The trouble with Hot Mix Asphalt in Texas is an interesting one because there are several reasons that hot mix (and tar and chip) roads could fail. First off, the Dallas area, and North Texas in general, has had explosive growth. With that, heavy trucks traverse roads more frequently, bring in construction equipment, trailers, and heavy loads of all sorts. In an area with growth, more vehicles are present, adding to the wear and tear of the roads.

Generally, when there is asphalt that is cracking, the soil and base of the road could be to blame. A sturdy base is required in order to give the road longevity. Additionally, the soil is not as sandy as other regions, and with clay and dirt, the driveway or road can be more susceptible to heaving or moving over time.

The thickness of the asphalt does play a factor as well. Too thin, and the asphalt can break up over time. 

Compaction could be an issue as well. In cases where the base or asphalt is not compacted with a roller sufficiently, the material is more susceptible to breaking up, or causing other structural problems.

Beyond that, the weather can play a role as well. Heat and moisture wreck havoc on driveways and roads, eroding underneath, or allowing the asphalt to become more pliable with heat which could cause problems as well. 

Although hot all that common is driving on a driveway or road that is not cured. Turning on it in the first month for instance could pull the asphalt in front of the tire away from the asphalt on the back of the tire while turning.

The hot mix here is not always able to be applied without surface defects (cosmetic). Other areas in the country seem to have perfect asphalt that can be put down with perfect flatness and consistency, while here in Texas, most paving has some surface blemishes.

Key thoughts:
The road base under the pavement is important.
Keeping water as far away from the pavement will improve the lifespan of the asphalt.
Proper thickness and compaction are needed.
The weather in Texas, heavy loads, or a lot of traffic will take a toll.
Hot mix asphalt cure time is important.
There will very likely be blemishes in the overlay or top coat of asphalt.

When a hot mix asphalt driveway starts showing signs of age, if the damage isn't too severe it can be paved over. We have to spend time preparing the driveway beforehand by addressing the most damaged spots so an even coat of asphalt can be applied. For this job, we had a mix of damaged surfaces, so lot of prep was needed. Hot mix asphalt is a bit of a challenge when it's over 100 degrees outside, but we think this one turned out amazing!

Recycling asphalt has become a big deal.

These days, nearly 100% of the asphalt that is removed from former roadways is recycled and used in new roads, parking lots, and driveways, completely avoiding the landfill.

Pretty amazing. But, there's a reason for it. The strength and durability of the product is not compromised. There are actually many reasons that a road is recycled.

• Widening an asphalt roadway
• Replacing old & cracked asphalt
• Pulling up temporary asphalt used on larger projects
• Replacing interstate cement (with asphalt layer underneath)

Regardless how it was used, the material still retains the properties that made it so resilient against the elements in the first place. Through a bit of crushing and processing, the material can be used in new hot mix or aggregate asphalt applications.

In the past, any excavated asphalt would end up in a landfill with the dirt and other debris collected during demolition. Nowadays, a machine can scrape just the usable asphalt and leave behind the dirt and other construction materials, ending up with a clean, usable product. This product is delivered in trucks to an asphalt plant for processing.

Pulling it  up though does collect quite big chunks. These chunks would not be usable for any practical use so the asphalt plant processes it by crushing it down to smaller pieces, and using a screen to allow just the right size particulates through. From there, they can process it into the final materials that will be used or sold.

Hot Mix Asphalt

Every hot mix asphalt job we do has some percentage of recycled asphalt in it. This means we are recycling with every hot mix asphalt driveway, road, or parking lot we do!

Crushed Asphalt

When the recycled asphalt is crushed, we can use it in a cold application. As it turns out, this is a great solution for anyone wanting to make an affordable driveway or parking lot without the expense of cement or hot asphalt. It ends up semi-solid, with a base that hardens up over time, but still has a fine layer of loose material at the top.

The benefits are:

• Looks great
• No dust
• Perfect for long rural driveways
• Holds up better than gravel
• Does not get muddy like crushed concrete / gravel
• Cost Effective! The use of crushed recycled asphalt is equal to (or less than) other types of gravel!

We're glad to be part of such a massive recycling project in whatever small way we participate in it. Globally, recycling asphalt is a huge win for everyone, especially mother nature. Not only do we avoid excavating raw materials, but landfills are spared the burden of handling the waste, which as it turns out, isn't actually waste at all.

We found a pdf file you may be interested in taking a look at if you're looking for more information about the process of recycling asphalt.