What is Asphalt Milling?
Asphalt Milling is the process of removing some of the top layer of paved areas. It is a cost-effective method for improving a wide range of surfaces, including roads, parking lots, bridges, and even parking garages. The process can also be used to create a new asphalt surface by adding layers of color to existing pavement. Here's a quick overview of the process. To learn more, contact an expert today.
Planning
When it comes to maintaining roads, planning and asphalt milling are important steps in the maintenance process. Planning asphalt milling can eliminate large areas of uneven surface that can lead to rutting, shoving, and washboard texture. These imperfections affect ride quality, extra wear on vehicles, and can even be the cause of a vehicle accident. The process is completely recyclable and will result in a smoother surface. The materials excavated will either be used for a new pavement project on-site or for processing.
Cold planning involves controlled removal of the top layer of pavement, and the process removes deteriorated, aged, cracked, or otherwise unsatisfactory pavement. Modern cold planers feature replaceable tungsten carbide cutting teeth and a large diameter rotary drum. These tools are also equipped with an automatic grade control system to maintain a precise grade throughout the entire process. Once the process is complete, the recycled asphalt is removed from the site and loaded onto a truck for recycling.
Fine-Milling
With its tighter tooth spacing, a fine-milling asphalt drum can be installed on a road machine with minimal depth to the road surface. This method is required to install thin HMA overlays, which can stretch maintenance budgets. But fine milling is not just about overlays. In addition to addressing other road-repair concerns, fine-milling can also help improve the appearance of roads. Here are three reasons why fine-milling is useful.
The process is used to repair cracks and potholes, and even fix foundational damages. It also eliminates deteriorating surface layers. During the process, excess asphalt is collected and used for other restoration processes. These are referred to as Recyclable Asphalt Pavement (RAP).
Reclaimed Asphalt
Reclaimed asphalt milling is a method of recycling existing asphalt pavements. This type of recycled material is used for roads and parking lots. In many cases, reclaimed asphalt is more environmentally friendly than virgin asphalt, and it can have a higher lifespan. Reclaimed asphalt is also called tarmac or recycled asphalt. Reclaimed asphalt is made from old pavement and is often more durable than virgin asphalt. The Bagela recycler hot mix performs just as well as virgin asphalt.
The unit weight of processed RAP varies, and it depends on the type of aggregates used in reclaimed pavement. The moisture content of stockpiled material has a significant impact on the milling unit weight. Although limited data is available, the average unit weight of milled RAP is 120 to 140 lb/ft3, slightly less than that of natural aggregates. Therefore, the cost of milling RAP is significantly lower than that of crushed material.