Paving
Allan Heydorn, Editor
How to Improve
DELIVERY
of HMA to the Jobsite
19 tips to help improve the hauling process, from plant to truck to paver hopper THE HOT MIX ASPHALT that is loaded into a truck at the plant, delivered to the jobsite, then transferred from the truck to the paver is probably the most-important element in a successful paving job. Most paving contractors rely on enddump trucks to get that part of the job done, but the process can be fraught with challenges, which can affect the quality and even profitability of the finished paving job. After arriving at the jobsite, trucks usually have to wait in line to deliver mix to the paver. Once it’s their turn, they unload the mix by raising the truck bed, and the mix empties into the hopper. It’s this process that can result in
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pavement defects, stops and starts, and uneven mix distribution if not properly handled. “Unfortunately, the guy dumping the truck is often the brand-new guy on the crew,” says John Ball, Top Quality Paving. “For some reason crews think that the guy dumping doesn’t have to know a lot about paving, that all they have to do is raise the bed up and take it down. This couldn’t be further from the truth. “We need to make sure we move the material as a mass, and that means the truck driver needs to be trained in the paving operation,” Ball says. “The driver needs to know how to raise the bed, but not raise it too high or too quickly. The driver has to know how to handle the brakes, how to keep the hopper full without running out, how to keep the tires in contact with the front of the paver, and how to make sure the tires
“When the delivery truck is backing up, it’s important the paver operator focus his attention and not lose concentration,” says John Ball, Top Quality Paving. “He should not be looking at other workers or talking with other workers until the truck gets to the paver.”
aren’t dragging – especially when paving on top of gravel where dragging tires will create a windrow that results in a bump in the paving.” Here are 19 tips to help make sure the hot mix you’re getting delivered makes it onto the ground so you can construct the best mat possible.
Before the Job 1.
Apply a Release Agent. Ball says most contractors know that a release agent prevents the mix from sticking to the truck bed, but many still use diesel fuel instead of any
January 2021 • Pavement Maintenance & Reconstruction • www.ForConstructionPros.com/Pavement
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2.
