The Asphalt Information Service “Asphalt Applications” series of information sheets published after November 2009 take full account of the EN 13108 series of Asphalt Standards implemented in the UK in January 2008. Document 12 in the series below summarises the new material terminology applied by the European Standards and it should be read in conjunction with the other MPA information sheets.
Nearly all roads in this country are surfaced with asphalt. Asphalt offers good strength, durability and weather-resistance, ease of maintenance and repair, and neat, low-glare appearance providing good contrast to road-marking paint. This makes Asphalts equally suitable as surfacings for private drives, hardstandings, car parks and parking areas for heavier vehicles.
Nearly all roads in this country are surfaced with asphalt. Asphalt in one or other of its various forms offers good strength, durability and weather-resistance, ease of maintenance and repair, and neat, low-glare appearance providing good contrast to road-marking paint. This makes Asphalt equally suitable as surfacings for other situations.
There is a large and sometimes bewildering choice of asphalt surfacing materials, each with its own properties and uses. To ensure maximum benefit and durability from them when used in resurfacing, it is essential that the work is given detailed consideration both before and during its execution.
“You can have any colour you like as long as it is black”. This remark attributed to Henry Ford might well be used to describe the asphalt materials which are chosen to surface the majority of roads and other paved areas. However, there are times when a specific colour or decorative finish is desired and the object of this information sheet is to indicate the methods by which such finishes might be achieved.
The guidance given in this information sheet is offered to help property owners choose a reputable surfacing contractor and to avoid the unfortunate and often very costly consequences of a poor quality job
This information sheet provides general guidance on the factors that may need to be taken into account when considering the use of asphalt surfacings in high stress areas.
This sheet deals with the uses of asphalt in the construction of sports and games areas, such as playgrounds, tennis courts, netball and five-a-side pitches and kick-about areas.
The excellent performance and durability of asphalt mixes has been proven over decades of use in surfacing most of the world’s paved roads. The benefits of adopting these mixtures for a number of farming applications - farm roads, animal-house floors and bases for some storage areas - have become increasingly recognised over the years.
The main use of asphalts is in the construction of roads, from motorways to private access roads, but other significant uses are in vehicle parking areas (from heavy lorry parks to private drives), sport and recreation areas and in a number of farming applications. Most of these uses are dealt with in other information sheets and booklets produced by the Mineral Products Association. There are, however, other specialised applications of asphalt and this information sheet is intended to provide a brief note of these and an indication of where further information or advice on them may be obtained.
Most of the world’s paved roads are surfaced with asphalt, which gives good performance and durability under the most heavily trafficked conditions. These materials are also widely used in the construction of hard standing and parking areas for both light and heavy vehicles. They are therefore eminently suitable for use in the construction and surfacing of access roads, perimeter roads and vehicle parking areas on airfields.
Asphalt is being increasingly used on footways due to the lower risks of trip-hazards and cracking that it provides compared with rigid modular paving units like flags and slabs. Also, with the expansion of cycling facilities in the UK, asphalt has become increasingly recognised as the most appropriate surfacing choice for cycleways.
Wherever a reference is made to one of the European Standard asphalt mixtures, the principle document for reference and guidance on their use and application in the UK is the BSI Published Document PD 66911.