“Prior planning prevents poor performance” is how the familiar saying goes, or at least a derivative of it. This piece of wisdom is as true in paving as in any other undertaking, and is particularly applicable in specialty paving. This issue of Paving News highlights two unique paving jobs with special requirements emphasizing the importance of pre-project planning.
Specialty paving is a general category of non-highway projects including airport runways, racetracks, automobile test tracks, and parking lots. These projects often involve special tools and special mixes, and due to the application may have extraordinary logistical considerations or time constraints. Many special projects also come with very high performance requirements in smoothness, profile, and density.
All these factors combined can take a paving crew accustomed to highway projects out of their comfort zone. For operational efficiency and quality, every phase of the paving job must be planned. The added complexity inherent in some specialty paving projects must be especially considered.
"On track" on pages 4-8 describes paving a horse race track with a specialized mix. This job had unique compaction requirements, and also a limited window of time the plant could dedicate to producing the special mix.
"Air pressure" on pages 12-15 describes an airport paving job with very strict performance requirements and a tight time schedule. Imagine the complexity in planning to keep the pavers operating 22 hours a day for a period of time! The plant, trucks, pavers, compactors, and other support equipment needed to be well planned and coordinated to keep the operation going. To meet the joint density specification, the crews paved with varying widths and used a special homemade tool to help produce well-compacted longitudinal joints.
Both of these projects involved exceptional requirements that were considered and prepared for long before the trucks full of asphalt arrived at the jobsite. Typical factors which must always be considered are asphalt tonnage and trucking, minimum and maximum paving widths, existing grade conditions, and job specifications. Depending on the complexity of the job, the specification may necessitate significant planning and preparation.
Another factor that cannot be ignored when preparing for time sensitive and tight specification projects is equipment maintenance. Poorly maintained equipment makes it difficult to achieve specifications and performance requirements. Unreliable equipment on the jobsite can jeopardize the schedule and be very costly. CAT® Dealers provide world-class service and support to keep your equipment running in top condition. You can partner with your CAT Dealer, who understands the paving business and is committed to your success.
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