until the final layer of asphalt is installed. This provides pavement that holds up to traffic.
Dump Trucks
These trucks aren’t unique to asphalt paving, but they are a crucial part of the pavement process. There are a few different types of dump trucks used. End dump means the truck lifts the front end and opens up a tailgate at the back end to let material out. Belly dump opens the bottom floor so the material is released along sloped walls. Live bottom dumps use a conveyor to release material instead of lifting the truck.
Graders
This heavy-duty machinery offers a variety of uses within the construction world; it’s a vehicle with a long blade to create a flat surface. Generally, it’s part of creating a flat surface on which the final layers of the asphalt are applied, but it can also be used to maintain gravel or dirt roads on job sites that don’t require traditional paved surfaces.
Milling Machines
This equipment is generally used during the repair or replacement of older, damaged asphalt pavement. Milling machines can create an asphalt surface that’s more level and better prepared for a new top layer, offering a rough surface with grooves that is safe for drivers in between the phases of asphalt repair or replacement. It also reclaims asphalt material that can be repurposed and recycled.
Stabilizers and Reclaimers
This equipment can do double duty. Soil stabilization creates more strength at the base of asphalt pavement by first milling and then laying down additives and then graded and compacted, creating better support for additional asphalt layers. Reclamation is the process of rehabbing pavement by destroying it to provide a base for a new asphalt surface. Stabilizer and reclaimer machinery can help with both of these processes.
Sweepers
Sweepers are pretty self-explanatory; they’re used to clean off debris between layers of asphalt pavement, and especially after it’s been milled or graded. Dust and debris can prevent these layers from bonding to each and can also prevent uniformity between the layers — something that can lead to cracks, potholes, and lack of durability.