When dealing with pavement maintenance, there are two types of pavement that you probably already recognize as asphalt and concrete.

Believe it or not, these two types of pavement are more similar than you might think, and I am not talking about how they are both flat and you can drive on them, etc… That’s a given.  What I mean is that they both consist of roughly the same materials, with the differentiating factor being the binding agent.

Let’s break it down…  First we will take a look at asphalt.

Asphalt Sample

Asphalt Cement Concrete (Commonly called asphalt) is made up of:
– Sand
– Rock
– Liquid Asphalt Asphalt Cement (Manufactured from Crude Oil)

Now let’s take a look at concrete.

Concrete Sample

Portland Cement Concrete (Commonly called concrete) is made up of:
– Sand
– Rock
– Portland Cement (Manufactured from Lime Stone)

As you can see in the closeup pictures, both samples contain sand and bits of rock with the difference being the binder.

Both asphalt and concrete have their strengths and weaknesses, and which one you choose to go with will be determined largely by the way that you plan to use it.

Typical Uses for Concrete Pavement
– Bridges
– Dumpster Slabs
– Airport Runways
– Streets & Highways
– Small Residential Driveways

Typical Uses for Asphalt Pavement
– Parking Lots
– Playgrounds
– Airport Taxiways
– Streets & Highways
– Large Driveways
For more information about the differences between asphalt and concrete, visit our YouTube channel.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e9eoq-lU5TA