Ruts
Heavy trucks push deep ruts into asphalt, especially where they turn and stop.
Roller Compacted Concrete
Pavement that is rolled, not poured
A drier concrete mix laid with paving equipment and compacted with vibratory rollers. No forms, no rutting, no potholes, and a surface built to last 40 to 60 years.
If you run a truck yard, this list is familiar
Potholes
Ruts become cracks, cracks become potholes, and potholes become a safety problem.
Summer softening
Asphalt gets soft and sticky in the heat and deforms under load.
Fuel and oil damage
Spilled fuel and oil eat into an asphalt surface.
The repair cycle
Patch, close the yard, patch again, then replace the whole thing in 10 to 15 years.
What it is
Same ingredients. Different recipe.
Roller compacted concrete uses the same ingredients as regular concrete: cement, water and aggregate. The difference is the recipe. The mix is much drier and stiffer, so instead of being poured into forms it is laid down with the same kind of paver used for asphalt, then compacted with heavy vibratory rollers. That low water content and heavy compaction are what give it its strength.
Where asphalt fails, RCC holds
| Factor | RCC | Asphalt |
|---|---|---|
| Heavy truck traffic | Rigid surface. No rutting. | Ruts under load. |
| Potholes | A solid, long-lasting slab. | Prone to potholes. |
| Summer heat | Will not soften. | Softens and deforms. |
| Fuel and oil spills | Resists damage. | Damaged by spills. |
| Expected life | 40 to 60 years. | 10 to 15 years before replacement. |
| Open to traffic | About a day after paving. | Varies; repairs mean repeat closures. |
One slab instead of a cycle of rebuilds
Figures are design lives for properly built pavement under heavy truck traffic. Every site is different; the comparison table above and a site visit give the full picture.
- 40 to 60
- Years of service life a properly built RCC pavement is designed for
- About a day
- Until the new surface can usually open to traffic
- Almost none
- Maintenance over its life. No ruts, no potholes, no patching cycle
Five steps from mix to open yard
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Mix
A precise, low-water mix is made in a pug mill, a mixer built for a stiff mix. It produces a uniform batch continuously so paving never has to stop.
-
Haul
Standard dump trucks carry the mix to the site. No mixer trucks are needed.
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Pave
A high-density paver lays the RCC in a smooth, even layer at speed, and compacts it before the rollers arrive.
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Compact
Vibratory rollers press the aggregate together into a dense, interlocked slab. This step locks in the strength.
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Cure and open
The surface cures and can usually open to traffic about a day later.
Where it fits
Built for the hardest-working ground on the site
Streamline builds the plants and dairies this pavement goes around, and does the earthwork underneath it. Ask about RCC as part of a new build or as a standalone paving job.
- Distribution centers with thousands of truck movements a day
- Ports and container yards where loads are stacked high
- Food-processing plants and industrial facilities
- Dairies and feed yards
- Public roads and intersections that take constant abuse
- Any truck yard, lot or lane where asphalt keeps failing
RCC questions, answered
What is roller compacted concrete?
Roller compacted concrete, or RCC, is concrete made with much less water than usual. The stiff mix is laid with an asphalt-style paver and compacted with vibratory rollers instead of being poured into forms. The result is a dense, rigid pavement with the strength of concrete and the speed of asphalt paving.
How long does RCC pavement last?
A properly built RCC pavement is designed to last 40 to 60 years. Asphalt in the same heavy-truck setting is usually replaced after 10 to 15 years.
How soon can trucks drive on it?
RCC can often open to traffic about a day after paving. That means a yard or lane is closed for days, not weeks.
Where does RCC make the most sense?
Anywhere heavy trucks stop, turn and sit: distribution centers, ports, plant yards, dairies, feed lots and busy intersections. It also holds up where fuel and oil spills would damage asphalt.
Does RCC cost more than asphalt?
Every site is different, so we price each job. RCC is built to last several times longer than asphalt with almost no maintenance, so the lifetime cost is usually the better number. Send us the site and we will give you a straight comparison.
Get a straight answer
Tell us about your yard
Send the site and roughly how much area you need paved. We will tell you whether RCC is the right fit and what it would take. Or call (208) 678-9204.