Asphalt concrete production technology

One essential component used in the building of parking lots, highways, and roads is asphalt concrete. Paving surfaces that are subjected to heavy traffic and fluctuating weather conditions are better suited for this material due to its adaptability, resilience, and affordability. Gaining knowledge about the process of producing asphalt concrete can help you better understand the characteristics that make it so useful in these applications.

The meticulous selection of raw materials is the first step in the production of asphalt concrete. Aggregates such as sand, gravel, and crushed stone are the primary ingredients that give the mixture its strength and bulk. To hold the aggregates together and give them the required flexibility and waterproofing qualities, a binder—typically bitumen—is added to the mixture.

Following selection, the materials are delivered to an asphalt mixing facility. Here, heat is applied to the aggregates to drive off moisture and guarantee adequate binder coating. To make the bitumen more pliable and simpler to combine with the aggregates, it is additionally heated. After that, the ingredients are well combined to form a uniform mixture. We refer to this mixture as asphalt concrete.

The hot asphalt mix is transported to the construction site as the last stage of the procedure. To guarantee that it stays workable until it is laid down and compacted, it needs to be maintained at a certain temperature. For this reason, insulated beds on specialized trucks are employed. After arriving at the location, paving machines are used to spread the asphalt, and rollers are used to compact it to produce a smooth, long-lasting surface.

The precise and well-coordinated process of producing asphalt concrete guarantees that the material satisfies the necessary requirements for performance and quality. One can gain a greater understanding of the difficulties involved in making the roads and surfaces we depend on on a daily basis by being familiar with this production technology.

Production Features

The foundation of asphalt concrete consists of binders and loose or solid fillers derived from natural sources. Achieving perfect homogeneity and the required density and density during the mixing process of the ingredients is crucial in the production of this mixture. This is the fundamental process involved in producing asphalt concrete solutions.

The development of new technologies for the production of asphalt concrete material is still ongoing. To increase the composite’s strength and other qualities, the production process is constantly being improved. Empirical research has demonstrated that rubber materials and other util-racks of machine stingrays are excellent for this purpose. International demand for this kind of production technique has long been high.

The aesthetics of this building material tend to get better as a result of the production of asphalt concrete mixture overseas. This is accomplished by incorporating unique dyes into the mixture. Although this method is similar to that of our manufacturers, colored asphalt concrete has not received particular recognition in this area due to certain circumstances.

Technology of preparation

Let’s look at some older methods of producing asphalt concrete mortar that the State Standard has embraced.

Preparation of raw materials

The following are the material’s constituent parts:

• Sand – acts as a fine filler, ensuring the separation of the load from the road surface to the soil. If sand is not mixed in, the binder will spread, and the crushed stone will be forced out to the surface.
• Mineral filler. This component can be rocks ground to a powder consistency: lime, chalk or sandstone. Their function is to fill the remaining free space. The most durable of them is sandstone – it withstands any chemical reactions, due to which it is often used near industrial chemical plants.
• Rubber – is crushed to a state of millimeter crumbs, and only in this way is it added to the composition. Its task is to make the finished composite flexible, resistant to moisture. Asphalt concrete floorings on a rubber base are much less susceptible to cracking, so they do not require frequent repairs. However, such road surfaces cost a lot of money, so they are used exclusively for especially important road sections with increased loads, as well as those laid in difficult areas with an aggressive environment.

The preparatory tasks consist of sifting and drying. Typically, fillers are produced in a wet state. The strength characteristics of the asphalt flooring may be weakened if this moisture is retained. Thus, heating mineral raw materials to 200 degrees is the method used to dry them.

Mineral fillers are crushed and then sorted by fractions prior to sifting. Any stage of preparation can be followed by another drying process if needed. The kind of technology being used determines this.

Mixing ingredients

Three types of asphalt concrete composites are distinguished based on the manufacturing process:

The temperature at which the components are brought together for preparation varies amongst these types. The process of creating warm or hot asphalt concrete mortar involves combining a binder that has been heated either slightly or significantly with the remaining ingredients at the same temperature. There is only one heated component in cold mixtures.

A temperature of 160 degrees is used to mix the component ingredients. Using a belt mechanical conveyor, crushed stone and sand are deposited into a common receiver. Bitumen and fillers can be combined to crush the mortar. Alternatively, you could mix and homogenize the sand and crushed stone separately first.

In order to ensure that the temperature inside the bin with materials remains constant throughout the process, it must be continuously monitored. Once the final mixture reaches the appropriate density, it is moved into a designated storage container. The final mixture is kept between 150 and 180 degrees in storage.

The composite’s heat can be retained in this container for up to four days. Since the material will then start to lose its strength properties, the asphalt concrete needs to be delivered to the customer during this time. While the primary components are being mixed, more contaminants are added. The heated mixture is made ready for use by adding rubber crumb.

Types of asphalt concrete production plants

There are two kinds of asphalt concrete production plants: continuous and cyclic. They vary in terms of mobility, storage techniques, quantity of material produced, component dosage, and mixing processes.

Cyclic mechanism

Additional technical apparatus for sorting the raw materials is included in the cyclic mechanism, which takes the shape of a tower and a screen. After that, the material is separated into different portions, each of which is sent inside the drum to dry separately. With this production method, you can quickly change a given composite recipe.

Small output product volumes and the installation’s immobile, stationary design are the drawbacks of this production method. Furthermore, the screening procedure causes some idle time in the extremely hot bins; either the bins are empty or an ingredient is missing. As a result, the composite’s quality declines. Losses could result from this. Large cities are typically the sites of this kind of asphalt concrete mixture production.

Continuous Asphalt Concrete Composite Plant

Towers are not needed in the continuous asphalt composite plant, which is well known for its simplicity. The gadget is simple to install and is convenient to transport. It does, however, have certain drawbacks. The lack of a rumble is regarded as one of these stones. After all, it is impractical to fractionate the majority of the crushed stone that is used if there is no screen. This disadvantage causes the recipe to alter and the final product’s quality attributes to decline.

To overcome this drawback, some manufacturers are retrofitting the machinery with a stand-alone sorter while keeping the production process economical. The primary advantage of this situation is that production is ongoing and unabated, which eventually results in a much greater output and, consequently, revenue.

Delivery of ready-made asphalt concrete to its destination

To complete this task, freight transport is used. This is typically a dump truck equipped with a unique body designed to endure the extreme heat of hot asphalt concrete. Kochers are trucks equipped with specialized thermal containers that can preserve the material’s quality and temperature for approximately two days. They are used for long-distance transportation over vast distances.

Modern construction relies heavily on asphalt concrete production technology to provide the flexible and long-lasting surfaces that our parking lots, roadways, and highways require. With the introduction of new materials and methods to improve sustainability and performance, this technology has undergone a substantial evolution. We can appreciate the intricacy and precision needed to produce high-quality asphalt concrete by comprehending the production process.

The careful selection and blending of aggregates is one of the most important steps in this process. These elements make up the base of asphalt concrete, along with bitumen. The characteristics of these raw materials and the precision of their mixing have a significant impact on the final product’s quality. Modern plants make use of cutting-edge machinery to guarantee that the mixture is uniform and satisfies the necessary requirements.

The effect that asphalt concrete production has on the environment is another crucial factor. Warm-mix asphalt technologies and the recycling of old asphalt are two examples of the greener practices that producers are implementing in response to growing environmental awareness. By using less energy and emitting fewer greenhouse gases, these techniques support more environmentally friendly building methods.

When producing asphalt concrete, durability and safety continue to be of utmost importance in addition to environmental factors. New formulations and additives that improve the longevity and functionality of asphalt surfaces are being produced as a result of ongoing research and development. The infrastructure that underpins our daily lives and economies depends on these innovations.

All things considered, the technology of producing asphalt concrete is a dynamic field that blends conventional wisdom with cutting-edge discoveries. Industry professionals can make sure they are delivering the best products by keeping up with the latest advancements and techniques. Asphalt concrete’s success and dependability in construction projects across the globe are fueled by this unwavering dedication to quality and innovation.

With the use of a petroleum-based binder and natural aggregates like sand and gravel, asphalt concrete production technology has advanced dramatically, producing a flexible and long-lasting pavement material. In order to create roads and highways, this process entails heating the materials to high temperatures, thoroughly mixing them, and then laying and compacting the mixture while it is still hot. The end product is a weather-resistant, smooth surface that can tolerate high traffic volumes and harsh environmental conditions. Gaining an understanding of this technology is essential to enhancing the sustainability, durability, and efficiency of road construction.

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