Asphalt vs. Macadam

Asphaltnoun

A sticky, black and highly viscous liquid or semi-solid, composed almost entirely of bitumen, that is present in most crude petroleums and in some natural deposits.

Macadamnoun

(uncountable) The surface of a road consisting of layers of crushed stone (usually tar-coated for modern traffic).

Asphaltnoun

asphalt concrete, a hard ground covering used for roads and walkways.

Macadamnoun

Any road or street.

Asphaltverb

To pave with asphalt.

Macadamverb

(transitive) To cover or surface with macadam.

Asphaltnoun

Mineral pitch, Jews' pitch, or compact native bitumen. It is brittle, of a black or brown color and high luster on a surface of fracture; it melts and burns when heated, leaving no residue. It occurs on the surface and shores of the Dead Sea, which is therefore called Asphaltites, or the Asphaltic Lake. It is found also in many parts of Asia, Europe, and America. See Bitumen.

Macadamnoun

The broken stone used in macadamized roadways.

Asphaltnoun

A composition of bitumen, pitch, lime, and gravel, used for forming pavements, and as a water-proof cement for bridges, roofs, etc.; asphaltic cement. Artificial asphalt is prepared from coal tar, lime, sand, etc.

Macadamnoun

A paved surface formed of compressed layers of broken rocks held together with tar.

Asphaltverb

To cover with asphalt; as, to asphalt a roof; asphalted streets.

Macadam

paved with macadam{2}.

Asphaltnoun

mixed asphalt and crushed gravel or sand; used especially for paving but also for roofing

Macadamnoun

broken stone used in macadamized roadways

Asphaltnoun

a dark bituminous substance found in natural beds and as residue from petroleum distillation; consists mainly of hydrocarbons

Macadamnoun

a paved surface having compressed layers of broken rocks held together with tar

Asphaltverb

cover with tar or asphalt;

‘asphalt the driveway’;

Macadamnoun

broken stone of even size, bound with tar or bitumen and used in successively compacted layers for surfacing roads and paths.

Asphaltnoun

a mixture of dark bituminous pitch with sand or gravel, used for surfacing roads, flooring, roofing, etc.

Macadam

Macadam is a type of road construction, pioneered by Scottish engineer John Loudon McAdam around 1820, in which single-sized crushed stone layers of small angular stones are placed in shallow lifts and compacted thoroughly. A binding layer of stone dust (crushed stone from the original material) may form; it may also, after rolling, be covered with a binder to keep dust and stones together.

Asphaltnoun

the pitch used in asphalt, sometimes found in natural deposits but usually made by the distillation of crude oil.

Asphaltverb

surface with asphalt.

Asphalt

Asphalt, also known as bitumen (UK: , US: ), is a sticky, black, highly viscous liquid or semi-solid form of petroleum. It may be found in natural deposits or may be a refined product, and is classed as a pitch.