When it comes to choosing the right material for your paving projects, the decision between asphalt and concrete can be tough. To help shed some light on the benefits of each, we’ve invited two industry experts to share their insights. Dalton Magdon of Wiregrass Construction Company, Inc. discusses the advantages of asphalt, and Shadrack Mboya, a professional engineer in the cement industry, shares the advantages of concrete.
Asphalt has several benefits over concrete as a road-building material, with rideability, efficiency, sustainability, and economy being the major metrics. If you ask people in Alabama communities what they believe is the most important aspect of a good roadway, most will likely say a smooth ride. According to US News, Alabama was rated number one in the United States for road quality this year. This ranking, determined by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) based on the percentage of road miles in poor condition, is a testament to Alabama’s well-maintained transportation system. Notably, 98 percent of Alabama highways are paved with Hot Mix Asphalt (HMA), suggesting a correlation between the high ranking and the material used for the roadways.
The other three benefits—efficiency, sustainability, and economy—are crucial for those in the transportation industry. HMA roads are constructed much faster than concrete roads, with minimal curing time leading to fewer delays and shorter lane closures. Additionally, HMA is 100 percent recyclable; a single roadway can be milled, reprocessed, and repaved indefinitely, resulting in cost savings. Although currently there are limits on the amount of Recycled Asphalt Pavement (RAP) that can be used in a mix, ongoing research indicates that higher RAP content can maintain quality, further enhancing sustainability and economy. As we continue to improve HMA and communicate its benefits to our communities, Alabama’s standing as the best in the nation will only strengthen, paving the way forward, one mile at a time.
Wiregrass Construction recently completed an asphalt resurfacing project in Rockford on US- 231 (SR-21) in Coosa County for the Alabama Department of Transportation. Wiregrass was presented with an award from the National Asphalt Pavement Association for their excellent work performed.
Concrete pavement, also known as rigid pavement, is widely used on parking lots, streets and local roads, highways, heavy industry, and airports, due to its durability, load carry capacity, longevity, and low maintenance requirement. It is made with a mixture of cement or blended cement (cement mixed with limestone and cementitious materials, such as fly ash, slag, etc.), water, aggregates, sand, and admixtures (materials that enhance specific characteristics of concrete). Concrete pavements are typically designed to last between 20 to 50 years or more. For example, many concrete pavements on U.S. highways and interstates in Alabama were built in the 1900s with a 20-year design life, yet many remain in use today.
Concrete pavements offer multiple solutions, including Conventional Concrete Pavement (used in low- or high-volume applications), Roller-Compacted Concrete (placed similar to asphalt), Concrete Overlays (applied over existing concrete or asphalt systems), Precast Concrete Pavement (using prefabricated panels connected for faster construction), and Pervious Concrete Pavement (which allows water to pass through it and reduce surface runoff).
A common myth about concrete pavement is that it is more expensive than asphalt pavement. However, this perception only considers the initial cost and overlooks its longer lifecycle, lower maintenance costs, and energy savings due to its reflective surface, which reduces heat absorption. Additionally, concrete is environmentally friendly for its ability to absorb carbon dioxide (carbonation) and lower carbon emissions. Over time, concrete pavement proves to be more cost-effective, especially in high-traffic areas where durability and reduced maintenance are critical.