Asphalt Pickup
The last thing any paving contractor wants is to have a freshly paved surface ruined before it has even been opened to traffic. That’s exactly what can happen with asphalt pickup, a long-standing nuisance in the paving business. When fine particles separate from the aggregate structure and adhere to the surface of the roller, openings are left in the asphalt mat. As a result, the contractor must take the extra step of patching the surface, which both slows down the project and increases the costs of material and labor.
The growing usage of complex hot-mix design asphalt mixes has renewed the popularity of pneumatic-tired rollers. Solving the pickup problem is not as simple on a pneumatic-tired roller.
Pneumatic tires and liquid asphalt have an affinity for each other due to their respective chemical structures. The rubber in the tires and the petroleum in the asphalt form a chemical bond that causes asphalt to attach to the tire. Since pneumatics are more appropriate than steel-wheel rollers when compacting certain kinds of asphalt, eliminating the use of pneumatic-tired rollers, and with it the issue of asphalt pickup, is not a viable option.
Pavertrend™ is the most popular application of combating asphalt pickup. Pavertrend™ act as a lubricating barrier between the tires of a pneumatic roller and the asphalt mat. This barrier inhibits the rubber tires and petroleum-based asphalt from bonding.
Rubber & Polymer-modified asphalt hot-mix designs causes increased asphalt pickup issues.
Diesel not a solution:
First, the fuel raised concerns about possible contamination of job site soil and nearby ground water.
Second, the fumes from the fuel could adversely affect the health of the roller operator and other members of the paving crew.
Third, the largest barrier to adopting diesel as an asphalt pickup, can cut through an asphalt mat, thereby reducing its strength and quality.
If asphalt pickup is a problem because it damages the mat surface, a substance that further weakens the mat is obviously not a solution.
In fact, because of the many issues caused by diesel, many state Department of Transport (DOT) have banned its use in asphalt.
Spraying Pavertrend™ to the pneumatic tires via the roller’s water tank is the best method of application – capable of repelling asphalt from the roller’s tires.
Knowing Pneumatic
In fact, proper pneumatic roller operation is just as important as choosing Pavertrend™ when it comes to combating asphalt pickup.
Proper operation begins with checking the tires to ensure the air pressure is correct. This simple, yet often overlooked, operation procedure helps a roller operator reduce the possibility of material pickup. The lack of pressure from an under-inflated tire will cause asphalt to bind to the tire instead of the mat. Having correct air pressure in all the roller’s tires will help reduce pickup on the job.
Application of Pavertrend™
a. Apply Pavertrend™ on the tires with a sprayer.
b. warming up the tires to a temperature near that of the hot asphalt before applying the roller to the asphalt. If the tires kept at a hot temperature, the petroleum in the asphalt will stay hot enough to act as a lubricant for the rubber tires.
c. Even if the rest of the equipment in the paving train stops, the pneumatic roller should continue running over the asphalt at 5 km / per hour to avoid pickup problem.
d. Once the job is finished apply Erazer™ - Water soluble degreaser on the tires and hose it off with water to avoid damage to the tires.
e. Pavertrend™ improves the quality of the finished product. Allows contractors to focus, rather than wasting their time in solving asphalt pickup issues.
