Asphalt paving companies in Toledo use asphalt in the construction of roads, pavements, and in landscaping. Asphalt is also known as bitumen. It is a sticky black viscous liquid that is found and mined from the earth’s surface.
Asphalt paving is very affordable and requires maintenance and specific conditions to be in perfect condition. It requires lying of the tar which is the base. Then asphalt is laid on top and takes 24 to 48 hours to dry.
In the beginning, the paving requires to be resealed after six to nine months but after this resealing is done it would take more than five years for the next phase. Tracking temperatures is one of the requirements in asphalt paving construction.
There are 4 key temperatures monitored during asphalt paving and they include ambient temperature, base temperature, hot mix asphalt temperature, and machine temperature. They are as discussed below:
4 Key Temperatures That Are Monitored
The 4 key temperatures that are monitored are the ambient temperature, base temperature, Hot Mix asphalt temperature, and machine temperature.
Ambient Temperature
This is the temperature concerning the external environment during paving.
The key elements in the weather that tamper with asphalt are sunshine, wind, and precipitation which can affect the overall temperature.
- Sunshine Temperature
The normal temperature of the place during construction should be 50 degrees Fahrenheit and rising while paving or during a patching project. Otherwise the paving or parching will not be done to perfection.
- Wind
If it is too windy the asphalt will cool faster than on a less windy day. The temperature will drop quickly, and the patch or pavement will unravel.
- Precipitation
Precipitation is water in either liquid or solid form that reaches the surface of the earth from the atmosphere. This would reduce the temperature of hot asphalt and will tamper with the required compaction. It will cause the paving or patch made to be rough and even have cracks.
 Base Temperature
This is the temperature on the ground’s surface. This is very critical in asphalt paving construction. It can be measured by an infrared thermometer. The base temperature is supposed to be a temperature of fifty degrees Fahrenheit and rising.
Hot Mix Asphalt (HMA)
Hot mix asphalt is manufactured at temperatures between 270 degrees Fahrenheit and 325 degrees Fahrenheit. It can lose between five to 25 degrees Fahrenheit. It should arrive at the site of paving or parching at temperatures ranging 275- and 300-degrees Fahrenheit.
If the temperatures are cooler than they are supposed to be during paving it lacks the density required and will deconstruct and fall apart. If the temperatures are cooler than they are supposed to be during patching, the surface will ravel leaving a rough, rocky surface in just a short period.
Machine Temperature
The machines used for the construction of roads are called haul trucks. These are heavy-duty trucks used in the construction industry.
The temperature should be taken of the pavement in the haul track, at the front of the laydown machine, and behind after the laydown machine has passed.
If the pavement cools too quickly and drops below 220 degrees Fahrenheit before rolling and breakdown, the project is likely to fail.
It is important to uphold the required temperature in asphalt paving construction. This is the key to ensuring that the paving and parching project is done with competence and as required. From the HMA temperature, the base temperature, to the ambient temperature; all of them are very important in keeping up to standard and achieving stunning looks in asphalt paving.
