Mankind has known for a long time what is asphalt. The natural asphalt (mountain tar containing a mixture of bitumen with mineral materials) was used by the ancient Egyptians and Phoenicians as a bonding material in the construction of buildings and ships. The South American Indians used asphalt to impregnate their boats. Asphalt was used by the Egyptians for mummification, and in the East it was considered a cure. In addition, natural asphalt mined from the bottom of the Dead Sea was used (and is still being used) to create varnishes and paints.
The use of artificial asphalt (a compacted mixture of bitumen, gravel, sand and mineral powder) as a material for paving began at the end of the 19th century in Europe and the USA. Then they began to use asphalt in Russia.
Of course, since both the technology of laying asphalt and its production have undergone great changes, but the basic principles have remained the same.
Modern road construction
The most important condition for normal car traffic is the process of giving the road surface solid properties. Without normal asphalt roads, modern cargo turnover is practically impossible, and therefore the construction of highways is a priority for any country.
Compliance with the technology of laying asphalt and its effectiveness are directly related to the production and quality control of the material used to create asphalt pavements. Failure to comply with these requirements leads to premature destruction of the roadway.
Achievements of modern science allow us to constantly improve both the component composition of asphalt and the entire technological process for the production of road works.
If we talk about the technology of laying asphalt, then it is carried out in four stages:
- foundation preparation;
- heating the asphalt until it softens;
- laying asphalt on the base;
- Rolling asphalt rollers for compaction and leveling.
At the end of these stages, the asphalt needs some time to fully harden and obtain the design strength.
This technology implies severe restrictions on the sequence of actions, compliance with climatic and meteorological restrictions. Failure to comply with these requirements (for example, violation of the sequence or laying at low temperatures, in the rain) leads to the fact that the road surface will serve less than expected.
But even strict adherence to all asphalt laying technology is not a guarantee that the road surface does not require further maintenance and timely repairs.
The use of cold asphalt in road repair
This material has recently appeared in our country. It is made from ordinary polymer-modified asphalt with the addition of frost-resistant and plasticizing additives. The technology of laying cold asphalt greatly simplifies the process of repairing the roadway, as it allows you to perform work in a wide temperature range. It can be laid at low temperatures (up to -15 ). In addition, road work can be done in rainy weather. For laying cold asphalt does not require preliminary preparation and priming of the repaired coating. But the most important advantage that cold asphalt has is that the laying technology of this material does not require the use of special equipment. It is enough to pour it into a pothole or hole and level it with a shovel, after which the polymerization process begins, and the asphalt quickly hardens. As for the price, if we compare it with the costs of periodic road repairs using conventional asphalt, it turns out that the use of cold asphalt will be even cheaper.