When you have a pavement repair or installation scheduled, one of the first questions you may have is, “how long will it take for your driveway or parking lot to be driveable?”. There is no one right answer to this question. Rather, asphalt contractors, like Cassidy Paving use a few different factors to estimate how much time it will take for the proper compaction. We use these factors along with our many years of experience to give our customers across Massachusetts an approximate estimation of compaction time. The good thing about our crew is that we won’t start a job that is not right for your repair and compaction time. Here are the tools or information we use to help make that decision.
What to Know About Estimating Compaction Time
Ways to Measure
According to Pavement Interactive’s reference desk, there are a couple of ways to measure the air volume that remains in hot mix asphalt after a particular amount of time. Cassidy Paving and other contractors will estimate the time it will take to compact and then use specialized techniques and tools to confirm the compaction. The air voids are usually measured either by a small pavement core extracted from the area or a nuclear gauge that measures the pavement with gamma radiation. It is a personal preference for each contractor on which method they use to determine compaction and any additional time it may need.
The following are the variables that can alter your compaction time:
Environmental Factors
The biggest indicator of compaction is climate and other environmental factors. These play a huge role in the success of asphalt compaction. These include ground temperature, air temperature, and wind speed. You will need a ground temperature of at least 45 degrees for hot mix asphalt to compact properly. The Cassidy Paving crew prefers to wait until the spring to do hot mix projects such as driveways and parking lots. Otherwise, compaction will not be done correctly and it increases your liability for litigation as property owners. You want to make sure that your driving/walking areas are as safe as possible before use.
Mix Factors
As explained before, according to the mix used, compaction will be successful or not depending on the environmental factors. The following properties help professionals determine compaction time:
- Aggregate
- Gradation
- Asphalt Binder
- Amount Used
These all are taken into account to help determine what type of mix to use and how to mix it for the best compaction and curing.
Construction Methods
Asphalt contractors also have various application and construction methods and techniques that can help with compaction time. Even the sheer amount of people on the crew and equipment you have can make the difference especially when the weather isn’t being cooperative. The number of passes the equipment makes over the asphalt can also affect the compaction time and the estimate we can give. An inaccurate application can also increase your liability and should not be rushed or have corners cut just for a shorter compaction time.
Professional Asphalt Paving
When you work with Cassidy Paving, you can be assured that you are receiving high-quality paving application and accurate compaction estimation. Give us a call today at 866-978-9788 for a free estimate.