Which is better Concrete or Asphalt Roads?
In India, we are seeing more and more roads being built out of concrete, even if the existing road is of asphalt it is converted to concrete. So why are we changing our roads to concrete? What is the difference between concrete and asphalt roads? Which is better concrete or Asphalt?
Let us have a few aspects of comparing both like Cost, Efficiency, and the driveability
Difference between Concrete and Asphalt Road
| Concrete Roads | Asphalt Roads | |
| Durability | Concrete Roads are more durable, they last for 20-40 years on average | They are not durable, they last for around 10 years |
| Construction Time | It takes time to build a Concrete road, you need a concrete mixer and other large machinery to lay a concrete road | Asphalt road takes less time to lay, it does not require large machinery unlike concrete roads |
| Skid resistance | Concrete roads tend to slip when there is rain or snow. Hence the traction is not that good | Whereas Asphalt roads provide better grip and traction overall, even when it rains or snows |
| Heating | Concrete doesn’t get very hot, due to its light colour | Asphalt on the other hand gets quite that hot, due to its black colour which absorbs lights |
| Driveability | The vehicle feels rough and your tyre gets hotter. You tend to have lower traction compared to asphalt | If the asphalt is in good condition, the drive will be smooth and your tyres won’t get that hot comparatively. Also, the overall grip is better |
| Recyclability | Concrete can be crushed and used for different purposes | Asphalt roads are recycled, and can be used in newer roads |
| Fuel Efficiency | The car runs at better efficiency and saves around 5-10% of fuel | There is not much improvement in fuel efficiency |
| Material | Concrete is created out of cement, sand and water | Asphalt consists of crushed rock, sand and gravel which are bonded together using bitumen |
| Maintenance & Repairing | Concrete doesn’t easily break, but if it breaks you can’t do patchwork, you have to replace the complete slab | It is much cheaper to repair an asphalt road, you can do patchwork which is faster and cheaper |
| Noise problem | Concrete roads have textures to provide more grip, but due to this the tyre creates more noise at high speeds | You would have a quieter drive comparatively unless you are driving on old asphalt which is eroded |
| Cost | High Cost to build | Low cost when compared to concrete |
Conclusion
So which is better Concrete or Asphalt roads
It all comes down to the construction of the road. Bad-laid concrete roads are equally bad as bad-laid Asphalt roads. The Concrete used in the roads should be of good quality and have a proper flat surface with longitudinal grooves for less noise. The asphalt used should be of high quality, unlike the cost-cutting in today’s scenario. Most of the asphalt built today does not last more than 2 years in India, this is due to heavy rains though, but the quality of asphalt has to be improved.
I believe, Concrete or Asphalt Roads should be laid according to the surroundings, if the road is used by heavy trucks it is best to lay a Concrete road as they are good at handling heavy loads, but if it is a city road where cars and two-wheelers are driven, it is best to lay asphalt road.
But what we currently see in India is all the roads are either concrete or converted to concrete. It is done to have a long-lasting road, but we don’t need concrete roads in our cities, we need good-quality asphalt roads. That is a better option for city roads. For highways, concrete roads are better.
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