Asphalt is a composite material obtained by the result of commixing mineral aggregates and the distillation by-product known as bitumen, which is obtained from petroleum. A long-lasting cost-effective product used mainly in road construction and rehabilitation, asphalt’s smooth elastic flexible features make it an indispensable raw material in the infrastructure industry. Its multiple applications range from road applications to sound insulation, waterproofing, or even roofing.
Asphalt is manufactured in specific plants where bitumen and aggregate are heated to such temperatures that they can bond properly. Such a process produces a homogenous blend, which is required to ensure the material’s functionality and longevity. Classification of asphalt depends on the mode of production and the use it is intended for:
Asphalt roads are a class of road surface consisting of multiple layers of asphalt material. The roads are valued for their smoothness, durability, and cost, which makes them the best choice worldwide. Asphalt roads are highly suitable for high-density areas such as highways, urban streets, and runways at airports
Asphalt roads have many advantages; therefore, they are the choice of modern infrastructure.
Asphalt is relatively cheaper than any other paving material, especially compared with concrete. It minimizes costs in terms of construction and maintenance, making it a sensible choice for large projects.
The strong characteristics of asphalt enable it to withstand extreme weather conditions and heavy traffic forces with minimal loss in quality. Asphalt roads can last for decades if kept in appropriate construction ways.
The smooth surface of asphalt reduces the wear and tear of vehicles while also improving their fuel efficiency. The ride is quieter and more comfortable on asphalt roads compared to other materials.
Asphalt is flexible and thus absorbs sound, thereby reducing the resultant noise pollution created by vehicles, making it suitable for urban areas as well as residential neighborhoods.
One of the most significant environmental benefits of asphalt is its recyclability. Reclaimed asphalt can be repurposed to construct new roads, thereby minimizing waste and conserving natural resources.
Asphalt has heat-absorbing properties that help melt snow and ice during winter. It minimizes cracking due to temperature fluctuations, ensuring long-lasting performance.
Asphalt also plays an important role in building road networks. The principal use of asphalt is as under:
Although concrete has its advantages as well, in construction for roads, asphalt is usually favored due to the following:
The lifespan of an asphalt road depends on several factors. These include the quality of materials used, construction methods, and maintenance practices. Generally:
Seal coating and patching are routine maintenance activities that could increase the lifespan of asphalt roadways dramatically.
Asphalt roads are maintained through many practices that ensure their long duration and performance:
Asphalt is a sustainable material that is in harmony with contemporary environmental objectives. The following delineates its contributions:
With great benefits to be derived-from cost effectiveness, durability and an environmental aspect- asphalt road bases for current infrastructure can offer nothing alike for asphalt roads in relation to maintaining flexibility, tolerance for heavy flow, changes in temperature levels, and their reusage. Thus, routine servicing methods and recent innovation such as Warm Mix Asphalt has been encouraging the efficiency of the services on the highways.
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Director, President – Glen Raven Technical Fabrics
Strata/Glen Raven tenure: 10 years/28 years
Total industry experience: 35 years
MBA – Wake Forest University
Directs the strategic direction of Glen Raven’s automotive, protective apparel, military, geogrid, outdoor and logistic businesses.
Director, General Manager, Strata Inc.
Strata/Strata Inc. tenure: 3 years/14 years
Total industry experience: 25 years
MBA – Georgia State University
Led the integration of Strata Inc. business operations into the headquarters of GRTF and transition from USA based to India based manufacturing.
Director
Strata tenure: 17 years
Total industry experience: 47 years
CA – ICA
Played a key role in the establishment of Strata’s India operations. Provides vision for product innovation and leveraging new technology trends.
Global Technical Sales Director
Strata tenure: 7 years
Total industry experience: 32 years
Civil & Geotechnical Engineer (First class)
Provides highly technical and innovative civil engineering solutions in India and around the world. Responsible for the design and execution of large-scale geotechnical projects around the world including Australia, Asia, Europe, Africa, Middle East, and South America.
CTO – Chief Technology Officer
Strata tenure: 9 years
Total industry experience: 48 years
BTech (Hons), MTech (Civil) Both IIT Bombay, DMS (Bombay University), FIE, FIGS, Chartered Engineer
Streamlines the designs of Geosynthetics and has brought innovation in geogrid and geocell design application.
COO – Projects and Sales
Strata tenure: 13 years
Total industry experience: 24 years
MBA – University of Gujarat
Leads the monetization of products and solutions while ensuring highest execution quality and project profitability.
COO – Technical Textiles
Strata tenure: 13 years
Total industry experience: 33 years
BE (Mechanical) – Nagpur University
Drives excellence in process design, product features and cost effectiveness in production.
CFO – Chief Financial Officer
Strata tenure: 8 years
Total industry experience: 35 years
CA – ICA, ICWA – ICWAI
Leads the finance, accounting, taxation, commercial, legal and IT functions and assisting on all strategic and operational matters.
CDO – Chief Development Officer
Strata tenure: 10 years
Total industry experience: 13 years
MBA – ISB, Hyderabad
Leads diversification of the product portfolio, monetizing the new products and ensuring successful sustained financial growth of the company top line.
CEO – Chief Executive Officer
Strata tenure: 14 years
Total industry experience: 42 years
B Tech (Chemical) – IIT Delhi
Leads day-to-day business operations of the company with focus on capacity expansion, product and process improvement.
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