Commonly Used Terms In The Paving Industry.
Some common terms are used in the paving industry. These terms are well-known by people who work in the paving industry but aren’t always common knowledge to customers. We wanted to take this opportunity to explain a few of them.
Subgrade
The term subgrade is primarily used to describe the dirt underneath the stone but also can be used to describe the stone and dirt underneath the asphalt.
Tack Coat
Tack Coat is a type of “glue” that is used in the paving industry. It is a bituminous liquid asphalt that helps asphalt bond to an existing asphalt surface. It can be used to bond lifts or layers of asphalt to one another. It can also be used to bond the edges of an asphalt patch on the vertical edges.
Cold Joint
When paving asphalt, you make passes with the paver. Each pass has a joint where it meets the previous pass. When both sections of asphalt are still hot, this typically blends in very easily and is called a hot joint. When paving long passes, for example, the asphalt will become cold. Where the cold section of asphalt meets the hot section is commonly referred to as a cold joint. Even after the project is complete, a “line” may still be visible in the finished asphalt surface. Cold joints are a normal part of the paving process.
Catch Basin
A catch basin, also sometimes referred to as a storm drain, is a metal grate in parking lots that catches water in a parking lot. Catch basins can vary in shape or build.
Finegrading
Finegrading is the process of smoothing out the existing stone base. Sometimes additional stone is added. When smoothing out the stone, the goal is to get it where it needs to be for asphalt to be laid.
Alligator Cracking
Alligator Cracking also known as Crocodile Cracking, is a slang term used in the paving industry to describe areas where the asphalt is extremely cracked. These areas are an indicator that there may be subgrade damage. This term is used because it looks similar to alligator or crocodile skin.
Backer Rod
The term backer rod refers to a foam rod that is used with crackfill. When a crack in the asphalt is super deep, the backer rod is packed into the crack and then crackfill is applied on top of it. This allows for the crack to be properly filled without wasting large amounts of crackfill. Sand is sometimes used in place of backer rod.
RAP
RAP is an acronym for Recycled Asphalt Product. RAP is ground-up asphalt or asphalt millings that are recycled and reused in the making of new asphalt. The use of RAP is common in asphalt mixes. ODOT asphalt mix designs allow for up to 20% RAP at the time of writing.
Fiber Additive
Fiber additive is a product that has been used in concrete for many years. In the past few years, it is now used in asphalt. It is a fiberglass material that is blown into the asphalt at the asphalt plant to add strength to the asphalt.
If there are any other terms that may be confusing, feel free to reach out.
