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Posts Tagged ‘My Pavement Guy’
Wednesday, April 6th, 2011
Warm-mix asphalt has been called the wave of the future, but what is it? Well, it is actually a generic term for several techniques used to reduce the temperature, by as much as 50 to 100 degrees, at which materials are mixed and placed on the road. This article from WarmMixAsphalt.com seeks to better explain this revolutionary new technology.
This drastic reduction in temperature has not only slashed fuel consumption, but it also reduced the production of greenhouse gasses, improving conditions for workers by cutting down on dangerous emissions. Warm-mix asphalt also allows for better asphalt compaction on the road, the ability to haul paving mix for longer distances, and the extension of the paving season.
But there are still several questions that must be answered before we crown warm-mix asphalt as the king of the road.
- Can warm-mix pavements be opened to traffic quickly after construction?
- What are the performance characteristics of these pavements?
- In the case of technologies developed in other countries, can they be adapted to the U.S., where climate conditions are often more extreme?
- If the production temperature is lower, does that mean that the binder does not age as much?
- Will the potential for thermal cracking be reduced?
- Will the potential for rutting be different?
- Will the contractor have to use a different grade of asphalt binder?
- What changes for the mix design procedure will be required?
- Will the performance-graded binder in a warm mix perform differently from pavements produced at higher temperature?
If you have any questions about warm-mix asphalt, contact PTG Enterprises by calling 443-463-1536 or click here today!
Tags: asphalt, Benefits, Better Working Condition, Characteristics, Climate, Conditions, Cracking, cut emissions, Cut greenhouse gasses, Degrees, King of the Road, Longer Pavement Season, Materials, Mixed, My Pavement Guy, New Tecnology, pavement, Pavement Season, PTG Enterprises, Reduce emissions, Reduce greenhouse gasses, Revolutionary, Revolutionary New technology, Road, Techniques, Temperature, Temperature reduction, The Benefits of Warm-mix Asphalt, Traffic, Warm-mix asphalt, Wave of the future
Posted in General Asphalt Advice | Comments Off on The Benefits of Warm-mix Asphalt
Wednesday, March 30th, 2011
How do potholes happen?
Potholes are severe manifestations of pavement fatigue cracking resulting in a total loss of asphalt integrity in a localized area. This creates a hole in the road. It is not uncommon to have a pothole extend through or into the aggregate stone base. Potholes occur when water seeps into cracks in the asphalt surface of a road or driveway. This water will freeze and expand in the cold weather. A pothole forms when dirt and gravel are forced out leaving a hole. The ice will eventually melt away, leaving a pothole.
How can you quickly fix a pothole in your driveway?
For a very wide crack or pothole, shovel in packaged cold-patch blacktop, leveling large areas with an iron rake. Compact the material with a rented tamper or the end of a 4-by-4. Add more material until the hole is slightly overfilled. Cover it with scrap plywood and drive over it.
If you are looking to fix a pothole on a commercial parking surface or if you want a top quality repair, it is probably best to call a professional.
In the winter, potholes should be temporarily filled with a cold-patch mix material to protect against vehicle damage and/or lawsuits. Please note that this is only a temporary fix and left untreated correctly the pothole will most likely reappear. In the spring and summer months, potholes should be permanently patched.
Full-Depth Patching is the most common type of patching. This is where the pavement is completely removed in the troubled area and replaced. These areas are usually suffering from severe distress and / or sub-base failure. This is a permanent fix.
For professional pothole repair, contact PTG Enterprises – My Pavement Guy by calling 443-463-1536 or click here today!
Tags: asphalt, Asphalt repair, Asphalt repair Maryland, distress, driveway, driveway pothole, driveway repair, driveway repair Maryland, failure, FUll-depth patching, How can you quickly fix a pothole in your driveway?, How do potholes happen, My Pavement Guy, patching, Permanent fix, Pothole, Pothole driveway, Pothole quick fix, Pothole repair Maryland, Potholes and Repair, PTG Enterprises, quick fix, Repair, Temporary fix, trouble area, troubled area
Posted in General Asphalt Advice | Comments Off on Potholes and Repair
Wednesday, March 23rd, 2011
From the moment your asphalt is installed, it begins to deteriorate. This means that to ensure you have a top-notch parking lot for years to come, you will need to take certain steps to maintain that asphalt. This preventative maintenance will not only make your parking lot last longer, but, in the long run, it will save you money.
Here are a few simple steps you should take to keep your lot looking pristine.
Crackfill
Properly filling cracks is a job of tremendous importance. By filling a small crack properly, you will prevent that fissure from growing and becoming too big to handle by yourself. Filling small cracks saves you from paying to have large cracks repaired.
Sealcoating
This is another great way to improve the overall look of you lot while going the extra mile to protect your parking surface.
Re-Striping
Once the original lines are painted on the asphalt, constant re-striping is required ever 12-18 months.
Signage
Not only will your lot begin to deteriorate, but often signs are knocked down, dented, vandalized or even stolen. It is important to properly maintain your signs – not only for that instant curb appeal, but also for safety.
Wheel Stops
Wheel stops play an integral role in maintaining clear sidewalks and protecting signs. If your wheel stops are damaged, it could negatively affect everything around them.
Now you are well on your way to a beautiful, long lasting parking surface.
If you have any questions, please contact PTG Enterprises by calling 443-463-1536 or click here today!
Tags: asphalt, Asphalt cracks, Asphalt Maintenance, asphalt maryland, crack fill, fill cracks, Maintenance, My Pavement Guy, pavement, Pavement cracks, Pavement Maintenance, Pavement Maryland, Preventative maintenance, PTG Enterprises, Re-striping, re-striping asphalt, re-striping pavement, Sealcoating, Sigsn, Wheel Stops
Posted in General Asphalt Advice | Comments Off on Pavement Maintenance
Monday, March 21st, 2011
No matter what material your parking surface is made from, it can benefit from sealcoating or resurfacing treatment.
Unsealed pavement can allow water and other foreign materials to penetrate into its surface – leading to base erosion, freeze-thaw damage and pavement failure. Sealcoating provides your pavement with a protective barrier, which will not only make your lot last longer, but will also give your parking surface some instant curb appeal.
The Asphalt Institue states that, “The accumulation of moisture in pavement is probably the greatest cause of pavement distress.”
So do not wait for your lot to start cracking before you address the situation. Be proactive and sealcoat your parking surface as soon as possible.
As pavement cures, the sun’s rays dry out the asphalt – making the surface brittle. This oxidation causes accelerated erosion and if left untreated it can reduce asphalt thickness by as much as half within five years.
Take the necessary steps to keep your parking surface in great condition. A new sealcoat can restore that fresh black color to your lot. Not only will it last longer, but it will also look better.
For any of your paving needs contact My Pavement Guy at 410-636-8777 or here today!
Tags: asphalt, asphalt maryland, Asphalt oxidation, Inc., make asphalt last longer, Make parking surface last longer, make parking surface look better, maryland, moisture asphalt, moisture destroying asphalt, moisture destroying pavement, moisture pavement, My Pavement Guy, parking surfaces, PTG Enterprises, Resurfacing Treatment, sealcoating asphalt, Sealcoating Maryland, sealcoating pavement
Posted in General Asphalt Advice | Comments Off on Benefits of Sealcoating/Resurfacing Treatment
Monday, March 14th, 2011
According to this piece on forconstructionpros.com gas prices will continue to rise this spring and summer. The article interviews Dan Kieler who led the way around the flatbed truck and pointed to the gas meter. “Look at this, $200 for (around) 50 gallons,” said Kieler, who appropriately is from Kieler, Wis. He stopped to fill up while hauling some equipment for Epic Construction. “I think they’re higher than hell,” said Kieler, of current fuel costs. “A few years ago, diesel was always cheaper than gas. I don’t understand that.”
The article explains, “Fuel prices have increased significantly in recent days, as unrest continues in the Middle East and northern Africa. The Lundberg Survey of fuel prices released this week found the average price of gasoline in the U.S. rose 33 cents in the past two weeks. There’s a 25 percent chance gas prices for regular unleaded will rise above $4 per gallon by the summer, the U.S. Energy Information Administration said Tuesday in a short-term energy outlook. This latest increase has sparked a fresh discussion about just how high prices will go and what the remedy should be.”
Whether or not this increase will affect prices in the paving industry is hard to say. The article continues, “some business owners who make deliveries as part of their operations say current fuel prices are a concern, but they have not spiked enough to cause subsequent price increases. ‘We would have to see a pretty drastic change before I’d increase my delivery prices,’ said Andy Parker, owner of Custom Futons. Sue Butt, co-owner of Butt’s Florist Inc., said the business has a routing system for deliveries they try to follow. ‘Sometimes you need to be a little more creative,’ she said.”
It looks like we will have to wait and see how this increase in price will impact industries all over the country. For any of your paving needs contact My Pavement Guy at 410-636-8777 or here today!
Tags: forconstructionpros.com, fuel prices, gas price impact business, increase in gas prices, My Pavement Guy, paving industries, paving maryland, rising gas prices
Posted in General Asphalt Advice | Comments Off on Gas Prices May Hit $4 a Gallon Soon
Sunday, March 6th, 2011
The National Asphalt Pavement Association had its annual meeting in January in Orlando, Florida. As this write up announces, there was something for everyone in the pavement world. Over 800 people attended the NAPA conference this year. The event contained four days of non-stop educational and networking opportunities. From the Young Leaders’ hosted golf tournament on Saturday morning to the Super Bowl Diamond kick-off reception to the final evening dinner and dance event, it was declared the “best-ever NAPA Annual Meeting.”
As hotmix.org declares, “Highlights from the event include the “State of the Industry” address by four industry prognosticators, Jim Roberts, Granite Construction Inc.; Randy West, NCAT; and NAPA’s Mike Kvach and Howard Marks. Washington DC beltway insiders Pete Ruane of ARTBA and John Horsley, AASHTO gave attendees the current pulse on federal transportation funding and legislation. Keynote speaker, John Foley, a former Blue Angels lead pilot gave the crowd an outstanding presentation on what true, precise teamwork really requires and the benefits companies can learn from the rigorous training required to be a Blue Angel. To the delight of the attendees, NAPA’s Associate Members shared the history of equipment and the outlook for the future through the antics of the Ebenezer Skidmark family and their asphalt company in the fourth General Session.”
The educational sessions were filled to the brim during the entire conference. Some high points from the educational series were programs on asphalt cement pricing, economic outlooks, performance testing, the latest in warm mix provided timely tools and information to members. All in all, the conference was a great success. Next year’s event will take place at the JW Marriott Desert Springs in California, January 22 – 25.
For information on NAPA or any paving needs contact My Pavement Guy at 410-636-8777 or here today!
Tags: asphalt Baltimore, asphalt maryland, My Pavement Guy, NAPA conference, National Asphalt Pavement Association, paving maryland, PTG Enterprises
Posted in General Asphalt Advice | Comments Off on 2011 NAPA Meeting
Friday, February 25th, 2011
According to this article produced by the Asphalt Alliance, asphalt has many benefits including its role in intersections. A new publication put out by the same organization titled High-Performance Intersections (which can be viewed here) lays out new helpful guidelines for pavement designers. These designers deal with many challenges in the asphalt process such as the difficulties of dealing with high volume places like intersections and other high-stress pavements.
“All engineers know that heavy, slow-moving traffic found at intersections, toll booths and other such locations can expose pavements to the highest stress levels possible,” explained Wayne Jones of the Asphalt Institute, one of the authors of the document. “But a well-designed, well-constructed pavement at these locations can deliver the same outstanding performance as all other asphalt pavements.”
High-Performance Intersections lays out a four-point strategy to ensure high performance at high-volume asphalt locations. To illustrate the principles, the publication chronicles two head-to-head competitions between asphalt and concrete intersections. Through much testing over the past 10 years this report finds “the strongest intersection” that has needed little to no maintenance. This intersection is in Illinois and is composed of a steel slag mixture that has held up the test of time and weight.
For more information about asphalt read the whole article here or contact My Pavement Guy at 410-636-8777 or here today!
Tags: asphalt alliance, asphalt intersections, asphalt maryland, high-performance intersections, high-stress pavement, My Pavement Guy, pavement designers, PTG Enterprises
Posted in General Asphalt Advice | Comments Off on Intersections: Asphalt Does Them Better
Friday, February 18th, 2011
The production and installation of asphalt emits less greenhouse gases than other surfaces, reports this article. According to a recent study, asphalt pavements require about 20 percent less energy to produce and construct than other pavements. The less fuel that is used in the process—the less carbon dioxide that gets released into the air.
The article goes on to say that “Between 1970 and 1999, the asphalt industry decreased total emissions from plants by 97 percent while increasing production by 250 percent. Emissions from asphalt plants are so low, the EPA considers them as only minor sources of industrial pollution.”
Warm mix asphalt is another way that asphalt is cutting down on its emissions. The asphalt is mixed at a lower temperature than before, thus needing less energy to heat up. Asphalt also helps to move traffic along quickly, allowing drivers to get to their destination rapidly. The process for applying asphalt is very fast so traffic does not usually result. This saves drivers time and also helps cut down on carbon dioxide released into the air.
The urban heat island (UHI) effect—the phenomenon that makes cities 2° to 10°F warmer than nearby rural areas on a hot summer day is another issue to consider. However, recently it has been proven that it is not necessarily the color of the pavement in the city that causes this effect but also the texture and thickness of the pavement. This can affect the way a pavement retains, radiates, and/or releases heat. Research is being done to now to look into more porous surfaces that can help lessen this effect.
For any of your asphalt needs contact My Pavement Guy here or at 443-463-1536.
Tags: asphalt, environmental asphalt, green asphalt, My Pavement Guy, pavement
Posted in General Asphalt Advice | Comments Off on Asphalt Causes Less Carbon footprint than Other Pavements
Saturday, February 12th, 2011
Practically every industry or business segment in this nation is represented by a local, regional, or national trade group. Ours is no exception. PTG Enterprises, Inc. — MYpavementGUY.com — belongs to the Asphalt Institute (AI), a trade association founded in 1919. Our membership in AI with petroleum asphalt producers, manufacturers, and affiliated businesses, helps us keep current on the engineering, research, and educational aspects of liquid asphalt use. In fact, AI’s members represent 90 percent of the liquid asphalt produced in North America.
This would simply be interesting information of questionable relevance for the average client were it not for the fact that our membership in AI yields specific benefits to the clients of MYpavementGUY.com. Foremost among these benefits are the technical support and environmental oversight that AI offers to its members. Through various committees and partnerships, the Asphalt Institute serves its members as a center of excellence for health, safety, and environmental matters — topics that, like us, our clients care about. AI promotes petroleum asphalt as a safe and environmentally friendly construction material for highways, streets, and roofing systems through a program of scientific research and technological developments. AI’s network of regional engineers throughout the U.S. and Canada provides technical support to member companies and users, and so we can tap fast and accurate information if we have questions about a particular project.
A thoroughly professional organization such as ours is happy to be affiliated with a trade group with the size and scope of AI, and we hope our clients understand how beneficial such an affiliation is when they entrust their projects to us.
Tags: AI, Asphault Institute, liquid asphalt, My Pavement Guy, pave, pavement, paving, paving contractor, PTG Enterprises
Posted in General Asphalt Advice | Comments Off on Info about the Asphalt Institute
Sunday, February 6th, 2011
Recently, we joined the Community Associations Institute (CAI) and were listed in its service provider directory. We’re thrilled to be part of such a great organization that does a lot of valuable work helping communities across the country. We’re also honored to be among the providers CAI recommends to its members.
CAI is a national organization dedicated to helping the volunteer homeowners who run community associations. It provides education and resources to these leaders as well as to professional managers and management firms.
If your community’s association requires any kind of assistance, we recommend visiting CAI’s Website. For paving repair or repaving in projects, contact us.
Tags: CAI, community association, Community Associations Institute, My Pavement Guy, paving repair, PTG Enterprises, repaving project
Posted in General Asphalt Advice | Comments Off on Find us at CAI
