What the Heck Is That Thing?

"What the Heck IS That Thing?" is a recurring feature in My35 Central Texas News. From time to time, we'll try and answer questions you have about things you've seen in the construction projects along I-35. If you're wondering about something we haven't covered, contact us with your question and we'll try our best to answer it for you.

In this article we talk to TxDOT Construction Inspector Brian Fulwider about another perplexing machine. What is the odd-looking yellow machine with the black back that looks like it's been cut off, except that it has open seats in the black part?

Hot mix asphalt pavers shape asphalt into a preset width and depth, then lay it onto the road surface. The asphalt is moved through the paving machine's hopper and guides through a conveyor belt.

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This is a hot mix asphalt (HMA) paver. In operation, the panels covering the front end open and form a hopper, which holds hot asphalt. A dump trailer is positioned immediately in front of the paver and tilts up to pour a continuous supply of hot asphalt mix into the hopper.

The paver shapes the asphalt into a preset width and depth, then lays it onto the surface being paved. In the back, there's room for two workers, who make sure the asphalt is being laid properly. The asphalt is moved through the paving machine's hopper and guides through a conveyor belt, which is operated by the driver.

The whole caravan of machines and men drives slowly down the project as a team and places an even layer of asphalt onto the surface below.

The TxDOT team puts the paver to work to lay a continuous, even layer of asphalt as part of the My35 Reconstruction Project in Waco.

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The HMA pavers work in conjunction with a truck that is filled with hot mix asphalt. "The pavers have been around for years now, but they sure make the job of laying asphalt easier than the way it was done a long time ago," Fulwider points out. "A motor grader was used at one time, but it's now primarily used for subsequent layers of subgrade. With these newer pavers, the machine is driven slowly down the road, and it automatically releases a precise depth of asphalt as it goes. It also can lay the material at a pre-determined slope, which for example, allows for desired water drainage. This machine provides a much smoother ride than using a motor grader."

Fulwider says the HMA paver in the photo was being used to build a temporary road as part of the My35 Reconstruction Project in Waco.

Back to Volume 9, Number 8