When a property owner of asphalt pavement considers spending the money to have a new asphalt parking lot, they will always review cost benefit of the new asphalt pavement. The cost of the new asphalt pavement is reviewed with the years of service life that the new asphalt pavement will provide. The owner will expect the new asphalt pavement parking lot to enhance the curb appeal of their property to the public as well as increase the value of the property.

The property owner needing a new asphalt pavement, negotiates with a contractor of their choice and they begin the process of preparing the base and then placing the new asphalt. Once the asphalt has been placed the owner and contractor look at the end results and are pleased with the look of the new asphalt pavement surface. The new asphalt provides parking for the user of the property as well and enhance the looks of the property.

The new asphalt parking lot looks great and everyone is pleased. The anticipation was the new asphalt mix was placed correctly because it looks good but will it last and provide the best performance and low maintenance cost as planned is not always based on looks. The question was the hot mix asphalt compacted to the proper density during the application. Will the new asphalt provide for a normal service life because the compaction of the hot mix asphalt was done correctly? Proper compaction of the hot mix asphalt material is a critical part of the application process. Hot mix asphalt compacted properly will last for years conversely a hot mix asphalt pavement without proper compaction will show signs of raveling and early deterioration within three to five years. Hot mix asphalt pavements with poor compaction will result in early failure possibly loosing half of the projected service life. As a result of poor or improper compaction, the owner has wasted half of their investment dollars and will need to provide additional funding to do the asphalt project again or provide funding for early pavement maintenance and repairs.

Every asphalt paving project should begin with a review of the entire project and the desired outcome. When an owner and contractor agree on a price and the project asphalt specifications for a new hot mix asphalt application, the specifications must include requirements for compaction and mat density. The contractor should check for the proper compaction during the application of the new hot mix asphalt material.

A few questions to review during the placement of the new hot mix asphalt:

1 Are the proper rollers on site and is the rolling being done correctly?
2 Are the rollers being allowed the proper amount of time to roll the mat correctly?
3 Is the hot mix asphalt the proper temperature to allow for the correct compaction? The hot mix asphalt requires a temperature of 175 degrees of higher to achieve the proper compaction
4 Is there a temperature reading device on site and being used to monitor the temperature of the hot mix asphalt material being placed?
5 Upon visual inspection are there signs of depressions of water puddles. Is the pavement even and smooth without roller edge marks?
6 Are the hot mix asphalt placement seams and joints smooth and uniform?
7 Is the surface smooth and uniform without the appearance of large rocky spots indication segregation of the mix that is hard to compact evenly and correctly?

Always wait until the new asphalt pavement cools to the touch prior to allowing traffic on the new asphalt pavement.

American Pavement Preservation is a quality experienced asphalt paving contractor, understanding the need for a proper hot mix application to achieve the best-looking asphalt pavement, with lower maintenance costs and the best long-term performance. New asphalt pavements are a large investment for a property owner and we understand that the property owner wants to spend their money wisely and not have short term results form a long term planned investment due to the contractor not placing the new hot mix asphalt correctly. The need to understand the compaction process and resulting higher density of the surface is critical.