Asphalt construction vs Concrete Slabs Construction.

Construction works in Bandung lately are changed especially in their method. As you can see lately, the improvement of the roads has changed into concrete slabs. The concrete slabs are widely used for this time substituted the asphalt. This process has been substituted the past method since 2 or 3 years before. Actually, what construction is the best method between the asphalt construction and concrete slabs construction? In fact, those two roads structure have some plus and minus points. Let’s take a look of the definition of concrete slabs.

Concrete slabs are the pavement of concrete cement as the base material. So that material is more durable than the asphalt construction (Aly, M. A., 2004). The next construction definition is the asphalt construction. The asphalt also known as the flexible pavement is the construction that based from the asphalt traited. Asphalt construction is the conventional method than the concrete slabs. But some people are chosen that the asphalt method is better than concrete slabs method. Let’s take a look the difference of those two method.

In terms of strength, concrete roads are better than asphalt roads. Asphalt road was not resisting of water. Asphalt construction requires good drainage after rain. On the other side, concrete slabs durability depends on the workmanship. When in the slab’s drying process is too quickly, the road will crack and flaw. To overcome this problem, the constructor can add chemicals to the concrete and cover concrete road with a damp cloth to decrease the time of drying process. About the road performance, asphalt is still the best material in this point. The road is smoother while driving, better than the concrete slabs. In concrete slabs material, the performance is determined at the casting process of building. It is need highly control in the building process.

in safety and comfortable point of the roads, the majority of highway roads with heavy vehicles should use concrete materials. But the cost of concrete road's construction is more expensive than asphalt road's contruction. But it’s more expensive in the treatment progress. Asphalt road maintenance process is much easier; we can repair it with patching the new asphalt on the damage sector. While the repairman of concrete slab’s road is overwrite the old concrete road construction. But it will be raising the elevation of the road; the road will be higher than the elevation of the house. In addition, in the psychological side, the black color of asphalt roads can affect the road’s user become more calm and comfortable. While the color of the concrete roads can make the driver physiologically feel desolate.

Basically, the asphalt construction and the concrete slabs constructions has its own characteristics. As you can see,there are many plus and minus points of those two method. In the other hand, there are many factors that bring over the method has chosen. In my opinion, the organization that to be responsible, such as ; Jasa marga, Dishub, and the stockholders of that tender is the final decision.