BRIAN HALL
ASPHALT ANSWERS
It ’ s just the binder ! Allowing vehicles to drive on or crew to walk on an uncompacted mat is setting your job up for failure .
What is Job 1 In Your Company ?
BRIAN HALL
Y ears ago , there was a car company that had the slogan “ Quality is job 1 ”. While I think we all would agree that this is the end goal of any successful company , what are we really doing to make sure that it is our result and not just a catchy slogan or buzzword ? We all take the time to learn what to and what not to do to ensure a great finished product , but do we really put those practices to work when the job gets rolling ? The biggest excuse I hear for not following common sense rules is that “ It ’ s just the binder course , it really doesn ’ t matter .” Well , number one , it does matter . Low quality binder reflects in low quality surface . Number two , when you teach your crew that the binder doesn ’ t matter , then you are subliminally telling them that quality doesn ’ t matter at all . This month , let ’ s highlight some of these “ worst ” practices .
Walking or driving on the uncompacted mat . I see it every day , especially on the binder . Lute and shovel men tracking up what used to be a great mat . Foremen should always discourage walking on an uncompacted mat . Footprints cause a dip in the mat that a roller will bridge over and leave a void that will ultimately cause a birdbath or even potholes because of the air voids left in the mat . Pneumatic rollers can help , but won ’ t solve the issue totally . If you must walk on fresh asphalt , tamp shoes are always an option as it helps spread your weight over a larger area . Recently , I observed a job where a car was allowed to drive on fresh binder asphalt . Friends , there is no way that will end up being quality work unless the asphalt is re-worked . It will take a little extra work to hold up traffic for the roller or even detour so you can work at a manageable pace . Patience and preparation of the jobsite is the key .
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