Trenchless technology is a type of construction done underground which involves only little or no trenches at surface level or street level. This type of technology, crafted by engineering experts, is new, and makes use of new inventions and technology to ensure that there is less disruption to the ground.
Engineering specialist Spencer Group has filed accounts for the business year ending 31st March, reflecting a period of significant growth. Spencer Group is one of the UK’s leading privately-owned multi-disciplinary engineering businesses and delivers innovative solutions in the energy, transport, infrastructure, materials handling and industrial sectors, specialising in complex and
Construction and civil engineering specialist contractor GRAHAM is underway at a project to support the decommissioning and restoration of Dounreay, described as ‘the world’s deepest nuclear clean-up’. The Advance Transition Works Shaft & Silo Project (ATW S&S) are taking place at Dounreay in Caithness. The firm will be delivering the
A new stainless steel and concrete bridge, the first of its kind in the UK, has opened to pedestrians and vehicles in Pooley Bridge, Cumbria. It replaces its 250-year-old stone predecessor, which was destroyed during severe flooding as a result of Storm Desmond in 2015. The new single-span bridge has
Civil engineer and infrastructure specialist Barhale has been awarded the contract to deliver infrastructure enabling works for the western extension of South Staffordshire’s high-profile i54 business park. Awarded by principal contractor Amey, the programme of works will include the construction of a foul water drainage pumping station and associated M&E
Britain’s van drivers would love to see a bridge from Scotland to Northern Ireland and a tunnel under the North Sea to Norway, according to experts. Specialist vehicle suppliers LeaseVan.co.uk looked at which potential future engineering innovations would be most welcomed by the UK’s van drivers with a second Channel
Winvic Construction Ltd, a leading main contractor that specialises in the design and delivery of multi-sector construction and civil engineering projects has been appointed by Highways England (HE) to undertake widening and roundabout construction works on the A5 highway, as part of a S278 agreement. The £3.4 million scheme that
Winvic Construction Ltd, a leading main contractor that specialises in the design and delivery of multi-sector construction and civil engineering projects, has been appointed by IM Properties to construct Mercia Park. The 238-acre employment park is located in north west Leicestershire, adjacent to junction 11 of the M42, and will
In anticipation of the arrival of its disruptive and unique, long-teach telescopic leader rig, the TM 20 LR, the UK’s leading specialist sheet piling expert, Sheet Piling (UK) Ltd, is whetting the appetite of various Tier-1 construction and engineering contractors, by issuing an in-depth explanatory animated video of the rig
Properly installed asphalt paving enhances curb appeal and reduces driveway maintenance since asphalt is one of the most durable paving materials available. Improper installation and maintenance can create problems down the line, though. Read on to find out about eight common asphalt paving mistakes and how to avoid them to
Trenchless technology is a type of construction done underground which involves only little or no trenches at surface level or street level. This type of technology, crafted by engineering experts, is new, and makes use of new inventions and technology to ensure that there is less disruption to the ground. This makes engineering easier and more environment-friendly as it avoids further damage caused by the usual equipment used to achieve the same goal. What Is a Trench? Generally, a trench is a depression in the ground, also known as an excavation, which is deep and wide. However, the measurements for its deepness vary from how wide it’s supposed to be. It’s important to note that trenches are more deep and narrower. In the world of engineering, trenches are created to keep easily damaged materials underground. An example of this is an oil tank. Oil tanks are usually placed underground to directly provide oil to be pumped to the surface. The tanks are buried because, if kept outside, they’re more susceptible to damage from natural elements like air, fire, and water. Some other infrastructure kept in trenches are telephone wires and water pipes. Trenches can also be used to serve as a foundation for a building. Beams and concrete will be erected deeply into the ground to help support the weight of the building. Sometimes, trenches can also be used for underground transport like railway systems to shorten the travel time of people living in congested cities. Three Types of Trenchless Technology As more people create innovations that help improve different engineering processes, the work becomes easier to handle. This will not only aid engineers in speeding up production time, but construction workers who are directly in charge of all the digging and cementing will benefit from them the most. There are three types of trenchless technology you need to know about. Pipe lining. This type of trenchless technology is famous for replacing old sewer drains. It’s a way of restoring your pipes and making them free from corrosion, cracks, and leaks. With your old pipes being buried deep into the ground, it became susceptible to different natural irritants which include metal, minerals, oxygen, and water as well as chemicals that have seeped into the ground. By using the best trenchless equipment for pipe lining, your sewers will finally remain intact and work best to regulate your home’s drainage system. Sliplining. In sliplining, the purpose is to fix. To further explain, it’s used to repair existing pipelines by pulling or pushing a new pipe into an existing pipe. In this way, you don’t have to extract the old pipe by digging it up again. You can just insert a new pipe within and wait for the rest of the materials from the old pipe to break down. In doing so, a lot of time and effort will be saved, and workers can do more tasks. Directional boring. In directional boring, you can install underground pipes directly by boring into the ground. Unlike trenches which are very deep in nature, the process of directional boring involves installing underground utilities using only a shallow arc to minimize impact to the ground. As such, this can also help protect the environment because the hole will not be too deep, and there will be less chances for chemicals to seep into the cracks of the hole. Advantages of Trenchless Technology Trenchless technology offers many advantages to people involved in the process. Aside from making it easier to replace old pipes, it also reduces the possibility of cave ins. Workers do not need to dig deep holes and put their lives in a lot of danger because trenchless technology will ensure that everything will be replaced and improved at lesser cost and amount of time. Also, using trenchless technology reduces congestion and road traffic because there won’t be any open trenches. This also proves safe for car owners and motorists because the possibility of driving into a manhole will be significantly reduced. Installation in trenchless technology allows shorter working schedules. Also, it helps in lessening destruction of the environment, as open trenches were very prone to natural elements. In the case of trenchless technology, aside from doing away with deep excavations on the ground, the requirements to have projects that use the technology can be approved faster than in the traditional way of doing things. Hire an Expert Whether you’re an owner of a huge firm that needs services involving trenchless technology or someone needing to fix up a few pipes at home, you need to hire an expert that can help you with your needs. Experts have a lot of experience and can do the job faster. Likewise, considering the use of trenchless technology will be a good step in improving the planet’s life.
Engineering specialist Spencer Group has filed accounts for the business year ending 31st March, reflecting a period of significant growth. Spencer Group is one of the UK’s leading privately-owned multi-disciplinary engineering businesses and delivers innovative solutions in the energy, transport, infrastructure, materials handling and industrial sectors, specialising in complex and business-critical schemes. In the year to March 31st 2020, Spencer Group increased turnover by £9m, from £54m the previous year to £63m (an increase of 17.5%). Pre-tax profits also grew by 17.5% o £2.2m, from £1.8m in the year to March 31st, 2019. Hull-based Spencer Group also reported an exceptional strike rate of almost 50% of tenders won and entered the current financial year with secured work with a value of £55m. The year saw Spencer Group build on its acknowledged expertise and industry leadership in fields such as rail infrastructure, depot maintenance and improvements, and complex bridge renovations. Spencer Group’s flagship works over the course of the financial year included a major rail capacity enhancement project at Stevenage Station in Hertfordshire. The complex £30m project involved constructing a 130m-long platform, complete with approximately two kilometres of new electrified track and signalling, to enable additional services into London King’s Cross from Stevenage. It was completed a year ahead of the scheduled opening by working in close collaboration with immediate client Network Rail, end user Govia Thameslink Railway and other stakeholders. Spencer Group was also appointed during the year to carry out a long-term maintenance programme on Scotland’s Erskine Bridge. More recently, Spencer Group began work to refurbish and rebuild the 200-year-old Union Chain Bridge linking England and Scotland. The company was appointed by Northumberland County Council to dismantle the historic crossing over the River Tweed and carry out a complete refurbishment and rebuild to mark its bicentenary. Executive Chairman Charlie Spencer OBE said: “These encouraging results reflect our focus on our core strength of delivering challenging engineering projects. We’ve continued to do this by utilising our exceptional in-house design and construction expertise across multiple sectors to provide competitive advantage. “Our growth strategy has been to target projects that specifically match our capabilities and specialist knowledge. “We have a strong order book going forward and we are confident of exciting future opportunities, particularly in rail infrastructure and maintenance facilities and the repair, refurbishment and maintenance of bridges, two fields in which we are acknowledged industry leaders. “The Covid-19 pandemic has presented challenges to every business but we remain in robust financial health and move forward from a position of strength.”
Construction and civil engineering specialist contractor GRAHAM is underway at a project to support the decommissioning and restoration of Dounreay, described as ‘the world’s deepest nuclear clean-up’. The Advance Transition Works Shaft & Silo Project (ATW S&S) are taking place at Dounreay in Caithness. The firm will be delivering the Civils and Structural works on behalf of Nuvia, acting as sub-contractor and an influential partner on the scheme. Background The Dounreay Shaft in Caithness was originally constructed in 1956 as a means of removing waste from the Dounreay site liquid effluent discharge tunnel excavation. The Shaft goes approximately 65m deep underground and was used to store radioactive waste until 1977. A connecting ‘stub’ tunnel linked the base of the Shaft to the effluent discharge tunnel. This was sealed in 1956 by the construction of a concrete plug to produce a water- tight seal, before the Shaft was then allowed to flood with groundwater. Disposals to the Shaft ended following an explosion occurred in May 1977 and the facility has been under care and surveillance ever since. Decommissioning and restoration Dounreay Site Restoration Limited (DSRL) is currently working to decommission and restore the site. Part of this Programme is the D3300 Project, to retrieve, process and package waste from the Shaft to render it suitable for long-term storage and future disposal. During the project, new headworks will be constructed over the Shaft that will contain remote handling equipment to retrieve the solid and sludge waste. GRAHAM’s project team will be delivering and supporting the following scope of works as part of the project: Establish secure Site Boundary and site accommodation – provision of hoarding, fencing and barriers around the construction areas and any site accommodation facilities. Facilitate safe (as low as reasonably practicable) and efficient (best practical means) access to D1225 to prepare for dismantling and breakout of the existing Shaft headworks (steel platform, concrete cover slab, concrete capping slab). Dismantling the existing D1225 enclosure and constructing an appropriate robust replacement facility. The replacement must fully integrate with D3300 (construction to follow later). Installing and protecting coordinated services diversions and replacements that will provide for continued interim functioning of D1225 and integrate with the future D3300. Installation of the D3300 Shaft Extension Module lower section (SEM 1). Accommodating the future constructability of D3300 Process Cell equipment and structures. Subsequent D3300 construction to be safeguarded from potential releases of radiation/contamination from the Shaft. Peder Andreasen, Contracts Manager for GRAHAM, said: “We’re excited to be beginning work at this hugely important project at this historic nuclear clean-up scheme. “Our nuclear sector expertise and safety critical approach will be vital in the delivery of the ATW S&S scheme and enable us to safely prepare the shaft headworks and provide a secure enclosure by undertaking these hazardous and challenging works.”
A new stainless steel and concrete bridge, the first of its kind in the UK, has opened to pedestrians and vehicles in Pooley Bridge, Cumbria. It replaces its 250-year-old stone predecessor, which was destroyed during severe flooding as a result of Storm Desmond in 2015. The new single-span bridge has been designed to withstand extreme weather conditions and is in keeping with its location in Ullswater on the edge of the Lake District National Park. Hanson UK worked with contractor Eric Wright Civil Engineering Ltd to create a bespoke concrete mix for the lower arch of the steel bridge, designed and constructed to provide structural strength, and also supplied and laid the asphalt to complete the project. The steelwork for the new bridge was manufactured off-site in two sections, fabricated and welded on an adjacent piece of land, where the concrete lower arch was installed to allow the whole structure to be lifted into place over the River Eamont. The high early strength concrete mix included Hanson Regen GGBS (ground granulated blastfurnace slag), a cement replacement product which enhances the durability of the concrete while adding to its sustainability credentials. It is a by-product and using it to replace one tonne of Portland cement reduces the embodied CO2 of the concrete by around 780kg. Its use in large pours also helps minimise the production of heat, reducing the risk of thermal cracking. In total 1,200 cubic metres of concrete containing Regen have been supplied by Hanson’s nearby Penrith concrete plant to create the lower arch, bridge deck, bridge abutment and walls, highway approach retaining walls and several temporary works. “Concrete supply to this project was always going to be a challenge due to the location, unique characteristics of the bridge and the tight deadline,” said Nick Graham, technical sales officer at Hanson Concrete. Technical services manager Terry Balmer added: “Our technical team was involved early in the design stage due to the complex concrete requirements, especially for the high-quality visual concrete that makes up the deck composite, and this partnership working was fundamental to the success of the project.” To complete the project, Hanson supplied 275 tonnes of asphalt from its nearby plant at Shap, which was laid by the company’s specialist contracting team. This included 130 tonnes of Tufflex, chosen for its durability and high resistance to cracking, for the surface course. In addition to the complex nature of the bridge, the final abutment work, concrete arch and composite deck – as well as the asphalt – were all supplied under the added pressure of the Covid-19 pandemic and the associated issues entailed with furloughed staff and social distancing protocols.
Civil engineer and infrastructure specialist Barhale has been awarded the contract to deliver infrastructure enabling works for the western extension of South Staffordshire’s high-profile i54 business park. Awarded by principal contractor Amey, the programme of works will include the construction of a foul water drainage pumping station and associated M&E apparatus located in a purpose-built 10 metre deep, 5 metre diameter sunk into rock. Its construction as an underpinned shaft will provide the safest and most cost-effective solution. In order to minimise impact to the local environment, the installation of associated sewer and pumping main pipework will be carried out using a mixture of open cut and directional drilling techniques. The western extension of the 98-hectare i54 business park will release an additional 100,000 square metres of development land adjacent to the M54 motorway on the border between the City of Wolverhampton and South Staffordshire. The existing i54 park is already recognised as a centre for manufacturing. Occupiers of the existing development include MOOG Aerospace, Eurofins Scientific and Jaguar Land Rover. James Ingamells, Regional Manager, is looking forward to Barhale playing its part in the next stage of i54. “The i54 Business Park is undoubtedly one of the most exciting and prestigious projects in the region and one which is already attracting an international reputation,” he said. “As a locally head-quartered business we are proud to be involved and very aware of the impact that the development has had to date in terms of regeneration, attracting investment and creating jobs. We are thoroughly pleased to have been selected by Amey to deliver our element of the works.” Contract completion is expected in early 2021.
Britain’s van drivers would love to see a bridge from Scotland to Northern Ireland and a tunnel under the North Sea to Norway, according to experts. Specialist vehicle suppliers LeaseVan.co.uk looked at which potential future engineering innovations would be most welcomed by the UK’s van drivers with a second Channel Tunnel connecting Suffolk to the Netherlands also featuring. They said routes better connecting remote parts of the UK with our cities, along with tunnels or bridges connecting Britain to mainland Europe and Ireland would offer more opportunities to UK businesses. There are currently around two million vans along with half a million HGVs on UK roads with a quarter of a million people identifying ‘van driver’ as their main occupation. Many of the vans are driven by small business owners and tradespeople such as builders and plumbers with many feeling better connections to other parts of the UK and Europe would afford them further opportunities. The experts said a road bridge between Scotland and Northern Ireland was something many of their customers would like to see as it would open up the island of Ireland and help businesses in both the UK and Irish Republic. The UK government was rumoured to be considering a Scotland to Northern Ireland road bridge last year with a feasibility study looking at two routes, Portpatrick to Larne or Kintyre to the Antrim coast, a stretch of around 20 miles across the Irish Sea. Similar super bridges in Scandinavia connect Denmark, Sweden and Norway and have helped to open up the economies there while in Hong Kong the Zhuhai-Macau bridge spans more than 30 miles of sea water. Other dream routes for van drivers include a tunnel underneath the Irish Sea from Holyhead to Dublin which would reduce journey time from 3hours 15 mins to just over an hour. Van drivers would also like to see a tunnel under the Bristol Channel from Ilfracombe in north Devon to Swansea in south Wales which would vastly reduce journeys in the south west. A bridge from Portsmouth to the Isle of Wight was another innovation which the LeaseVan.co.uk team said would make life easier for van drivers. While in the east of England a second Channel tunnel connecting Felixstowe with The Hague would ease transport to mainland Europe. The experts said a series of bridges and tunnels in Scotland could connect John O’Groats to Orkney and on to the Shetlands, turning the Northern Isles into a north Atlantic Florida Keys style archipelago. A further tunnel under the North Sea from Shetland to Bergen in Norway would open up Scandinavia and the Arctic Circle to both UK freight and tourism with thousands of Brits flocking to see the Northern Lights. A spokesman for LeaseVan.co.uk admitted the routes were little more than a wish list at this stage but said all of them would have economic benefits for the UK. He said: “Van drivers are the unsung heroes of the UK economy keeping the country running even during this global pandemic. These routes represent what we think would make their lives a whole lot easier – and open up major trading and tourism routes for Britons to enjoy. “Of course none of these innovations would be cheap. We have seen a figure of £20bn discussed for the Scotland to Northern Ireland bridge alone and that is perhaps the most simple of our proposed routes. “And as well as the required financial investment there are also the environmental concerns which would, of course, have to be seriously considered. “But if these routes do turn out to be feasible then they would have major economic benefits for the UK. “They would also make it a doddle for van drivers to pop over to Dublin for a day’s plumbing or even to nip to Norway for a plastering job. “They would also be good news for tourism, bringing many visitors to the UK as well as making it much easier for us to explore other countries.”
Winvic Construction Ltd, a leading main contractor that specialises in the design and delivery of multi-sector construction and civil engineering projects has been appointed by Highways England (HE) to undertake widening and roundabout construction works on the A5 highway, as part of a S278 agreement. The £3.4 million scheme that will facilitate access to the new 18-acre industrial and manufacturing site, Hinckley Park, is located circa 1km east of Junction 1 of the M69. The Winvic team started on-site in July and the scheme will be completed and open for use in January 2021. The programme of works not only includes the construction of a new 50m diameter* roundabout, but also comprises resurfacing works where the trunk road will be widened on the south side. The broadening of the A5 will generate space for the creation a new pedestrian footway on the north side of the road. Additionally, an access off the A5 – 650m east of M69 J1 – will be constructed, which will be for the sole use of a new sub-station. Winvic is currently undertaking initial earthworks – engineering existing ground levels to correlate with the new works – has begun the drainage programme and is due to start the lane kerb works. The majority of the existing highway drainage will be amended to suit the new road configuration while up-to-date signage and white lining will be realised prior to the scheme’s handover to HE. The majority of the work to construct the roundabout will take place offline to reduce the impact on the road network, with short periods of overnight traffic signals and closures being effected to deliver the carriageway widening and final surfacing works. Rob Cook, Winvic’s Director of Civils and Infrastructure, commented: “Winvic has worked extremely effectively with Highways England on numerous complex schemes, so liaison with the authority throughout the design process and construction works to date has been straightforward and efficient. Ensuring A5 road users are not inconvenienced whilst keeping our workforce safe on a live highway has naturally been one of our top priorities, and I’m delighted to say the scheme is progressing at pace, and on track for completion in January 2021. This project is a great step forward for Winvic to demonstrate that we can work with Highways England on its national frameworks by delivering schemes like this across the highways sector, now and in the future.” For more information on Winvic, the company’s latest project news and job vacancies please visit www.winvic.co.uk. Join Winvic on social media – visit Twitter @WinvicLtd – and LinkedIn.
Winvic Construction Ltd, a leading main contractor that specialises in the design and delivery of multi-sector construction and civil engineering projects, has been appointed by IM Properties to construct Mercia Park. The 238-acre employment park is located in north west Leicestershire, adjacent to junction 11 of the M42, and will be home to leading international businesses Jaguar Land Rover and DSV Group. Winvic’s £21 million civils and infrastructure contract comprises an extensive earthworks programme, where over 1 million m3 of material will be excavated and remodelled to accommodate the development plateaux and 3000m of screening bunds. The earthworks have been designed to transport as little excavated earth from the site to reduce HGV traffic in the local community and highways network. Currently, a Volvo EC950 Crawler Excavator is being utilised on site to carry out a large proportion of the vast earth moving task; it is the very first of its kind and the largest crawler excavator to be used in the UK. The 90-tonne machine is capable of excavating 7m3 of material – and lift up to 39,900kg – in each bucketload, facilitating fast and efficient movement of earth. Additionally, 7,500m of underground drainage will be installed also by Winvic, three areas of highway improvements and footpaths throughout the park will be constructed and extensive landscaping works – including up to 30 acres of new woodland – will be undertaken. The civils and infrastructure works began on 2 June and are due be complete in December 2021. Rob Cook, Winvic’s Director of Civils and Infrastructure, commented: “Having completed some vast earthworks programmes in the last few years, Winvic’s reputation in this area is becoming ever more robust. Our clients understand that we deliver schemes of any scale in a safe, expeditious and commercially viable way. Having worked with IM Properties on many other projects, it’s rewarding to know their team have confidence in everything we deliver; utilising the specialist trimble based machines and remodelling the plateaux intelligently to avoid disposing of excesses of material off-site illustrates our strategic outlook to design, regardless of the sector or size.” Jason Jasper UK Project Director, from IM Properties, added: “When developing a scheme of this scale, it’s important to partner with trusted suppliers who not only have the resources and skills to deliver the project, but share in our commitment to create a best in class scheme, working with the local community and creating a positive lasting legacy we can all be proud of.” For more information on Winvic, the company’s latest project news and job vacancies please visit www.winvic.co.uk. Join Winvic on social media – visit Twitter @WinvicLtd – and LinkedIn.
In anticipation of the arrival of its disruptive and unique, long-teach telescopic leader rig, the TM 20 LR, the UK’s leading specialist sheet piling expert, Sheet Piling (UK) Ltd, is whetting the appetite of various Tier-1 construction and engineering contractors, by issuing an in-depth explanatory animated video of the rig that is set to revolutionise their project methodologies. The 5-minute instructive video demonstrates just how much of a game-changer the new telescopic leader rig will be, with its capabilities being even more impressive than Sheet Piling UK’s 2018 long-reach telescopic leader rig, the TM 12/15 LR, itself peerless in terms of its functionality. The animated video explains how the massive success of the TM 12/15 LR, and its own clear advantages over any other leader rig in the market, have paved the way for the TM 20 LR. This is another rig manufactured exclusively for Sheet Piling UK, by the world’s leading rig manufacturer, ABI Group, as the sheet piling specialist continues its mission to deliver innovative and best-value solutions for its construction and civil engineering clients. The animated video homes in on four core sectors in which the TM 20 LR is set to eclipse rigs using traditional methodologies and deliver significant programme and cost benefits – rail infrastructure, ports and harbours, road infrastructure and commercial and residential construction. Within each, the TM 20 LR promises to remove any need for enabling works or the creation of temporary structures built solely to facilitate sheet pile-driving. The TM 20 LR builds on the unique facets of the TM 12/15 LR, extending that rig’s benefits still further and including various enhancements. This ‘big daddy’ of telescopic leader rigs boasts the same 8.1m horizontal reach, from the centre of the machine to the pile line but has a maximum driven or extracted pile length of 20 metres, rather than 16 metres. The maximum below-platform driving depth is 3.4m and the rig comes with a powerful MRZV-30VV, variable moment, variable frequency vibratory hammer, with hydraulic rapid-charging docking station. A heavy-duty, hydraulically extendable undercarriage has a unique infrastructure mode that enables the machine to operate to a reduced footprint in restricted areas. 900mm-wide trackpads reduce ground-bearing pressure and additional vertically stacked counterweights enhance its stability. Its Euro Stage-V engine is fully environmentally compliant, whilst a state-of-the-art Sennebogen and F-series base carrier, has a bespoke boom hinge, for long-reach capability. When operating in long-reach mode, the TM 20 has a maximum load capacity of ten tons and a maximum crowd and extraction force of 180 kN. Sheet Piling (UK) Ltd’s managing director, Andrew Cotton, says: “This extraordinary sheet piling rig will further the revolution begun by our unique TM 12/15 LR rig and become the most talked-about piece of equipment in the sector. At a time when public spending in some areas needs to be restrained, to recoup some of the money borrowed to cope with the coronavirus pandemic, but when infrastructure and construction projects need to simultaneously be rolled out quickly, this telescopic leader rig is the solution all Tier-1 contractors should be turning to. “We have no hesitation in saying that the TM 20 will revolutionise thousands of projects, whether we are talking about smart motorways, HS2 projects, renovations to Victorian port and harbour quays or domestic and commercial building programmes striving to meet Government targets. “Furthermore, for those construction and engineering companies under financial pressures, this rig brings welcome and extensive cost savings, also slashing the time required to complete sheet piling project stages. It is no exaggeration to call our unique rig a game-changer, in every sense of the word. We cannot wait to unveil it in August.”
Properly installed asphalt paving enhances curb appeal and reduces driveway maintenance since asphalt is one of the most durable paving materials available. Improper installation and maintenance can create problems down the line, though. Read on to find out about eight common asphalt paving mistakes and how to avoid them to ensure proper installation and maintenance. 1. Poor Planning Adequate planning is one of the most important aspects of driveway installation and maintenance. Make sure the weather conditions are right, collect all of the materials and equipment in advance, and plan to spend enough time on the project to give it the attention it needs. Homeowners who don’t have experience with laying asphalt should always hire reputable contractors to complete their driveway paving projects and can visit frasercon.com to find the help they need. 2. Using Poor Quality Asphalt There are many types of asphalt available, but they’re not all created equal. Homeowners who use poor-quality asphalt will, unsurprisingly, wind up with poor results. The solution is to spend the extra money on high-quality asphalt that will create a smooth, blemish-free surface and will hold up to wear and tear and inclement weather for years to come. 3. Ignoring Slope Control and Auto-Grade Systems Slope control and auto-grade systems are designed to reduce operator mistakes. They’re configured to ensure that the equipment works as intended given the environmental conditions. Make sure the operator is provided with high-quality equipment that features these systems and that he or she knows how to use it. 4. Changing Speeds Changing speeds while laying asphalt paving disrupts its uniformity. This can create a washboard effect and density issues in the final product. To avoid these problems, make sure the operator knows how to use speed limiters to ensure a clean, consistent application. 5. Failing to Control the Material Head Precise control of the material head is essential for proper asphalt installation. Allowing fluctuation will create waves and bumps, ruining the smooth surface. The easiest way to avoid this problem is to implement technological solutions like sensors and ensure the operators know how to use them. 6. Over-Turning the Depth Cranks Inexperienced operators have a habit of moving or adjusting the depth cranks too often. This can lead to bumps and waves in the finished driveway. Avoid the problem by ensuring that operators are provided with the right training. 7. Stopping the Compactor Incorrectly Stopping the compactor straight on leaves behind an indentation that’s hard to level out. Instead, operators need to stop at a 20% angle to make it easier to smooth out edges. Train the operators to do this every time to avoid unnecessary complications. 8. Improper Application of Sealer Asphalt driveways must be sealed to prevent degradation. Timing is critical when it comes to sealing a driveway since applying it too long after the asphalt has been laid or right before it rains can lead to early driveway replacement. Whether they’re sealing a newly laid driveway for the first time or reapplying sealant, homeowners should plan ahead and check the weather for the three days following the application to make sure it will be sunny. The Bottom Line Installing and maintaining asphalt pavement requires a good deal of training, experience, and finesse. The only way to get professional results is to hire a professional. Homeowners who insist on performing their own installations and maintenance can follow the advice above to avoid some of the most egregious mistakes, but no amount of tips and tricks will make up for a lack of experience.