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What’s wrong with asphalt?
The energy it takes to produce is amazing and sad :-(
With growing concerns about environmental health as well rising fuel costs, we asked ourselves how much energy it takes to produce asphalt for our roadways.
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Asphalt
Raw petroleum is distilled to break it down into individual components, some of which are used in asphalt pavements. To do this, petroleum is subjected to intense heat and pressure. Once the asphalt binder has been separated, it must be heated continuously to prevent it from solidifying. As a result, even storing asphalt binder has an energy cost! Asphalt cement however, is not the only component of paving. Aggregates must also be extracted whether this is from virgin sources or recycled materials. The danger of a plant catching fire is a real danger.
To put this energy use into context, the power needed to produce one kilogram (about 2 pounds) of asphalt could power a typical household for an hour to an hour and a half.
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Total energy consumption
A meta-study at the University of Washington found that a reasonable estimate of total energy consumed is between two (2) and four (4) terajoules per lane / km of roadway paved. A lane / km (.6 mi) is defined as a kilometer long segment of roadway that is a single lane in with about 11 feet.
To put these numbers in context, the energy needed to construct one lane of road one kilometer in length is the equivalent on burning 23,000 gallons of conventional gasoline. Assuming a gas mileage of 20 miles per gallon, this means the total energy input to pave one kilometer (.6 mi) of a one-lane road is equivalent to the gas needed to drive 750,000 cars across its length.
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The Greenroads Manual, a sustainability rating system of road construction, estimates that the construction of one lane kilometer of road uses about the same amount of energy as 20 - 40 average U. S. households over a one-year period.
Let’s keep the lights on and keep ourselves out of the dark by using green, simple, natural building techniques, natural building practices, and some common sense.
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Asphalt overlays are equal to one quarter of the energy of new asphalt pavements. There are approximately 4,000 asphalt plants in the United States.
Concrete
Concrete is yet another story of monster energy consumption for every ton of cement manufactured whereby 6.5 million BTU’S of energy are consumed. For every ton of cement manufactured, one ton of Carbon Dioxide is released into the air.
Experts estimate that cement production contributes to about 7% to 9% of the Carbon Dioxide emissions produced by human sources, not to mention the Dangerous (VOCs) Hydrocarbons.
Breathe deep and enjoy the air that keeps us all alive.
What's Good About Pozzolanic Cementing Powder
and Liquid Polymer Natural Road Building
Now a solution to a big energy-consuming monster.
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Solid liquid polymer and pozzolanic cementing technology spliced together.
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Let’s go through what it takes to create roads with almost no carbon footprint! Our natural road building practices only uses 1/100th of the energy needed to make the same one-kilometer (6 miles) road as compared to asphalt paving.
Step one - Furnishing and spreading the reagent.
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The reagent is a blend of milled quicklime and naturally occurring pozzalons from electrical generating plants. The truck then spreads the pre-mixed pozzolanic cementing power at the appropriate mix design percentage.
Step 2 - mixing
The mixing equipment and the water truck have a hard connection allowing for a system where a blend of liquid polymers and water are injected directly into the soil as it is uniformly and homogeneously mixed and the computer controlled metering system injects the proper engineered amount of liquid polymers and water the hydration starts. At 50 to 100 feet per minute, this process is very fast and economical.
Step 3 - Grading
Grading and contouring the road, path, parking lot or walkway is just as important as the engineering work, soil preparation, and compaction. Without proper water runoff and drainage, the project is likely to fail no matter what the contractor puts in or on the ground. It is important to grade, contour, and crown your projects so the water flows the proper direction.
Consider this - 12 inches of water on one acre (43,560 square feet) is 325, 851 gallons of water. An average swimming pool 24 feet wide and 52 feet long has only 14,000 gallons of water in it. Again, directing water runoff is very important to all projects.
Step 4 - Compaction
Initial compaction starts as soon as you grade, contour, or crown your project. Compaction is done with a variety of different equipment. Choose what is right for your project and compact to a density of 90% to 95%.
Final step
Spray a final top protective seal coat of solid earth liquid polymer at the appropriate rate. Let this application dry and open your project to traffic. With this process, your project will last as long as the roman coliseum with proper maintenance.
Projects built this way are much more resistant to chemical attack, deicing salts, freeze thaw cycles and are less prone to water absorption.
Pozzolanic Cementing Powder and Liquid Polymer projects are ideal for service roads, parking lots, landing strips, storage yards, trap & bunker linings, erosion protection, slope protection, driveways, bike/tracks, golf cart paths, paths & walkways, wheelchair access, patio & picnic areas, and vegetation prevention.
Dust prevention. Native slurry backfill. Site winterization. When dry, this product when dry can be traffic striped or colored any color you need.
One final thought
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This natural road building solution has many bonuses! Less Carbon Dioxide released in the air helping the environment. Pozzolanic Cementing Powder uses 95% recycled material. It helps cure the heat island effect and does not heat sink with other materials or products.
Try this one yourself. How hot does Asphalt get?
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6am - 79 degree air temp, concrete is 84 degrees, asphalt is 94 degrees
9am - 85 degree air temp, concrete is 105 degrees, asphalt is 110 degrees
Noon - 94 degree air temp, concrete is 135 degrees, asphalt is 146 degrees
2pm - 99 degree air temp, concrete is 151 degrees, asphalt is 161 degrees
4pm - 102 degree air temp, concrete is 154 degrees, asphalt is 165 degrees
6pm - 102 degree air temp, concrete is 144 degrees, asphalt is 146 degrees
8pm - 97 degree air temp, concrete is 119 degrees, asphalt is 121 degrees
10pm - 93 degree air temp, concrete is 98 degrees, asphalt is 106 degrees
According to date from the National Instate of Standards and Technology, human skin is instantly destroyed at 162 degrees Fahrenheit!
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First degree burns at 118 degrees
Second degree burns at 131 degrees
Initial pain threshold for skin contact starting at 111 degrees
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An egg can fry at 144 degrees, the minimum safe temperature for cooking ground beef is 160 degrees
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Food for thought. Building with these natural building products and practices will help the environment and is the cure for a hot problem!
We believe that concrete and asphalt has its place but we can help cut down on carbon dioxide release and energy consumption.
Lime Soil Stabilization
Below is a video showing footage of the lime soil stabilization process. This is a similar process to other natural road building.
Thanks for reading and showing interest!
James Fletcher
James Fletcher Construction, Inc.