The construction of Perpetual Pavements does not differ from normal best practices. Planning is the key. It is important that attention be given to all stages of the production and placement of the material. The foundation should be strong and consistent to support traffic loads. The density and uniformity of asphalt mixtures are critical to the long-term health of the pavement. Careful attention must be given to the proper design of lift thicknesses, proper material selection and mix design, alongside appropriate construction practices. Additionally, bonding between pavement layers has also been shown to be essential to the long-term performance of the pavement structure. Quality control procedures are a must throughout the construction process. The advantages of Perpetual Pavements include: • Lower lifetime maintenance costs by avoiding deep pavement repairs or costly reconstruction • Minimal user delay as the minor surface rehabilitation of asphalt pavements only requires a short work window that can avoid peak traffic hours • Low environmental impact: ° Reducing the number of material resources over the pavement’s lifetime ° Recycling any materials removed from the pavement surface The cost savings and increased life expectancy of Perpetual Pavement projects are endless, and we can’t afford to ignore that fact. Both high-volume highways and interstates and low-volume county roads and city streets can reap the benefits of Perpetual Pavement. Even if those structures were not originally designed or built to perpetual specifications, Perpetual Pavement can be achieved by increasing pavement thickness one inch of asphalt at a time – that extra inch of asphalt will pay for itself many times over by reducing longterm maintenance costs and doubling the life expectancy of the road itself. Research continues at Perpetual Pavement test sites and facilities around the world. The data from these tests have shown that Perpetual Pavements are performing as well or better than expected. Long-life asphalt pavements have been shown time and time again to have lower life cycle costs than concrete pavements or conventionally designed pavements. The Asphalt Pavement Alliance’s (APA) Perpetual Pavement Award program has nearly 70 examples of long-lasting asphalt pavements. The awarded projects shine a spotlight on the long-term performance of well-designed and well-constructed asphalt pavements. To learn more about these projects, you can visit the APA’s website at www.driveasphalt.org. As you know, the asphalt industry plays a major role in keeping carbon emissions low, while simultaneously continuing to build a resilient transportation network that will move generations to come. In January of 2022, NAPA introduced The Road Forward program and its vision for zero net carbon emissions by 2050. Each of us can do our part to make this happen by paying attention to the products we use, the roads we build, and by working together to achieve our industry’s goal in the very near future. Outsourcing HR management and focus resources towards more important aspects of business. Email today, to schedule a free consultation! info@wtapeo.com 13
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