Paving with Asphalt in Nashville, TN

You’ve got a paving project in Nashville, TN, and, more than likely, you’ll want to use asphalt. That’s probably most of what you know. But, if you’re curious about asphalt – what it is, how it works? Well, we’ve got some answers. We take some time here to explain some asphalt basics. If you have more questions, let us know! We offer services including paving, asphalt repair, seal coating, signs and striping, and many others in Nashville, TN and the Middle Tennessee area.

Asphalt & Blacktop

The word “Asphalt” can be a very confusing term for most laypeople because it is used interchangeably with several other words to mean the same or different things.  Now that’s not very clear is it?  Let’s see if we can clear this up a bit.  For most people “asphalt” and “blacktop” are terms used to describe what engineers and the asphalt industry call; “asphalt concrete” or “bituminous concrete”.  Hopefully the following definitions and explanations will shed some light on the subject.

Asphalt, also known as bitumen, is a sticky, black and highly viscous liquid or semi-solid form of petroleum. It may be found in natural deposits or may be a refined product; it is a substance classed as a pitch. Until the 20th century, the term asphaltum was also used.

The primary use of asphalt/bitumen is in road construction, where it is used as the glue or binder mixed with aggregate particles to create asphalt concrete. Its other main uses are for bituminous waterproofing products, including production of roofing felt and for sealing flat roofs.

Asphalt is a mixture of aggregates, binder and filler, used for constructing and maintaining all kind of roads, parking areas but also play- and sport areas. Aggregates used for asphalt mixtures could be crushed rock, sand, gravel or slags. In order to bind the aggregates into a cohesive mixture a binder is used. Most commonly, asphalt/bitumen is used as a binder. An average asphalt pavement consists of the road structure above the foundation/subgrade level and may include both unbound and bituminous-bound materials. This gives the pavement the ability to distribute the loads of the traffic before they reach the subgrade level.

Asphalt is the sustainable material for building pavements. It’s smooth, so vehicles consume less fuel and produce lower emissions; it’s quiet, so expensive noise walls don’t need to be constructed; it’s safe, providing excellent gripping power; and it’s durable, so that the road never needs to be removed and replaced. It is also the most recycled material in the U.S.

How is Asphalt Used?

The first thing that comes to mind when you hear asphalt is roads. But the versatility of asphalt makes it the ideal material for other applications and locations: from driveways to runways, from the barn floor to the ocean floor.

HMA is also used worldwide as a practical solution to water storage, flood control, erosion, and conservation problems. Asphalt has been approved by the Environmental Protection Agency and used successfully as a primary liner for both sanitary and hazardous waste landfills.

You’ll find asphalt all around you in a variety of uses, including:

1. Transportation – highways, railbeds for transit systems, airport runways
2. Recreational – running tracks, greenway trails, playgrounds, bicycle and golf cart paths, racetracks, basketball and tennis courts
3. Aquatic – fish hatcheries, reservoir liners, industrial retention ponds, sea walls, dikes and groins to control beach erosion
4. Residential – driveways, subdivision roads
5. Agricultural – cattle feed lots, poultry house floors, barn floors, greenhouse floors
6. Industrial – work sites, log yards, ports, freight yards, landfill caps

Ready to get started with asphalt in Nashville, TN?

Of course you are! Asphalt is quick, economical, flexible, and has a long life. Now you know a little more about this versatile substance and how it can be used to your benefit. Get in touch with us and we’ll help you get started with asphalt paving in Nashville, TN! Asphalt is the most used and cost effective choice for your parking lot and roadway surfaces. Lone Star Paving also provides expert striping and signs using only premium traffic paints.