Asphalt Facts: 8 Things You Didn’t Know

Rose Paving / September 26, 2012

Our Trivia Series continues with a collection of fun facts you may not have known about asphalt.

It is a thick, black substance comprised of asphaltic cement (AC), aggregate, and fines/fillers.
Asphalt pavement is utilized in a variety of different applications because of its durability, cost-effectiveness, simplicity of construction, and strength.
94% of the paved roads in America are surfaced with asphalt.
Asphalt is favored over its paving alternative (concrete) for highways because it produces a smoother, quieter ride overall. Studies show that the smoother the pavement, the lower a vehicle’s fuel consumption which makes asphalt the preferred material for both highway engineers and motorists alike.
The asphalt industry reclaims about 100 million tons of its own product every year, and reuses about 95 million tons, making it America’s number one recycler.
Rubber from used tires, glass, and asphalt roofing shingles are some of the materials routinely recycled into asphalt pavements.
Reclaimed Asphalt Pavement Millings Restoration Agent, Warm-Mix Asphalt, and High RAP (Reclaimed Asphalt Pavement) Content are three eco-friendly alternatives to asphalt. Learn more about green paving solutions here!
A type of asphalt termed “porous asphalt” provides both cost-effective, attractive pavement as well as a stormwater management system to promote infiltration. Porous asphalt allows water to drain through the pavement surface into a stone recharge bed and infiltrate into the soils below the pavement.

Contact us if you’re interested in learning more about our asphalt paving solutions, visit our asphalt maintenance service page, or contact us.