A Short Guide to Asphalt & Concrete Aggregates
There’s a good chance you have heard of the word aggregates, but you aren’t sure what they are. Aggregates are a very wide material category of things such as crushed stone, gravel, recycled concrete, sand, and slag. The materials are in usually small, and they’re often medium grained or coarse.
Even if you haven’t seen aggregates themselves, the truth is that you see aggregates being used just about every day. Some of the most common uses for them are:
- Highways and roads
- Sidewalks and walkways
- Airport runways
- Parking lots
Ok, now that you know where they are used, you’re probably thinking, so what? What’s the big deal? What benefit do they offer? Well, the truth is that there are quite a few benefits that aggregates offer when they are added to asphalt or concrete. Let’s look at some of them below.
- They make the concrete mixes much more compact
- They lower the production costs
- They make asphalt or concrete a lot more mechanically strong
- They decrease concrete’s permeability and increase its resistance to water
- They make concrete a lot less prone to absorbing water
- They modify concrete’s values when it comes to heat retention.
The composition, shape and size of the aggregates used will affect your finished product. That is why it’s important to consult with an expert to find out what type of asphalt or concrete aggregates should be used.
If you plan to put a patio or a driveway down, using aggregates will help it last much longer. Consult with a company to find out what ones are best for your needs.
