Concrete or Asphalt/Tarmac

[M-SIL 2]

I prefer asphalt because it is smoother, quieter, cheaper, easy to construct and much more flexible than concrete. 

[fishstix001 0]

what ever is the smoothest...Right now, where I live there is a ton of road construction and so the pavement dips at odd angles and goes from smooth to rough to darn right bumpy

[MC6Ash 4]

It pretty much depends on the weather. I find that concrete is harder to drive on during snowy and rainy periods, but it seems much quieter... but that's just me.
~Ash~

[hym 358]

I prefer concrete because it lasts longer than asphalt in most southern environments.  If only the construction companies would build the concrete to last...

[villarule 2]

tarmac, by far the quietest

[Meg 368]

A key factor here is the climate of the area and the thermal expansion of the material used.

Where I live, we can have temperatures (F) in 100s during the summer and below zero during the winter. That's a lot of expanding and contracting. No matter what material is used, potholes happen.

[hello_SC4 1]

I prefer asphalt mainly for two reasons. One is that I can't stand the squealing noise concrete makes when you drive over it and the other is the fact that there are separate blocks, meaning you get a slight bump every once in a while. We use concrete only in tunnels. And besides, the nice, black asphalt looks better than the grey concrete.

[xiziz 11]

Asphalt is much nicer, especially these new silent-asphalt types that are poping up in some locations, especially holland. Concreete is way to rough. Though right now we have a 5-10cm ice sheet on the road so it dosnt really matter whats underneath, just that driving on Ice is a lot less comfortable than eather of the two others...

[vidioman 21]

No street will make it out alive. Though sidewalks that were paved in 1945 are still in decent shape.. Considering I don't even feel the bumps while riding my bike on the side walk, I cant really see how bumps on a road would cause any problems, but whatever. Ashphault is cheaper but here, it lasts 10 years at most before it has to be replaced. My street was repaved in 2001, and already, it's full of pot holes and cracks. The city bus almost flipped when it his a giant pothole. The city has it full of dirt right now, it's still too cold to do any construction.

[hello_SC4 1]

Originally posted by: vidioman

No street will make it out alive. Though sidewalks that were paved in 1945 are still in decent shape.. Considering I don't even feel the bumps while riding my bike on the side walk, I cant really see how bumps on a road would cause any problems, but whatever. Ashphault is cheaper but here, it lasts 10 years at most before it has to be replaced. My street was repaved in 2001, and already, it's full of pot holes and cracks. The city bus almost flipped when it his a giant pothole. The city has it full of dirt right now, it's still too cold to do any construction.quote>

It's replaced every 10 years here, earlier on some roads.

[Praetorian Cohort 0]

Asphalt. Much quieter.

The asphalt on the surface street closest to my house is replaced every six months, when they dig it up for no reason at all.

[vidioman 21]

Originally posted by: hello_SC4

Originally posted by: vidioman No street will make it out alive. Though sidewalks that were paved in 1945 are still in decent shape.. Considering I don't even feel the bumps while riding my bike on the side walk, I cant really see how bumps on a road would cause any problems, but whatever. Ashphault is cheaper but here, it lasts 10 years at most before it has to be replaced. My street was repaved in 2001, and already, it's full of pot holes and cracks. The city bus almost flipped when it his a giant pothole. The city has it full of dirt right now, it's still too cold to do any construction.quote>

It's replaced every 10 years here, earlier on some roads.quote>

Not here, at my old place, they repaved it in spring 1992, and haven't touched it since. There are some roads outside of town that haven't been repaved since they were first paved as much as 40 years ago. They're in horrible shape, and full of patches that don't really do anything. It turns purple after a long time... which is weird. I think it might have been something they put in it that they dont put in it anymore.

[lakeyboy 12]

Just about every single paved road here in Australia is asphalt. Why? It's much smoother, higher quality, lasts loinger, has much more flexability. The only thing good about concrete is it can whitstand high weight levels which is why it is used for bus stops.

[Voar Tok 4]

I prefer concrete over asphalt because it lasts longer than asphalt.  Ski was defintely right about the potholes.

[Micah 16]

Concrete for sure. Last longer, and it sounds good when you drive on it.

[Lyhoko Leaci 770]

I like asphalt, concrete sounds to weird when you drive on it.

[Ratieya455 1]

I like concrete for slower-speed streets but for highway and freeway asphalt is a lot quieter.

[beebs 129]

I like asphalt a lot more than concrete. Just nicer to drive on.

[Easy Bakes 253]

Is Tarmac a type of surface?

Id always thought tarmac was just a large paved area like at an airport were planes turn around.

[beebs 129]

Well you can drive on it then can't you? I think it's the same stuff as asphalt.

[Dr. Neitchskrimfrauwnmoya 7]

Originally posted by: M-SIL

I prefer asphalt because it is smoother, quieter, cheaper, easy to construct and much more flexible than concrete.quote>

Exactly, I couldn't have said it better. It's also a hell lot faster to build in asphalt than in concrete. Also, when you have to replace broken pipes under the road, it's a lot easier to dig a trench in the asphalt to reach the pipes than in concrete.

Originally posted by: SkiGeek

A key factor here is the climate of the area and the thermal expansion of the material used. quote>

Yes, the climate is the key factor but it's not mainly because of the thermal expansion the material. The degradation of road surfaces is mainly due to all the freezing-thawing cycles it goes through. Ice can form between the pavement and the granular backfill, it's called ice lenses. Therefore, it will lift the surface of the road because ice has a higher volume than water. Then when it'll thaw, there will be a hole under the pavement where the ice lense used to be. When an heavy vehicule, like a 18-wheelers truck drive on it, the pavement will break, thus leaving all the pot-holes and other deformations.

[hello_SC4 1]

Actually, tarmac is not the same as asphalt, nor is it used anymore. Asphalt is called tarmac sometimes, though, especially at airports, but it's still asphalt, not tarmac.

By the way, did you know asphalt is recyclable?

[simmax 0]

Asphalt, definitely. In France, there's very, very little concrete on the roads anyway, and when there is, it makes a horrible noise. When it comes to urban areas, though, I prefer cobblestones. They're very nice and they last for decades. I also like it because grass grows between the stones - at least, in my street, it does. In one place, I even saw a 20 cm-high shrub between 2 cobbles. The only thing is that they're nosiy and slippery when wet.

[A Nonny Moose 8,261]

Depends on the application. I believe asphalt is really unsuited for major aircraft runways because of softening in the heat of the day. Concrete is a better application here.

On the other hand, in locales that have roads subject to frost heaving in winter, asphalt is probably better because it is cheaper to build and repair. Building a concrete road in thse conditions is a major job similar to building a bridge of several miles in length.

Becuase we have little frost heaving where I live, the substrate being sand, if I were to pave my driveway and could afford the extra grand, I would have concrete.

[Micah 16]

Oh yeah, everytime someone built a airport and sent it to the STEX, they would say that you need tarmac to connect certain structures.

Well, anyways, I think everybody understands when he says, "Asphalt and/or Tarmac"

[hello_SC4 1]

Originally posted by: simmax

Asphalt, definitely. In France, there's very, very little concrete on the roads anyway, and when there is, it makes a horrible noise.
When it comes to urban areas, though, I prefer cobblestones. They're very nice and they last for decades. I also like it because grass grows between the stones - at least, in my street, it does. In one place, I even saw a 20 cm-high shrub between 2 cobbles. The only thing is that they're nosiy and slippery when wet.quote>

I don't like cobblestones when wet, either. I also hear they're really dangerous for cyclists..

Another touch with grass I really like is having grassed tram lines. I've seen it in Bilbao and Barcelona, it looks fantastic. The tram seems to hover on a green carpet, really lovely.

[wolverine 12]

Unfortunately, in states with extreme freeze/thaw conditions, asphault is not effective. In fact, it has a decent lifespan of 3 years here in Michigan, despite the fact that it's used a lot. In nearly all places, asphault fails as an effective base layer for a road, especially for rural roads. Usually gravel is placed down, and then several layers of asphault. Over time, it does not take ground shifting conditions well, and cracks. The advantages of asphault as far as cost and "feel" are excellent though. It is cheap**, and definitely smoother. But I highly disagree with whoever above said asphault is less slippery. In fact it's quite the opposite. Usually concrete is slightly raked to create more friction. The surface also make it less likely for ice to freeze on it. Asphault does the opposite. It's smooth surface allows water to puddle up in certain areas and freeze. Although its black surface can absorb heat to melt ice, it will work against it at night when the wet surface cools down again and freezes in the morning. Concrete is good in that it will withstand extreme temperature changes effectively. Concrete is also stronger, does not sink like asphault, and doesn't have to be repaired frequently. It also tends to "age" nicer than asphault. Additionally, there are available techniques for shaving the top surface off to eliminate bumps, pock marks, and heaved slabs at expansion cuts. The Department of Pavement Preservation is inventing new and innovative ways to repair concrete. **Additionally the long term maintenance costs of asphault are far more expensive than concrete (even when constructing the surface is taken into account) Recently a new type of conrete was developed that can last longer than conventional concrete. It has a minimum lifespan of 200 years. It can also bend if necessary. It withstands expansion and contraction far more effectively, and it's not that much more expensive than conventional concrete. When the product becomes mass marketed. It could have the potential to drive many asphault producing industry out of business since governments and municipilities will opt toward smarter long term strategies that are also most cost effective. In short, asphault sucks.

[MayorTim 16]

Here in Florida, they never use Concrete for roads other than on bridges/overpasses. Driving over bridges is rather noisy, Asphalt is definately better IMO.

[Easy Bakes 253]

Originally posted by: hello_SC4

Actually, tarmac is not the same as asphalt, nor is it used anymore. Asphalt is called tarmac sometimes, though, especially at airports, but it's still asphalt, not tarmac. By the way, did you know asphalt is recyclable?quote>

Yes. They  tear off the old road surface and  grind it up with some new Asphalt
a reapply it to the road ( it may not be the same road)
And it supposedly lasts longer then new asphalt.

[vidioman 21]

A street in the south end cracked in half (right down the middle, too) and in that general area, many people have reported their lawns splitting open... I think it's just frost, but we have experienced incresed seismic activity the past year. Oo000oOOO00OoO0OO!