As you start a new project, there are important decisions to make and one of the main decisions is what kind of material to use. A traditional material, like concrete, may be the well-known material of choice for projects like a driveway or sidewalk, but there is another durable and eco-friendly material that you may consider for your next project and it’s called crushed asphalt.
What is Crushed Asphalt?
Crushed asphalt is recycled pavement. It’s leftover material that’s been crushed and ground down to be reused. This crushed asphalt is also sometimes referred to as reclaimed asphalt pavement (RAP), asphalt millings, or pavement millings. RAP is becoming increasingly popular for consumers, mainly in driveways and landscaping, because it’s environmentally friendly and cost-effective. However, crushed asphalt also has benefits for construction, when finishing parking lots, playgrounds, outdoor work areas, and more.
Crushed Asphalt vs. Concrete
Concrete and asphalt are both commonly used for driveways and sidewalks, but they have several differences. Concrete isn’t as easily reused and cannot be recycled the way that asphalt can be recycled. Crushed concrete can be used as an underneath base for a driveway or sidewalk but isn’t normally used as the main building material because it doesn’t have a material to keep it smooth and maintain its shape. Crushed asphalt still contains tar which makes it able to lay smoothly and is more cost-effective than concrete.
Compared with other types of materials, such as gravel, crushed asphalt lasts longer and is also more durable.
Ways to Use Crushed Asphalt
There are various ways to use crushed asphalt including:
- Roads
- Bases
- Fills
- Shoulders on roads
- Sidewalks
- Driveways
- Parking lots
- Foundations
Crushed asphalt can be used in nearly every way that concrete, asphalt, or gravel can be used, but there’s the added benefit of cost-effectiveness, and the eco-benefit of using recycled material.
Benefits of Using Crushed Asphalt
Some of the other benefits of using crushed asphalt include:
- Durability
- High-quality
- Eco-friendly
- Sustainability
- Weather-resistant
- No maintenance
- Affordable
- Appearance
- Good bonding ability
- Recycled
- Preserving other limited resources for different uses
- Versatile
Recycling Asphalt
If you have access to lots of building material, you can create your own recycled material. As long as you have asphalt and the right equipment, you can recycle your asphalt into crushed asphalt. In addition to being cost-effective for you, recycling materials also relieves the burden on landfills and allows for other materials that are rarer and not recyclable to be used for other purposes. Recycling materials also helps the environment by not wasting materials that still have use.
General Kinematics Can Help
Whether you’re just setting out to refinish a driveway, or if you have a construction materials plant, crushed asphalt is a great alternative to other building material. General Kinematics can help you get the equipment you need to recycle your own asphalt. Contact one of our experts to learn what recycling equipment options are available and to find the right fit for you.
