Asphalt vs. Concrete Paving: Material of the Future

All of us have come across asphalt and concrete paving, whether it is asphalt roads we drive on, or the concrete sidewalk we walk on. No matter if you live in suburbia or the city, I am sure you have come across someone re-paving or re-doing their parking lot, driveway, etc. Most will end up choosing asphalt or concrete driveway, which leads to the natural question: which one is better? There are pros and cons to each, which you should consider when choosing your driveway.

Asphalt is the more popular choice by consumers for driveways. Asphalt is made from stones and aggregate stuck together in bitumen. Bitumen is oil-based fuel, which in its natural form is too heavy to flow; therefore it has to be melted⁷. Bitumen is not a solid though, so as it binds the aggregates it stays flexible. Since bitumen is the glue agent, asphalt is susceptible to great changes, depending on the weather. It can become hard during cold temperatures and very soft during heat waves, and especially at high temperatures during the summer.  The higher flexibility of the asphalt means that less load distribution occurs on the ground, so the impact of heavy cars, trucks or machinery is more noticeable as it sinks under their weight.

Figure 1: Showing the load distribution of asphalt compared to concrete⁴

When building an asphalt driveway, asphalt is melted then placed on the ground. It is then compacted by heavy machinery and is ready to be used that same day. The upkeep for asphalt is a lot higher, since most companies recommend re-sealing the driveway every 1-3 years, depending on the quality of the product¹. Re-sealing is different from repaving, as the sealant is simply sprayed, spread, or rolled on like paint. Re-sealing will keep your driveway dark and smooth. No surface is perfect, so as any soil settles underneath your driveway, cracks will appear. Fixing cracks with asphalt is not difficult, as one can either fill it in with a thick tar base or seal it with a special sealer. The aesthetic appeal of asphalt is limited, because when it is being laid, not much can be done. The only option is you can add dye, but most will still be dark black. The longevity of asphalt in general is up to 10-20 years⁵.

Asphalt is not very environmentally friendly, since bitumen releases a lot of pollutant gases when it is being melted for paving⁶. When re-surfacing the driveway, asphalt can be recyclable, so it can be reused and resurfaced right on location. The cost of asphalt is $2-5 per square foot⁵.

Concrete is quickly gaining popularity because of its outstanding properties. Similarly to asphalt, concrete is made from gravel and aggregate held together by cement, which is glue-like material. Since it is more like glue and less like binding material, concrete is a lot harder than asphalt. No matter what the temperature or weather, concrete will be harder than asphalt since concrete has superb compression characteristics. However, with a driveway, it is more about distributing the load than being able to carry it. As can be seen from Figure 1, concrete does a much better job at distributing load than asphalt. Concrete takes longer to cure, since it has to dry. It depends on the environment, but usually one has to wait 6-7 days before being able to drive on it⁵.

The upkeep for concrete is minimal; since it is harder than asphalt, it is more durable and lasts longer. The concrete maintenance costs are 75% less when compared with asphalt². The repairing of cracks can be more difficult, but with a good quality patching material, it will cure cracks on virtually any concrete surface. In the case that you patched a spot and are not happy with its appearance, you can always dye concrete any colour you like. Thus, concrete can be made very aesthetically pleasing.

SIBWEST INC. can do a variety of concrete driveways.  We have extensive experience with a variety of concrete and finishes: imprinted concrete, stamped concrete, antique rock salt finish, exposed aggregate, broom finish concrete. All of these you can check out at our site www.sibwest.ca. There is a huge variety of things that can be done with concrete vs. a limited amount for asphalt. Concrete with its high durability lasts a lot longer than asphalt, with an average of 40 years⁵. The environmental impact of concrete is less than that of asphalt. Concrete, like its asphalt counterpart, can also be recycled and has a reduced heat island effect³, since it is not as dark in colour and does not heat up as much. The cost of concrete is around $5-10 per square foot⁵.

Concrete is more durable, as well as can have decorative elements and come out to be much more beautiful. It has a longer life span, which requires a larger budget, but with a basic life cycle cost analysis one can see it pays for itself in the long run. It provides customers with a peace of mind without having to worry about maintenance. So the next time you are re-doing your driveway, concrete is the way to go and no one better to call than SIBWEST INC. – “Building better and & faster than the competition”.

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Citations

^1.Asphalt Maintenance Frequently Asked Questions. Asphalt Maintenance Frequently Asked Questions. [accessed 2016 Jul 28]. http://www.protectsealing.com/asphalt_faq.html

^2.Concrete vs. Asphalt. Concrete Paving Association . 2013 Jun [accessed 2016 Jul 28]. http://www.concreteisbetter.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/concrete-vs-asphalt.pdf

^3.Cool Pavements. Berkeley Lab. [accessed 2016 Jul 28]. https://heatisland.lbl.gov/coolscience/cool-pavements

^4.Nigeria Begins Use Of Cement For Road Construction Against Asphalt. Oluwaseum Osewa; 2013. http://www.nairaland.com/1473747/nigeria-begins-use-cement-road/2

^5.Pros and Cons: Asphalt vs. Concrete Driveway. Angie's List. 2015 Jun 10 [accessed 2016 Jul 28]. https://www.angieslist.com/articles/pros-and-cons-asphalt-vs-concrete-driveway.htm

^6.Stonecypher L. Concrete Roads vs Asphalt Roads. Brighthub Engineering. 2010 Aug 17 [accessed 2016 Jul 28]. http://www.brighthubengineering.com/concrete-technology/45858-concrete-roads-vs-asphalt-roads/

^7.Why Use Asphalt Instead of Concrete? Dykes Paving and Construction RSS. [accessed 2016 Jul 28]. http://www.dykespaving.com/blog/why-use-asphalt-instead-of-concrete/