Asphalt

Asphalt does not age or cure in the same way as concrete. After the asphalt has been laid, the sand begins to set in the binder. However the sand is never held firmly so the abrasive properties of asphalt are quite high. When mixed with water, the abrasive slurry acts like a grinding paste and is extremely abrasive. This abrasiveness can quickly destroy the wrong choice of diamond blade. Core protection is essential. Important factors to take into consideration when sawing asphalt are:-

• The hardness of the aggregate will make the blade cut harder and slower.
• Large aggregates will make the blade cut harder and slower.
• The more sand the faster the blade will cut.
• If the surface of the asphalt is very porous and broken, the more dirt and sand will fill the cracks, making the action more abrasive.

When laid, asphalt is sometimes not of the same depth throughout the cutting area. If the blade is used to cut all of the way through into the sub-base, the blade will wear prematurely, as this area usually contains abrasive sands and debris.

Asphalt Over Concrete

Asphalt over concrete creates a special assortment of conditions. The asphalt being very abrasive with small aggregates requires a hard bond that is fairly wear resistant, while the concrete beneath is cured, which requires a softer bond. The deeper the layer of asphalt means a harder bond is needed. The deeper the concrete section is, will mean that a softer bond is needed. On this type of application edge used a mixed grit diamond of differing size and shape.

For best results, edge recommend the use of the industry leading AS80 diamond blade or the MM50 multi materials blade if you require a range of application types and a long lasting diamond blade.