At Mr. Pavement, we’re proud to provide driveways, parking lots, walkways, and more to a wide variety of clients. Our asphalt paving company uses quality materials that are made to last and look beautiful in the process. Here, we thought it would be fun to share some little-known facts about asphalt:
Asphalt occurs naturally in lakes.
Many people don’t know that asphalt occurs naturally in lakes. The largest natural deposit in the world is Pitch Lake on the Caribbean island of Trinidad. At just 100 acres in size, it’s estimated to contain 10 million tons of asphalt.
Porous asphalt can help with drainage.
While roads and parking lots are designed to accommodate precipitation drainage, there are actual types of porous asphalts that can help. Porous asphalts can absorb precipitation to help handle run-off and prevent flooding.
There are many different types of asphalt cracks.
While a crack may seem like a crack, there are actually a variety of cracks that can occur in asphalt:
- Alligator cracking: small, close-knit area of cracks (similar to alligator skin)
- Transverse cracking: perpendicular cracks caused by high traffic
- Block cracking: large rectangular or square-shaped cracks
- Edge cracking: cracks at the edge of the asphalt area
- Slippage cracking: crescent-shaped cracks that can turn into potholes
Grass can grow through asphalt.
When you think of asphalt, you probably think of a solid mass that covers an area. However, properly compacted asphalt has 10% air voids in it, which means things like weeds and grass can grow through it. If this happens to you, simply spray the area with weed or grass killer to get rid of it.
Smooth asphalt can improve MPGs.
A study done by the Federal Highway Administration found that the smoother the asphalt, the better the fuel efficiency. In fact, smoother pavements can reduce fuel consumption in trucks by up to 4.5 percent.
The Dead Sea was used for mummification.
Asphalt can be found naturally found in the Dead Sea and during ancient times, it was exported to Egypt for use in their traditional mummification process. When applied to wrappings, it provided a shield from insects, fungi, moisture, and bacteria. It also aided in the prevention of flesh decay.
Paved U.S. roads began in the 1870s
Asphalt is the primary choice for American roads today and it all began in 1870. The first American road to be paved with asphalt was William Street outside of City Hall in Newark, New Jersey. After that, the next paved road was Pennsylvania Avenue (home to the White House) in Washington D.C.
If you’re in need of a driveway, walkway, parking lot, or another type of paved area, don’t hesitate to contact the experts at Mr. Pavement. We have more than 10 years of experience and can get the job done quickly.