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An Introduction to Asphalt Concrete Pavement Street and Highway Engineering

Caleb Long

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Materials
Design
Construction
Maintenance

Asphalt concrete pavement is a type of flexible pavement that is made up of a mixture of asphalt, aggregate, and air. It is the most common type of pavement used for streets and highways in the United States.

An Introduction to Asphalt Concrete Pavement (Street and Highway Engineering)

by J. Paul Guyer

5 out of 5

Language	:	English
File size	:	11876 KB
Text-to-Speech	:	Enabled
Enhanced typesetting	:	Enabled
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Screen Reader	:	Supported
Print length	:	328 pages

Asphalt concrete pavement is durable, flexible, and relatively easy to maintain. It can be used in a variety of climates and can be designed to meet the specific needs of a particular project.

Materials

The materials used in asphalt concrete pavement are asphalt, aggregate, and air.

Asphalt is a black, sticky material that is derived from crude oil. It is the binder that holds the aggregate together.
Aggregate is the crushed rock or gravel that makes up the majority of asphalt concrete pavement. It provides strength and durability to the pavement.
Air is added to asphalt concrete pavement to create voids. Voids allow water to drain through the pavement and prevent it from freezing and cracking.

Design

The design of asphalt concrete pavement is critical to its performance. The thickness of the pavement, the type of aggregate used, and the amount of asphalt used all affect the pavement's durability and lifespan.

The design of asphalt concrete pavement is typically done by a civil engineer. The engineer will take into account the traffic load, the climate, and the soil conditions at the site of the project.

Construction

Asphalt concrete pavement is constructed by laying down a layer of asphalt concrete mix and then compacting it. The compaction process is critical to the performance of the pavement. It ensures that the pavement is dense and has a smooth surface.

There are a variety of different methods that can be used to construct asphalt concrete pavement. The most common method is the hot-mix asphalt method. In this method, the asphalt concrete mix is heated to a temperature of about 300 degrees Fahrenheit and then laid down and compacted.

Maintenance

Asphalt concrete pavement requires regular maintenance to keep it in good condition. The most common maintenance activities include:

Sealing: Sealing the pavement helps to protect it from water damage.
Crack filling: Crack filling prevents water from seeping into the pavement and causing further damage.
Patching: Patching is used to repair small holes or cracks in the pavement.
Overlays: Overlays are used to resurface the pavement and extend its lifespan.

Asphalt concrete pavement is a durable, flexible, and relatively easy to maintain type of pavement. It is the most common type of pavement used for streets and highways in the United States.

The design, construction, and maintenance of asphalt concrete pavement is critical to its performance. If these steps are followed properly, asphalt concrete pavement can provide many years of trouble-free service.

### Descriptive alt attributes for images

* **Image of an asphalt concrete pavement street:** A smooth, black asphalt concrete pavement street with white lane markings. * **Image of an asphalt concrete pavement highway:** A wide asphalt concrete pavement highway with multiple lanes of traffic. * **Image of an asphalt concrete pavement construction crew:** A crew of workers laying down and compacting asphalt concrete pavement. * **Image of an asphalt concrete pavement maintenance crew:** A crew of workers sealing an asphalt concrete pavement.

An Introduction to Asphalt Concrete Pavement (Street and Highway Engineering)

by J. Paul Guyer

5 out of 5