Eli5: why is asphalt used on roads ?
In: Other
It’s got grip so tires have good purchase on it. It can withstand a good amount of wear and tear before repairs are needed, it doesn’t change consistency too much in high or low temperatures. It’s weatherproof, it’s super cheap. It’s relatively safe to drive on even when wet.
There are companies who are out there trying to sell “smart roads” which are modular and made of plastic panels which supposedly make repairs quicker but actually because it’s plastic, repairs are needed almost daily compared to asphalt which needs repairing every few years. It will be a very long time before we move away from asphalt as a road surface
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