Contractors face an array of sophisticated paving technologies, Mike Woof reports. Asphalt paving technology continues to advance as manufacturers develop more efficient and reliable equipment. Paving techniques are also improving, while new polymer modified bitumen materials and recycling methodologies further increase the range of road surfacing options available to the client and contractor.
The latest figures on asphalt production in Europe, published in November 2014 by the European Asphalt Pavement Association (EAPA), show production of asphalt in 2013 was slightly down on 2012 levels in most countries.
Figures for hot and warm mix combined show that the total produced in Europe in 2013 was 277.3 million tonnes, down from 276.4 million tonnes in 2012 and 338 million tonnes in 2008 when the global financial crisis began. For most countries, production picked up a little in 2011, only to drop
