Asphalt Pickup

Asphalt pickup has been a long-standing nuisance for paving contractors. When fine particles separate from the aggregate structure and adhere to the surface of a roller,openings are left in the asphalt mat and another step must be added to the paving process As the usage of Superpave asphalt mixes grows, the popularity of pneumatic tire rollers returns. And with the renewed popularity of pneumatics comes increased concern about asphalt pickup.

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. Pneumatic tires and liquid asphalt have an affinity for each other because of their respective chemical structures. The rubber in the tires and the petroleum in the asphalt form a chemical bond that causes the asphalt to attach to the tire.

However, a paving contractor doesn’t have to battle the problem of pickup alone. An arsenal of tools is available to reduce the occurrence of asphalt pickup on pneumatic roller tires. These tools help a contractor complete a high-quality project in a timely manner to get a paving job done right the first time.

How to Combat Asphalt Pickup Tire

Releasing the problem

One of today’s most popular methods of combating asphalt pickup involves utilising a chemical release agent. Pavertrend™ work by acting 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.

When polymer-modified asphalts were introduced to the market and their high polymer content caused increased asphalt pickup issues, paving contractors started looking for a substance that could alleviate this problem. Contractors first used a job site staple,diesel fuel, to reduce pickup.

However, diesel was not a long-term solution for several reasons. 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. Still, the largest barrier to adopting diesel asa release agent was the simple fact that diesel can cut through an asphalt mat, there by 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. How to Combat Asphalt Pickup Tire In fact, because of the issue’s diesel causes, many state DOT’s (Department of Transport) have banned its use as a release agent.

Looking for a safer and more effective alternative, contractors applied the release agent concept and found success. The lubricating action of the Pavertrend™ allows the pneumatic tires to move across the hot asphalt without inducing pickup.

Pneumatic know-how While the advent of Pavertrend™ has greatly reduced asphalt pickup, release agents work best when the roller is operated properly. In fact, when combating asphalt pickup,proper pneumatic roller operation is just as important as choosing the proper release agent.