Asphalt v/s Concrete

[gronier]

Which material do you prefer for highways??

Asphalt

http://www.doelbeelden.nl/norm_images/doelbeelden2915.jpg

http://www.sxsjtt.gov.cn/newspic/2004121142859yj.jpg


Concrete

http://www.mckeehen.net/Texas-Week%20Twenty-four/Highway%20System%20Houston%2002.JPG

http://www.okroads.com/051903/i80neexit452.JPG

[DarkFenX]

Asphalt. Concrete looks bland. Asphalt at least give it some difference.\ in texture.

[LtBk]

Asphalt.

[j4893k]

No brainer.... Asphalt. Although concrete lasts a hell of a lot longer, I hate driving on it. There's an enormous difference in driving quality.

[gronier]

Yes, it's a pleasure to drive on an asphalt highway!!!
I don't know why in the US they like to build concrete highways everywhere!!
In Europe almost all the highways are asphalted.

[sonysnob]

Concrete all the way. So long as the concrete is well maintaned (and in my home juristiction it always is).

To me, there is simply nothing nicer then the hum and sound of regular expansion joints under the vehicles tires when driving down the freeway. Though, by no means do I mind driving on a good asphalt surface.

Cheers.

[j4893k]

Yes, it's a pleasure to drive on an asphalt highway!!!
I don't know why in the US they like to build concrete highways everywhere!!
In Europe almost all the highways are asphalted.
Yes, Canada as well. Crossing the border is brutal. It's always nice to drive on something that doesn't make you think it's cutting the life of your tires in half.

[superchan7]

I love asphalt highways. I can sneak in some sprints while the car still feels stable. On concrete, especially old concrete, cars can jar themselves into pieces.

[sequoias]

I would go for apsalt for flexibity(doesn't crack when changes of temp suddenly happens) and smoothness...concentre for very long lasting but hard on your car, going *thump thump*. The concentre freeway which is interstate 5 in Seattle area is pretty rough and bumpy but it's 40 years old and has a many cracks and showing wear and tear from hundred of thousand of vehicles beating the freeway everyday.

[I-275westcoastfl]

Here in Tampa Bay alot of our highways are asphalt some parts are concrete though. Anyway asphalt is better.

[DaDvD]

Asphalt!

[Bertez]

Asphalt, just sounds so smooth. As well it can come in different colours:D:D

[Maroon Grown]

asphalt - concrete is too noisy for nearby residents. the abrasive nature of concrete amplifies traffic sound. also, concrete is noisy inside the car as well. asphalt is quiet when in good condition

[j4893k]

^What colours?

[gronier]

Yes, I hate the sound the car mades on concrete. And also the surface is so irregular that people inside the car jump every 3 seconds.

[FM 2258]

I love concrete. It makes that cool noise when you drive on it. Dallas and Houston freeways use it all over the place. Also I feel much better driving on concrete when it's raining as well.

[Bertez]

^What colours?

Well I have seen reddish asphalt. This is due to the rocks they use in asphalt. I remember there was a thread on it, I will try and get it.

[sonysnob]

^What colours?

Ontario has reconstructed a fair amount of highways with pink pavement of late. The stuff stays extremely smooth, but to me, it seems odd to travel on a pink driving surface :)

http://www.onthighways.com/hwy_401_images/401_cl_262_east.jpg

[ryanr]

Asphalt...so much smoother. And it makes highways look better.

[Æsahættr]

Black asphalt.

[czm3]

Concrete all the way!

If well maintained, it provides more traction than asphalt. This is especially true if it is raining or snowing. Oils seep out of the asphalt and add to the problem. Ironically because of its incredible smoothness, the traction is worse. Many asphalt race tracks have added concrete strips to the most abused spots (near the apexes) to add traction and improve longevity.

Mondern concrete roads are no longer made with all those expanion joints, so the roughness that every one is complaining about is more related to older roads that could use some work. They are louder however making them less desireble in residential areas.

[Facial]

We don't have that problem here in Los Angeles.

Most of the freeways around here are concrete. It is noisy and annoying to hear.

A few stretches are asphalt, and everytime I hear something on the order of a mute button, then I don't even have to look to see that it's asphalt.

Asphalt.

[OettingerCroat]

funny.... all of the americans that are ALWAYS at odds with the europeans vote for concrete, bc the saddening US freeways are all concrete.

these guys will do ANYTHING not to agree with these european/canadian "fereigners."

you love the sound it makes.... *blump blump blump blump blump blump for an hour* yah what a conclusive arguement.

"I PICK CONCRETE BC IT SOUNDS COOLER!" sheesh...

i appreciate guys like czm3, who point out ACTUAL deficiencies in asphalt, thank you for being objective czm3

anyways i pick asphalt...

[NerveAgent]

Pretty much every road in the Uk is asphalt (we call in tarmac for some reason, think its a brand name) its so much nicer to drive on especially when it's a new road surface. There's only one concrete dual carriageway near me but I hate driving on it, it sounds like your on an old train!

[Azazel]

Asphalt - but it's not that simple - asphalt comes in differing qualities.

Here we have these ANCIENT asphalt highways that have little to no damage at all, we have those brand new, 'ever dry' asphalt highways, and we have those crappy late 80s highways that are goddamn terrible, with cracks everywhere.

The latest modifications, polymer, and glass recycled ones are the coolest imo.

[gronier]

Just imagine how it feels to drive on a highway like this ones????

http://www.doelbeelden.nl/norm_images/doelbeelden2915.jpg

http://www.sxsjtt.gov.cn/newspic/2004121142859yj.jpg

Could you explain me why a state like California, the richest in the country and with one of the higher motorization levels of the world has highways in such a crappy condition, and with such a big urban impact, dividing the cities, and making them feel like pedestrian nightmares.
I would love to see highways like the ones in the Netherlands, France or Spain in California.

[Bertez]

^^That looks incredible

[Azazel]

man, this looks good enough to eat from.

[sonysnob]

funny.... all of the americans that are ALWAYS at odds with the europeans vote for concrete, bc the saddening US freeways are all concrete.

these guys will do ANYTHING not to agree with these european/canadian "fereigners."

you love the sound it makes.... *blump blump blump blump blump blump for an hour* yah what a conclusive arguement.

"I PICK CONCRETE BC IT SOUNDS COOLER!" sheesh...

i appreciate guys like czm3, who point out ACTUAL deficiencies in asphalt, thank you for being objective czm3

anyways i pick asphalt...

You might want to re-read some of the posts. I am the only one who wrote about liking the sound of concrete, and I am a CANADIAN, not an American.

Sure, it might seem trivial to like the sound of driving on concrete, but its just as trivial as not liking it. If concrete highways are well constructed, they can be impecably smooth and a real pleasure to drive. Sure, asphalt is very nice too, but people must consider that not all concrete highways are bone rattlers.

Cheers.

[magestom]

What does Japan make its roads out of. They are really good. Even if it is asphalt, it looks different than in other countries. All the roads seem new. I heard they use some plastic technology too.

[coldstar]

What does Japan make its roads out of. They are really good. Even if it is asphalt, it looks different than in other countries. All the roads seem new. I heard they use some plastic technology too.

Nowadays, the highways in Japan adopt 'new multi-functional pavement' (special leachy drainage asphaltic compunder). It has the effect of reducing the road noise and saving the impact on the environment.
http://www.ogiken.co.jp/haisui7.jpg
http://www.cbr.mlit.go.jp/road/g/g-09/img/0301.jpg

left:old fashioned asphalt,
right: new multi-functional asphalt, (easy to get dry!)
http://www.jhri.jhnet.go.jp/miyagi/information/newtech_files/newtech.jpg

[jeicow]

I prefer driving on asphalt because it's smoother, but I hate how it gets replaced more often. I voted concrete though b/c even though it isn't the smoothest of rides, at least replacing doesn't happen every 5 years which results in horibblt slow traffic.

[OettingerCroat]

wow, does the military use these highways you speak of? are 60-ton tanks zoomin down the motorway at 80 km/h? how could an asphalt road turn into such deplorable condition in only 5 years that it has to be repaved?

[coldstar]

I prefer driving on asphalt because it's smoother, but I hate how it gets replaced more often. I voted concrete though b/c even though it isn't the smoothest of rides, at least replacing doesn't happen every 5 years which results in horibblt slow traffic.

concrete lasts for (at least) twice as long as asphalt. But the repair work of concrete takes by far longer time than asphalt, and costs a great deal. (good and bad points)

[CborG]

Nowadays, the highways in Japan adopt 'new multi-functional pavement' (special leachy drainage asphaltic compunder). It has the effect of reducing the road noise and saving the impact on the environment.
http://www.ogiken.co.jp/haisui7.jpg
http://www.cbr.mlit.go.jp/road/g/g-09/img/0301.jpg

left:old fashioned asphalt,
right: new multi-functional asphalt, (easy to get dry!)
http://www.jhri.jhnet.go.jp/miyagi/information/newtech_files/newtech.jpg


Old stuff, here in Holland for over a decade or so, it is called ZOAB Zeer Open Asfalt Beton or very open asphalt concrete.

We also have very silent open asphalt concrete which absorps the noise made by cartyres.

[FM 2258]

funny.... all of the americans that are ALWAYS at odds with the europeans vote for concrete, bc the saddening US freeways are all concrete.

these guys will do ANYTHING not to agree with these european/canadian "fereigners."

you love the sound it makes.... *blump blump blump blump blump blump for an hour* yah what a conclusive arguement.

"I PICK CONCRETE BC IT SOUNDS COOLER!" sheesh...

i appreciate guys like czm3, who point out ACTUAL deficiencies in asphalt, thank you for being objective czm3

anyways i pick asphalt...



Heh, it's not an American thing, I just love freeways and roads with concrete better. Actually I've noticed in Houston and Dallas they are using concrete on not just freeways but streets and I love the feel and sound of concrete.

Also I think it's better for the rain since it has those groves that make the lovely noise concrete freeways make.

Even as a kid I've loved concrete freeways but at the time I wasn't sure why some highways made the noise and feel and others didn't and now as a driver I love it even more.

What I hate about asphalt is those roads that seem to have an ultra smooth worn down surface and when it rains I feel like the car's going to slip right off the road.

I also have to add that I LOVE when they pave a road with the very coarse, almost gravel like asphalt because that's such a great sound too.


So it's all about the concrete whistle "whooooooo, clunk, clunk, whooooooo, clunk, clunk, whooooooo"

and the coarse asphalt "grrrrrrrrrrrgrumblegrumblegrrrrrrrrrrrrgrumblegrumblegrrrrrrrrr"


.........ok I'm weird.

I have to add that I was on Interstate 10 in Lousiana once and they paveed it with concrete that had lots of cracks so I was in heaven listening to a very faint "whoooooooooo" mixed in with a constant "clack, clack, clack, clack, clack...."

[coldstar]

Old stuff, here in Holland for over a decade or so, it is called ZOAB Zeer Open Asfalt Beton or very open asphalt concrete.

We also have very silent open asphalt concrete which absorps the noise made by cartyres.


Japan also has used 'open asphalt' for more than a decade in the whole country.
There're many kinds of 'open asphalts' as you know,
In Japan, drainagae open asphalt has been used mainlly for highways, and permeable open asphalt for pedestrian ways.
http://www.maedaroad.co.jp/products/drain_c/images/dc_img02.jpg

[CborG]

^^In any form, it is superb! Much safer during rain.

[Minato ku]

in france
a site with french autoroute picture (in french)

http://franceautoroutes.free.fr/accueil.php

[Skoulikimou]

im sorry guys but i have to go with concrete,just dont know why ?

well maybe because concrete is more durable,

[thunder head]

asphalt. looks way better and very smooth, especially on new freeways! All roads here in Melbourne and Victoria are asphalt. Although in Queensland and NSW, concrete highways are more common.

few asphalt highways from around Melbourne
http://img352.imageshack.us/img352/8767/img05970gj.jpg

http://img352.imageshack.us/img352/2377/ad12020059yi.jpg

http://img352.imageshack.us/img352/3807/m80fitzgerald1ud.jpg

http://img352.imageshack.us/img352/2683/craigieburn41dk.jpg

[DrJoe]

Asphalt
http://www.onthighways.com/hwy_402-403_images/403_cl_wchurchill_west.jpg

[TO_Joe]

The 401 through Toronto, Canada was concrete in the 60-70s but it seems to have been replaced with some sort of asphalt compound.

1. Anyone knows the precise reason for their decisions?

2. Does open asphalt concrete of the types shown in Japan and Holland work in the harsher Canadian winters?

Personally, the concrete highways I've driven on definitely suck -- noisy, bumpy, ugly -- and on well-worn concrete surfaces where it has been polished to a shiny surface, I think it is just as slippery if not more so than good asphalt.

On the other hand, I know that asphalt gets compressed into ruts after a few years - particularly on heavy truck routes.

But new asphalt is great.

[Skoulikimou]

asphalt road in kuwait ,
http://img372.imageshack.us/img372/5927/dcp16024nq.jpg


http://img372.imageshack.us/img372/8499/dcp16037dw.jpg

[sonysnob]

The 401 through Toronto, Canada was concrete in the 60-70s but it seems to have been replaced with some sort of asphalt compound.

1. Anyone knows the precise reason for their decisions?

2. Does open asphalt concrete of the types shown in Japan and Holland work in the harsher Canadian winters?

Personally, the concrete highways I've driven on definitely suck -- noisy, bumpy, ugly -- and on well-worn concrete surfaces where it has been polished to a shiny surface, I think it is just as slippery if not more so than good asphalt.

On the other hand, I know that asphalt gets compressed into ruts after a few years - particularly on heavy truck routes.

But new asphalt is great.

Ontario used concrete as the base for its GTA area highways simply because concrete is so much more durable then asphalt. Even under most asphalt paved highways, there is a thick concrete base. Utilizing the concrete base as a driving surface for 20 years (roughly half of the concretes life) lowers initial construction costs since the paving project is simply deferred. This is also the plan for the 407. The 407 is to be paved over with asphalt after about 20years of being in operation.

Cheers.

[coldstar]

2. Does open asphalt concrete of the types shown in Japan and Holland work in the harsher Canadian winters?



In Japan, open asphalt is said to have a little weak side in the place where snow tyres are used in winter (especially in heavily snowy and cold northern Japan).
Snow tyres chip off the front face of asphalt, and snow tends to remain on roads, and meltwater freeze in open asphalt. Thus, roadways have to be equiped with 'road heating system'.

http://www.hols.co.jp/yuusetsu/douro_img/yuusetsu_douro_003.jpg
http://joyfulclub.hp.infoseek.co.jp/jan/a050115nGate.jpg
http://www.city.muroran.hokkaido.jp/main/org7200/img/heat.jpg

[OettingerCroat]

amazing stuff with the road heating

[TO_Joe]

road heating must be incredibly expensive to build and operate

[DrJoe]

Wow that is pretty cool and as said must be awfully expensive to build and maintain. I wonder if it is just used in certain sections or along the whole road??? I know here some bridges have de-icer systems which sprays some type of film over the road surface so it wont freeze but thats just on bridges.



Ontario used concrete as the base for its GTA area highways simply because concrete is so much more durable then asphalt. Even under most asphalt paved highways, there is a thick concrete base. Utilizing the concrete base as a driving surface for 20 years (roughly half of the concretes life) lowers initial construction costs since the paving project is simply deferred. This is also the plan for the 407. The 407 is to be paved over with asphalt after about 20years of being in operation.

Cheers.

I never knew that, thats a pretty smart technique actually.

[centralized pandemonium]

Dunno about other countries, but India should use concrete for rural and semi-urban/semi-rural areas. Coz in those areas, its the ruggedity that matters. For the main highways, they should use asphalt.

[centralized pandemonium]

India

Asphalt

http://www.prasadandcompany.com/images/nhai.jpg

http://img214.imageshack.us/img214/7425/gandhinagarhighwayvib0rk.jpg

http://img236.echo.cx/img236/429/mahatmagandhiexpressway4os.jpg

Concrete

http://img243.echo.cx/img243/3709/255647850cyonyofs0ms.jpg

http://img75.exs.cx/img75/2384/punexway0od.jpg

[superchan7]

Imagine if one section of a heated road got severed because of a nearby earthquake or cracked from age. They'd have to tear the section up, assuming there is equipment to determine where it was damaged!

[OettingerCroat]

hey, imagine if they planned for earthquakes! none of what you said would happen!

:cheers:

[CharlieP]

Pretty much every road in the Uk is asphalt (we call in tarmac for some reason, think its a brand name)

Tarmac is an abbreviation of tarmacadam, which was a road surface invented by a Scot named MacAdam in the 19th Century, made by mixing tar with gravel. Tarmac became obsolete once asphalt was invented, but the name (wrongly) persists in the UK...

[Machiavel]

For a tropical climate where there is a rainning season, which one would best best to have, ashphalt or concrete? Many African countries have rainning season and it damages the roads, one of the reason they are in poor qualities.

[Mr_ed2]

Asphalt by a mile! I was actually taken aback when I first went to the US, being driven along ugly (and very uncomfortable) concrete monstrosities!

[rembau1958]

For a tropical climate where there is a rainning season, which one would best best to have, ashphalt or concrete? Many African countries have rainning season and it damages the roads, one of the reason they are in poor qualities.

Roads and highways are mainly made of asphalt in Malaysia, though some sections of the tolled highways were made of concrete. If I am not mistaken, cost was a major factor. However, I believe the highways built in the late 80s and early 90s were mainly built using concrete in order to use up the surplus cement production capacity in the country at the time. So in this case, it was macro-economics that choose the material.

Which one is most suitable? I think it really depends on the run off of surplus rain water. Eitherway, if one speed in the rain, one might come to grief in due time, whether it is concrete or asphalt. I personally prefer asphalt. Less noisy.

[Joya]

Asphalt