Asphalt Paving Techniques

The cold mix asphalt material does not require any heating and is dumped directly from a dump truck in rows along the road at the ambient or outside air temperature and spread on the ground surface with a motor grader. Once spread, the asphalt is rolled flat with a double drum vibratory or static roller. This material is best suited for low traffic areas such as driveways, as the material does not stand up to a heavy volume of traffic.

Hot mix asphalt material is hauled from an asphalt plant by truck to the jobsite where it is dumped into a hopper, or storage area, of the transfer machine which continuously releases the material to the hopper on the asphalt paver and transferred to the hot screed, or heated flat section, of the paver by conveyor which is controlled by grade and slope sensors in order to lay the asphalt flat to the ground and spread evenly.

A Layton Box or drag box paver is hooked to the back of the dump truck and the asphalt is dumped into the box. This paving technique is used to pre-level potholes or deep cracks on roads, and as a patchwork asphalt maintenance tool. The machine does not have the control for precise paving jobs; it is mainly used to overlay material on existing asphalt roads.

A tilt-hopper paver is commonly used to pave warehouses, temporary shops or commercial carports, where the ceiling height is lower. The paver is loaded with asphalt in one location and brought into the indoor location for paving. The asphalt paver is self-propelled with an engine and drive train that mobilizes the machine with ease. Applying a tilt-hopper paving technique is a good idea when there are wires or trees over the areas you need to pave.