Concrete vs. Asphalt — What's the Difference?
By Tayyaba Rehman — Updated on October 25, 2023
Concrete is a mixture of cement, water, and aggregates, used for construction. Asphalt, primarily used for road surfacing, is a blend of bitumen and aggregates.
Difference Between Concrete and Asphalt
Table of Contents
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Key Differences
Concrete and asphalt are both popular materials used in construction and infrastructure projects. However, they serve different purposes and possess distinct characteristics. Concrete is primarily composed of cement, water, and aggregates, making it suitable for building structures, foundations, and more.
Asphalt, on the other hand, mainly consists of bitumen (a black viscous substance) mixed with aggregates. Due to its properties, asphalt is predominantly used for road construction. When you drive on highways or streets, the black surface beneath your tires is typically asphalt.
The production processes for concrete and asphalt differ significantly. While concrete requires the mixing of its components and then setting to harden, asphalt needs to be heated so the bitumen becomes fluid, allowing it to mix with the aggregates. Once laid, asphalt cools and solidifies, providing a smooth surface.
In terms of durability and maintenance, concrete generally has a longer lifespan and requires less frequent repair compared to asphalt. However, asphalt is less expensive to install and can be repaired more easily and quickly than concrete.
In environmental considerations, concrete reflects more sunlight, reducing the urban heat island effect. Asphalt, being darker, tends to absorb and retain heat, contributing to higher urban temperatures.
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Comparison Chart
Primary Components
Cement, water, and aggregates.
Bitumen and aggregates.
Common Uses
Buildings, foundations, sidewalks.
Roads, driveways.
Color
Typically gray.
Black or dark gray.
Durability
Longer lifespan.
Shorter lifespan, but easier repair.
Environmental Impact
Reflects sunlight, reducing heat.
Absorbs heat, increasing urban temperatures.
Compare with Definitions
Concrete
A hard building material made by mixing cement, water, and aggregates.
The workers poured the concrete to form the building's foundation.
Asphalt
A dark bituminous substance used for road surfacing and roofing.
The road was freshly paved with asphalt.
Concrete
Pertaining to or concerned with realities or actual instances.
His plans were concrete and actionable.
Asphalt
Referring to the material often seen on highways and streets.
The asphalt glistened after the rain.
Concrete
Being definite or specific; not abstract.
She had a concrete idea for her startup.
Asphalt
A mixture of bitumen with sand or gravel, used for construction.
The parking lot featured a smooth layer of asphalt.
Concrete
Referring to a tangible and solid material used in construction.
The bridge was made entirely of concrete.
Asphalt
The material used to pave roads, driveways, and other surfaces.
The crew began laying the asphalt early in the morning.
Concrete
Concrete is a composite material composed of fine and coarse aggregate bonded together with a fluid cement (cement paste) that hardens (cures) over time. In the past, lime based cement binders, such as lime putty, were often used but sometimes with other hydraulic cements, such as a calcium aluminate cement or with Portland cement to form Portland cement concrete (named for its visual resemblance to Portland stone).
Asphalt
A black viscous mixture of hydrocarbons used for paving.
Hot asphalt was poured into the potholes for repair.
Concrete
Existing in a material or physical form; not abstract
Concrete objects like stones
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.
Concrete
A building material made from a mixture of broken stone or gravel, sand, cement, and water, which can be spread or poured into moulds and forms a mass resembling stone on hardening
Slabs of concrete
Concrete blocks
Asphalt
A mixture of dark bituminous pitch with sand or gravel, used for surfacing roads, flooring, roofing, etc.
Concrete
Cover (an area) with concrete
The precious English countryside may soon be concreted over
Asphalt
Surface with asphalt.
Concrete
Form (something) into a mass; solidify
The juices of the plants are concreted upon the surface
Asphalt
See bitumen.
Concrete
Of or relating to an actual, specific thing or instance; particular
Had the concrete evidence needed to convict.
Asphalt
A mixture of bitumen with crushed stone gravel or sand, used for paving or roofing.
Concrete
Relating to nouns, such as flower or rain, that denote a material or tangible object or phenomenon.
Asphalt
To pave or coat with asphalt.
Concrete
Existing in reality or in real experience; perceptible by the senses; real
Concrete objects such as trees.
Asphalt
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.
Concrete
Formed by the coalescence of separate particles or parts into one mass; solid.
Asphalt
Ellipsis of asphalt concrete, a hard ground covering used for roads and walkways.
Concrete
Made of hard, strong, conglomerate construction material.
Asphalt
(transitive) To pave with asphalt.
Concrete
A hard, strong construction material consisting of sand, conglomerate gravel, pebbles, broken stone, or slag in a mortar or cement matrix.
Asphalt
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.
Concrete
A mass formed by the coalescence of particles.
Asphalt
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.
Concrete
To build, treat, or cover with hard, strong conglomerate construction material.
Asphalt
To cover with asphalt; as, to asphalt a roof; asphalted streets.
Concrete
To form into a mass by coalescence or cohesion of particles or parts.
Asphalt
Mixed asphalt and crushed gravel or sand; used especially for paving but also for roofing
Concrete
To harden; solidify.
Asphalt
A dark bituminous substance found in natural beds and as residue from petroleum distillation; consists mainly of hydrocarbons
Concrete
Real, actual, tangible.
Fuzzy videotapes and distorted sound recordings are not concrete evidence that Bigfoot exists.
Once arrested, I realized that handcuffs are concrete, even if my concept of what is legal wasn’t.
Asphalt
Cover with tar or asphalt;
Asphalt the driveway
Concrete
Being or applying to actual things, not abstract qualities or categories.
Concrete
Particular, specific, rather than general.
While everyone else offered thoughts and prayers, she made a concrete proposal to help.
Concrete ideas
Concrete
United by coalescence of separate particles, or liquid, into one mass or solid.
Concrete
Made of concrete, a building material.
The office building had concrete flower boxes out front.
Concrete
(obsolete) A solid mass formed by the coalescence of separate particles; a compound substance, a concretion.
Concrete
Specifically, a building material created by mixing cement, water, and aggregate such as gravel and sand.
The road was made of concrete that had been poured in large slabs.
Concrete
(logic) A term designating both a quality and the subject in which it exists; a concrete term.
Concrete
Sugar boiled down from cane juice to a solid mass.
Concrete
(US) A dessert of frozen custard with various toppings.
Concrete
(chemistry) An extract of herbal materials that has a semi-solid consistency, especially when such materials are partly aromatic.
Concrete
To cover with or encase in concrete (building material).
I hate grass, so I concreted over my lawn.
Concrete
To solidify: to change from being abstract to being concrete (actual, real).
Concrete
To unite or coalesce into a mass or a solid body.
Concrete
United in growth; hence, formed by coalition of separate particles into one mass; united in a solid form.
The first concrete state, or consistent surface, of the chaos must be of the same figure as the last liquid state.
Concrete
Standing for an object as it exists in nature, invested with all its qualities, as distinguished from standing for an attribute of an object; - opposed to abstract.
Concrete is opposed to abstract. The names of individuals are concrete, those of classes abstract.
Concrete terms, while they express the quality, do also express, or imply, or refer to, some subject to which it belongs.
Concrete
A compound or mass formed by concretion, spontaneous union, or coalescence of separate particles of matter in one body.
To divide all concretes, minerals and others, into the same number of distinct substances.
Concrete
A mixture of gravel, pebbles, or broken stone with cement or with tar, etc., used for sidewalks, roadways, foundations, etc., and esp. for submarine structures.
Concrete
A term designating both a quality and the subject in which it exists; a concrete term.
The concretes "father" and "son" have, or might have, the abstracts "paternity" and "filiety".
Concrete
Sugar boiled down from cane juice to a solid mass.
Concrete
To unite or coalesce, as separate particles, into a mass or solid body.
Concrete
To form into a mass, as by the cohesion or coalescence of separate particles.
There are in our inferior world divers bodies that are concreted out of others.
Concrete
To cover with, or form of, concrete, as a pavement.
Concrete
A strong hard building material composed of sand and gravel and cement and water
Concrete
Cover with cement;
Concrete the walls
Concrete
Form into a solid mass; coalesce
Concrete
Capable of being perceived by the senses; not abstract or imaginary;
Concrete objects such as trees
Concrete
Formed by the coalescence of particles
Concrete
Representing or applied to an actual substance or thing.
The sculpture had a concrete form.
Common Curiosities
Why is Asphalt black?
Asphalt is black due to the presence of bitumen, a dark viscous substance.
Which is more durable, Concrete or Asphalt?
Generally, concrete has a longer lifespan and is more durable than asphalt.
Can Concrete be used for roads?
Yes, concrete can be used for roads, known as concrete pavements.
What is Concrete made of?
Concrete is made of cement, water, and aggregates like sand and gravel.
Which requires more maintenance, Concrete or Asphalt?
Asphalt typically requires more frequent maintenance than concrete.
Is Asphalt environment-friendly?
While asphalt can be recycled, its production and heat absorption can have environmental impacts.
How long does Concrete take to set?
Concrete can take several days to cure fully, but initial setting can occur in hours.
What is the primary use of Asphalt?
Asphalt is primarily used for road construction and surfacing.
Which is more expensive to install?
Concrete is usually more expensive to install than asphalt.
Can Asphalt be recycled?
Yes, asphalt is highly recyclable and can be reused in road construction.
Can Concrete be colored?
Yes, concrete can be dyed or stained to achieve various colors.
How are potholes fixed in Asphalt?
Potholes in asphalt are typically repaired by removing the damaged area and filling it with hot or cold asphalt mix.
Do both Concrete and Asphalt need a foundation?
Yes, both require a proper foundation or base for durability and performance.
What's the main binder in Asphalt?
The main binder in asphalt is bitumen.
Which reflects more sunlight, Concrete or Asphalt?
Concrete reflects more sunlight, reducing urban heat, compared to asphalt.
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Written by
Tayyaba RehmanTayyaba Rehman is a distinguished writer, currently serving as a primary contributor to askdifference.com. As a researcher in semantics and etymology, Tayyaba's passion for the complexity of languages and their distinctions has found a perfect home on the platform. Tayyaba delves into the intricacies of language, distinguishing between commonly confused words and phrases, thereby providing clarity for readers worldwide.
