Very often, in the cold season, utilities have to make urgent patching of pavements. Hot laying of asphalt requires a perfectly dry surface and thorough preparation of the foundation, which is completely impossible to do in the autumn-winter time. It is in such situations that in most cases they use cold asphalt. What is it and how does it differ from the usual way of laying roads, let's try to understand in more detail.
What is cold asphalt?
Cold asphalt is an innovative material for road repair, the use of which opens up new opportunities for utilities and owners of private territories. This species came to us from abroad recently, but has already managed to establish itself well in the Russian market. The unique qualities of the coating allow it to be used in the most extreme conditions, when laying hot asphalt is completely impossible. Many are interested in the question of what cold asphalt consists of. What it is?
Products are produced in the form of a ready-
mixed asphalt mix with the addition of bitumen, polymers and plasticizers. During the production process, all the main components of the material are thoroughly mixed, fine-grained crushed stone and elastic additives are added. The resulting mixture is heat treated and sent to packaging.
Cold asphalt is sold in bags weighing 50 kg, plastic buckets of 15 kg or in large packages up to a ton.
The benefits of cold asphalt
The cold paving method has gained immense popularity due to its simplicity. With the advent of cold asphalt, any homeowner can perform repairs or make a small asphalt pad without special skills and the use of expensive equipment.
The coating of cold asphalt is characterized by high strength, durability and can be used immediately after the completion of repair work. During the movement of cars on the repaired area, the asphalt is compacted and acquires the necessary hardness.
Composite additives included in the composition of the material improve the adhesion of the mixture to the surface, which facilitates the masonry process and guarantee the high quality of the work performed.
The advantage of this method over hot laying is that work can be carried out at temperatures up to minus 20 degrees. In this case, the preliminary preparation of the repaired surface is completely optional. All you need to do with the pit is sweep the dust out of it.
Material can be transported in any weather conditions, in a car of the corresponding carrying capacity. Well-packed cold asphalt in bags can be stored almost forever. The opened mixture is suitable for use throughout the year, which is very convenient.
disadvantages
It is not recommended to use cold asphalt as the main road surface, since under the influence of heavy trucks it loses strength and spreads.
Another important disadvantage is the high cost of liquid asphalt. The price of the mixture for cold masonry is several times higher than the cost of the hot method. Although, given that it is intended only for minor repairs, it will not be so expensive to eliminate the formed pits with its help.
For comparison, we can give an example of the cost of both road surfaces: 1 ton of ordinary asphalt costs enterprises 2,000–2500 rubles, while the price per ton of cold mix reaches 50,000 rubles. But, if you calculate the labor costs of workers and the rental cost of equipment necessary for hot coating, laying of cold asphalt is even more economical.
Styling technology
First of all, the resulting hole is cleaned of dust and various debris. For the best adhesion of the base with the new material, the old coating is treated with a bitumen emulsion, on top of which cold asphalt will be laid. What is it and is this processing mandatory, should be understood before starting work.
The composition of the emulsion includes bitumen, dissolved in water mixed with various components. Sticky liquid creates the most dense connection of the two materials. You can buy the composition in any hardware store.
If there are cracks and dents on the track, they are filled with a liquid mixture, after which they are repeatedly passed over the entire surface with a brush or brush dipped in a bitumen emulsion. Next, start laying asphalt. He pours out into the pit or into the territory of the future path and is leveled. If there are lumps in the mixture, they must be broken with any heavy object.
Pits are embedded in several layers, the thickness of which should not exceed 6 cm. Each layer is carefully leveled with a vibrating plate or a usual chopper.
It is very important that the surface of liquid asphalt is 1-2 centimeters higher than the level of the old road surface. In the process of rolling, the mixture is compacted and sags to the required depth. When repairing roads, this technology is used. Cold asphalt allows you to use a new coating immediately after completion of work.
Scope of application
Cold asphalt is most often used for emergency repairs of road surfaces in places where it is impossible to stop the movement of vehicles. It is advisable to use the material to repair the foundation, hard-to-reach sections of roads, storms, hatches, rest areas and other surfaces of small size.
Owners of private houses for arranging car parking, floors on verandas and arbors, as well as capital paths often use cold asphalt. Its price is certainly high, but since the purchased mixture can be used for a long time, it is ideal for periodic private repairs.
Conclusion
In the article, we examined when and where they use cold asphalt, what it is. Today, this material is known to almost everyone who is directly or indirectly involved in road repair. The technology of laying cold asphalt is more than simple, it is available to everyone who wants to lay a high-quality and reliable road surface in their own yard.
As for the required amount of the mixture, calculations should be made based on the data provided by the manufacturer. So, for 1 m
2 of coating with a layer thickness of not more than 0.5 cm, about 50 kg of the liquid mixture will be required. Very deep pits are recommended to be pre-covered with fine gravel to the middle.
Thus obtained asphalt has a fairly high performance. If no mistakes were made during the laying of the mixture, the hardened coating will last many years without repair.