Here on the Pickett’s Paving blog, you have been able to learn about the origin of the asphalt and get informed about your recent significant advances.
You can see that the segment of asphalt pavement is dynamic, and at all times presents novelties and even surprising facts. Let’s meet some of them?
Mirage on asphalt
On hot days, it is common to see along the road those waves that deform the landscape ahead, and that from afar gives the impression of reflecting on the pavement the vehicles that are running on it or that the road is wet.
This kind of phenomenon happens because of the refraction of light. Our gaze is programmed to receive luminous stimuli at right angles, without deviations. In case these waves on the asphalt cause apparent reflections, giving the impression of wet surface, we are just recording the drift of light waves from an environment in which it propagates faster, close to the ground, to a less hot above it.
The name of this optical illusion is an inferior mirage.
Anti-pollution asphalt
In the city of Eindhoven, the Netherlands, a group of researchers develops a road that “sucks” air pollution. In the one day, approximately 19% of the toxic gases are neutralized by the new asphalt technology.
The asphalt is prepared with titanium oxide, an element that has the property of neutralizing the polluting gases. It was also observed that over a year, the neutralization reached 45% of the pollutants emitted.
Floor printer
Also in the Netherlands, a very unique technology was developed. It is Tiger Stone, which is capable of “printing,” in precast pieces, up to 400 meters of street daily.
To operate, you have to insert the bricks into the machine, which will fit them in the carpet format, ready to cover the road. Its use, for the time being, is restricted to residential streets.
Cooking oil used as an asphalt binder
Haifang Wen of the University of Washington is researching a new type of paving alloy, the basis of which is used cooking oil. According to Wen, the original raw material can replace the oil without problems, maintaining its properties with great economy.
The product is in testing and is expected to be soon used on a commercial scale.
Floor made with reused plastic
A product similar to cooking oil for flooring, plastic is already used in the city of Vancouver, Canada, to cover streets and avenues. The product is added to traditional tar, reducing its storage temperature. In this way, energy is saved since the traditional asphalt, which demands more inputs. It is estimated a 20% cut in gas consumption with the new compound.
Pickett’s Paving is a paving company located in Wisconsin, a leader in the paving industry, we are always updating with the latest in the market. If you are in need of ADA signage, striping, sealing or Asphalt patching, don’t hesitate to call us. We offer the highest quality in hot mix asphalt. Our experts are updated on the new technologies for paving construction.