Both asphalt and concrete are the two popular choices for road or driveway construction. The two pavement methods have unique characteristics and advantages. So, let’s take a look at this comparison: asphalt vs concrete.
That said, for the most part, the decision between the two is not always clear-cut, especially for road construction, due to the unique intricacies of every project.
The three primary factors that affect your choice of material are budgetary constraints, the purpose of the road, and the size of the space that needs paving. There are no simple answers.
In this article, we provide a side-by-side comparison of the two pavement methods, including their characteristics, pros and cons, and the major differences between the two methods.
Differences Between Asphalt vs Concrete
There are clear differences between asphalt and concrete, mostly cost, sustainability, durability, installation, composition, maintenance costs and needs, and even appearance.
Below, we take a deep dive into these differences.
Asphalt is Typically Cheaper to Install than Concrete
Asphalt is a more cost-effective option with lower installation costs than concrete. You can get asphalt prices within the range of $100-200 per ton, and building a 600-square-foot driveway will require about 7 to 15 tons, depending on the depth of the asphalt driveway.
Two inches is the minimum depth required, but 6 inches is the recommended standard for the best cost-to-benefit ratio.
This already puts your budget at $700-1400 or $1,500 to $3,000, minus the cost of labor, grading and excavation, and paving. So, give or take, an average asphalt driveway costs between $750 to $4,000.
Basic concrete driveway costs from $4 to $7 per square foot, while more elaborate designs can range from $8 to $15 per square foot, and most projects are within the range of $2,400 to $7,500.
The overall cost can even cross the $10,000 mark depending on factors like special finishing, stained concrete driveway size, driveway materials, borders, sealing, and more.
In road construction, using concrete is also more expensive than using asphalt. According to a study using concrete grade 35, “the initial cost of the asphalt pavement was cheaper than concrete pavement.”
Other sources estimate that concrete roads are circa 20% more expensive than asphalt roads.
The Maintenance Cost of Asphalt is Higher Than Concrete Driveway Costs
Although asphalt pavement has a more favorable initial cost than concrete, its life cycle cost and maintenance costs are higher.
Firstly, you must seal an asphalt driveway about six months after installation.
Secondly, you must do the same every three to five years to extend the lifespan of the driveway. Sealing helps protect the driveway from the effects of water and ultraviolet rays.
Concrete roads or driveways don’t require much sealing (often once every 5-10 years) or proper maintenance. Sealing concrete is to protect it from the weather elements and stains. In cold winters, road salt can eat away at concrete surfaces, causing damage over time.
Hence, concrete roads have a lower life cycle cost of about 20-25% lower than asphalt.
Asphalt Driveways or Roads are Easier and Cheaper to Repair
Another major difference is that concrete driveways differ from asphalt driveways in terms of repair costs and resurfacing. Repairing cracks on asphalt roads is easier and cheaper.
It’s straightforward adding asphalt to holes and cracks to relay or resurface the botched portion of the road.
The case is not so simple with concrete roads. You can’t simply add cement to fix a hole or crack. You must replace the entire cracked slab or portion.
That said, concrete can withstand heavy pressure due to its high compressive strength. So it won’t break easily.
Concrete Lasts Longer Than Asphalt
When it comes to roads or pavements, concrete has a long-lasting lifespan compared to their asphalt counterparts.
Also, concrete may last between 20-40 years with proper maintenance, while asphalt typically lasts significantly less with or without adequate and regular maintenance.
Asphalt is More Flexible Than Concrete
Asphalt is a flexible material, often referred to as flexible pavement, that is more flexible than concrete, which is known as rigid pavement, and this has some potential consequences for consideration.
One of these consequences is the effect of heavy loads or extreme temperatures. Asphalt’s flexibility reduces its propensity to crack when temperatures rise.
Concrete’s rigid nature means it’s prone to cracking after prolonged use, especially in areas with adverse weather.
Constant freezing and subsequent thawing can cause concrete to crack. Hence, concrete driveways are recommended for areas with warmer climates.
Asphalt Installation is Faster to Complete Than Concrete
Asphalt requires less machinery to complete its installation, resulting in shorter installation time and faster construction speed. In most cases, the major machinery you’ll need is a paving machine.
The paving machine spreads and compacts the hot asphalt mix into the prepared surface.
Concrete needs an array of machinery, such as concrete paving machines and concrete mixers, which may require a longer time to mobilize to the job site. DIY installation of a concrete or asphalt driveway presents challenges and requires precision, often necessitating specialized tools and equipment. Hiring a professional for installation is often recommended.
Additionally, concrete requires a lengthy curing time, often seven days before you may use the pavement. As such, concrete driveways are slower to complete than asphalt driveways.
Concrete Roads are Noisier Than Asphalt
In the Asphalt vs Concrete debate, you must add texture to concrete roads to enhance grip and friction, which helps in reducing noise pollution. In simpler terms, it means construction workers make the surface texture rougher.
This improved grip reduces the susceptibility of vehicles to skid. However, it also has unintended consequences: a bumpier and noisier ride.
A new asphalt driveway is much smoother and quieter.
Concrete is More Environmentally Friendly Than Asphalt
Yale researchers found that at certain periods during the summer, asphalt pavements may become secondary sources of aerosol, contributing to the environmental impact and the release of greenhouse gasses. Aerosol has been linked to dangerous health concerns like asthma.
Asphalt contains bitumen, a petroleum product, which, when recycled, produces greenhouse gasses. The bitumen present in asphalt is also the leading factor in why the latter consumes more energy.
Bitumen requires constant heat to prevent it from solidifying. Consequently, “One lane mile of asphalt pavement requires 73% more energy (Mbtu) than concrete.”
Concrete is Better for Fuel Consumption
Driving on concrete roads improves fuel efficiency and reduces energy consumption compared to driving on asphalt.
Per researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, making pavements stiffer or more rigid is one of the keys to improving mileage efficiency.
One of the lead researchers, Hessam Azarijafari, notes that switching from asphalt pavement surfaces to concrete is one way of going more rigid.
This difference in fuel consumption is especially noticeable in areas with high temperatures. Vehicles may save anywhere between 1-14% on fuel when driving on concrete compared to asphalt.
Understanding Asphalt vs Concrete
Asphalt vs Concrete are common paving materials used in driveway construction, making them popular choices for driveway material. Asphalt is a mixture of aggregates (gravel, crushed stone, sand, etc.), binder, and filler. The most common binder used in asphalt is Bitumen. Bitumen makes about 5% by weight of all asphalt mixtures.
There are three different kinds of asphalt mixtures: hot mix asphalt, warm mix asphalt, and cold mix asphalt.
Characteristics of Asphalt
Some of the important characteristics of asphalt mixtures include aggregate properties, durability, and flexibility.
Durability
The durability of any asphalt pavement mixture will depend on the aggregate properties (toughness and abrasion resistance, durability and soundness), binder properties (aging characteristics, fatigue cracking resistance, moisture sensitivity, low-temperature compliance, and strength, etc.), and gradation.
As such, all asphalt mixtures will display varying degrees of durability.
Water-Resistant
Water-resistant asphalt is waterproof. This property is a result of the bitumen present in the mixture. Asphalt is also used as a roofing material due to this property.
Recyclable
Recyclable and recycled asphalt can be reused many times. About 100 million tons of asphalt is recycled yearly in the United States, with about 95% reused in road construction.
Temperature sensitivity
This property refers to the temperature sensitivity of asphalt performance at different temperature extremes and is predominantly dependent on the quality of the binder used.
Ideally, you want asphalt “to resist thermal stresses without cracking at cold weather in winter, while retaining enough stiffness to resist hot temperatures in summer seasons.”
Asphalt vs Concrete: Pros of Asphalt
Some of the major advantages of asphalt are:
- Asphalt has low initial installation costs.
- It is also cheaper to repair and ideal for constructing roads in rural areas with smaller budgets and less vehicular traffic.
- Asphalt is fast to construct. You can drive on it the same day asphalt was installed.
- 100% reusable.
- Asphalt is flexible and versatile in terms of design options and formulation for different uses.
- Asphalt roads produce less noise, unlike concrete, both in and outside the car.
- It offers better traction than concrete and is skid-resistant.
Asphalt vs Concrete: Cons of Asphalt
Some disadvantages of using asphalt include:
- It requires regular maintenance, leading to more time and money commitment down the line.
- New production and recycling of asphalt produces a significant amount of greenhouse gasses.
- Shorter life span in comparison to concrete driveways.
Understanding Concrete
Concrete is a versatile building material made from a concrete mixture with a variety of uses. Concrete combines aggregates (sand, gravel, crushed stone, etc.), binding elements (lime or cement), and water.
For specific properties, you may mix in additives.
Characteristics of Concrete
Notable characteristics of concrete include:
Concrete is porous. It has holes to absorb water, allowing concrete to gain strength and durability as water seeps in. The concrete surface can be customized with stamps, engravings, or stains, which can increase the cost of installation.
Concrete is strong in compression but weak in tension. This means it can withstand heavy loads without cracking, but it may crack under bending or stretching forces. The compressive strength of concrete is a key factor in its ability to support heavy loads.
Porosity
Concrete is porous. It has holes for water absorption, allowing concrete to gain strength and durability as water seeps in.
Density
The density of concrete and its material properties fall between 2.4-2.9 kN/m3. This property depends on the materials used and the ratio of the elements in the mixture.
Asphalt vs Concrete: Pros of Concrete
Concrete offers many advantages, including its longevity and durability:
- Concrete is less prone to the effects of plain water, hence why they’re popular in dam construction. Chemicals may, however, wreak havoc on concrete.
- Concrete is fire-resistant.
- Concrete offers exceptional longevity and may last as long as 50 years.
- Recyclable and can be repurposed as gravel.
- Very durable under heavy traffic and weight.
- Concrete is more resistant than asphalt to the freeze-thaw cycle.
- Concrete is less susceptible to dips and rutting.
Asphalt vs Concrete: Cons of Concrete
Some disadvantages of using concrete include:
- Difficult and costly to repair, leading to high repair costs
- High initial installation cost, contributing to the overall initial cost
- Requires the addition of textures to improve tire grip.
Asphalt vs Concrete, Which One Should I Choose?
There are a variety of factors to consider if you’re comparing both asphalt and concrete for your road or driveway projects, including how cost-effective they are and their maintenance costs.
While budget or overall cost may appear to be one of the most important factors to consider, there are also other pertinent factors you must assess before making a choice.
These factors include:
Climate and Weather
Areas that experience wild temperature fluctuations and varying weather conditions need careful consideration. Recurring freezing and thawing can lead to cracking. In such areas, concrete would make a better choice.
Ability to Do Proper Maintenance
We’ve established how asphalt requires more frequent and consistent repairs and maintenance. Considering the maintenance requirements and repair costs, you need to evaluate your ability to carry out routine maintenance in the future if you’re choosing asphalt.
Initial Budget
In the Asphalt vs Concrete choice, asphalt is a better choice for smaller projects or those with initial cost and budget constraints. Concrete driveway is expensive from the onset but balances out over the life of the road.
Traffic Volume
The potential traffic volume and vehicular traffic a road will receive also affect the choice of material. Even when choosing driveway material, you must consider the type of vehicles that’ll pass through your gates.
Asphalt pavement is more suitable for roads with high-volume traffic due to its flexibility.
Appearance
Concrete as a driveway material offers more room to play with textures and colors, enhancing its aesthetic appeal and providing various customization options. You can stain, stamp, and etch concrete, but asphalt, not so much.
These customization options further add to the initial cost of installing a concrete driveway.
Takeaway: Make a choice between long-lasting asphalt vs concrete driveways by carefully weighing your options
Asphalt vs concrete are popular choices for road construction due to their cost-effective and long-lasting properties and advantages.
Despite being used for road construction, they are different in many ways, including initial costs, fuel consumption, maintenance costs, speed of completion, longevity, and much more.
It’s never straightforward when picking a material for your driveway or road project.
Ensure you consider the climate, your initial budget and customization needs, traffic volume, and your ability to do required maintenance for successful, long-lasting asphalt and concrete driveways.
Are you working on a pavement repair or installation project and need equipment and tools? Contact us for a wide array of concrete and asphalt equipment and tools.
