Asphalt concrete
June 2, 2009 by blogtopia
Filed under Definitions
Asphalt concrete, normally known simply as asphalt or AC (in North America), is a composite material commonly used for construction of pavement, highways and parking lots. It consists of asphalt binder and mineral aggregate mixed together then laid down in layers and compacted.
The terms asphalt concrete, bituminous asphalt concrete, etc., are typically used only in engineering jargon. Asphalt pavements are often called just asphalt by laypersons who tend to associate the term concrete with Portland cement concrete only. The engineering definition of concrete is any composite material composed of mineral aggregate glued together with a binder, whether that binder is Portland cement, asphalt or even epoxy. Informally, asphalt concrete is also referred to as blacktop.