How many days is the maintenance period for asphalt pavement?
2 Answers
In high-temperature weather, it should be no less than 14 days, and in low-temperature weather, no less than 21 days. Otherwise, vehicles carrying asphalt concrete, pavers, and rollers may cause damage to the concrete. Here is some extended information: Asphalt concrete: Asphalt concrete, commonly known as bituminous-concrete, is a mixture manually selected and composed of graded mineral aggregates, crushed stone or crushed gravel, stone chips or sand, mineral powder, etc., mixed with a certain proportion of road asphalt materials under strictly controlled conditions. Classification: According to the different binders used, asphalt concrete can be divided into two major categories: petroleum asphalt and coal tar asphalt. Some countries or regions also use or mix natural asphalt in the preparation.
I've been in road construction for over a decade, and the curing period for asphalt can't be generalized to just a few days. In summer when temperatures are high, it usually hardens within 24 hours, and with good weather, the road can open to traffic even earlier. In winter when it's colder, it often takes 3 days or even a week. The type of asphalt is also crucial—regular modified asphalt cures faster, while SBS-modified asphalt needs more time to set. Thickness affects the drying time too; thicker layers naturally take longer to dry. Just the other day, we paved a four-lane road, and due to unstable weather, it wasn't opened until the fourth day. Construction teams usually estimate conservatively, preferring to keep roads closed a couple of extra days rather than risk premature use causing potholes and costly rework.
