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Antman013 t1_j266plt wrote

Reply to comment by [deleted] in ELI5: How is vehicle suspension ‘tuned’ for local (i.e. country) conditions? by KDNA-AUST

IS it something about the composition of the asphalt?

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THEchiQ t1_j268y9z wrote

In NZ our high speed roads, and many low speed ones too, are surfaced with liquid tar, and then coated in small sharp stones. This adds a great deal of road noise and wear to the equation. We use much harder rubber than is used in the US, to prevent faster wear.

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DrFafnir t1_j283txt wrote

Why?

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THEchiQ t1_j2b6ojo wrote

Cheaper; seamless; more elastic and tougher; more easily resurfaced; not prone to potholes; suits the terrain. There’s no perfect road surface, but you can choose the one that is optimal. Chipseal is great for windy highways. Hot mix asphalt is mainly used in build-up residential areas and on motorways. We don’t really use concrete for roads at all.

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