Transportation

Distance, travel time, and wait time at the job site all impact the quality of any paving project. If the HMA sits for an extended period of time prior to being dumped into the paver, there will be a greater chance that it will be out of acceptable temperature range. Tel-Tru testing thermometers are the best choice to check and confirm that the material used is at the optimal temperature for paving and rolling.

Click on the links below to see products recommended for your application.
Please refer to your local and state guidelines to ensure all quality and safety regulations are met.

Thermometers for HMA Temperature Check in Transport		View specs and purchase
General Testing Thermometers
50/500°F	GT100R 1-3/4" dial, 12" stem, .150" diameter pointed, 50/500°F	16101264AFEADAA	$48.67
	GT100R 1-3/4" dial, 18" stem, .150" diameter pointed, 50/500°F	16101864AFEADAA	$66.22
50/500°F	LT225R 2" dial, 12" stem, .150" diameter pointed, 50/500°F	23101264AFEADAA	$53.31
	LT225R 2" dial, 18" stem, .150" diameter pointed, 50/500°F	23101864AFEADAA	$70.86
	If you don't see what you're looking for, click here to configure other options.
Thermometers for Hot Tank Trucks
50/500°F	LN250 2" dial, 12" stem, .25" diameter blunt, 50/500°F, ½" NPT connection	31101264AKLAAAA	$60.75
50/500°F	GT300 3" dial, 12" stem, .25" diameter blunt, 50/500°F, ½" NPT connection	33101264AKLAAAA	$75.92
50/500°F	AA575R 5" dial, 12" stem, .25" diameter blunt, 50/500°F, ½" NPT connection	42101264AKLAAAA	$187.37
	If you don't see what you're looking for, click here to configure other options.

When temperatures are too high or too low

Consequences:	Potential Costs:
Mix is too viscus, leading to poor quality and rework Combustion Reduced durability of pavement	Time and labor of reprocessing a batch of material Time and labor of removal/replacement of poor quality asphalt Catastrophic cost of equipment/facilities damage and potential loss of life Impact on job schedules Loss of profits Increased maintenance/repairs

Quality

The time for transporting material from the plant to the paving site is a critical issue for temperature loss and job quality.

• Low HMA temperature will cause the material to be too stiff for processing through the paver  
• Temperature measurements should take place when trucks are loading at the plant as well as when material is being unloaded into the paver hopper 
• Keeping a log of temperature data along with ambient temperature factors will give operators an indication of how long a truck can sit in line with material before it must be fed into the paver
• Air temperature, rain, wind and length of haul can affect the characteristics and temperature of the HMA
• Once HMA is out of temperature range, there is nothing the operator can do onsite to rectify. Typically the truck would need to return to the plant and reload with HMA in the acceptable range

Safety

National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) 385 applies to tank trucks and trailers equivalent to US Department of Transportation (DOT) specifications as well as cargo tanks and their accessories.  Click here to read the full code.   Code NFPA 385 covers:

• Flammable and combustible liquids scope and classifications
• Design and construction of tank trucks and tank trailers used to transport stable flammable and combustible liquids
• Criteria for tank vehicles used to transport asphalt
• Specified provisions for delivery operators, including loading and unloading
• Auxiliary equipment such as internal combustion engines, electric generators and motors, pumps, and hoses
• Additional explanatory material, safety considerations, and references

Efficiency

Measures that can be taken to minimize HMA cooling during transport include:

• Minimizing the haul distance
• Insulate and tarp truck beds
• Temperature measurement should take place immediately prior to tarp application and again just prior to loading HMA into the hopper 

Read more about HMA transportation studies here.

Summary of Important Temperature Ranges

Depending on the environmental conditions and the distance to the project, hot mix asphalt can lose between 5°F and 25°F according to Tom McDonald, in his article at Forconstructionpros.com.