On Sat, 22 Mar 2008 13:27:36 -0400, Al Patrick wrote:

I think the aggregate might be the key. I've seen asphalt get so soft you could kick dents in it with the heel of your shoe on a very hot day.

Your best bet might be to go with concrete instead of asphalt, unless you can have it specially formulated to withstand the temps and load - or put down the plywood every time you want to use it. If it's a one-shot deal to get the equipment set the plywood might be all right. If it's to be run on very often then the plywood would be a bit too much work on a regular basis.

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Backlash wrote:
I think the type of asphalt, along with it's base material used, has a lot
to do with it's ability to support a forklift. The parking lot at work seems
to have some small aggregate mixed into it, and a forklift weighing 5,500
lbs, with pneumatic tires, often with a 2,000 lb load, has been operated on
it many times daily in all kinds of weather, with absolutely no issues,
since 1967. It hits 100 degrees here in summer, and maybe as low as 18 in
winter.

RJ
Commercially used asphaltic paving mixes run from the sand mix used
for most residential work (sand mix can be mechanically spread down to
about a thickness of 3/8") up to a mix with up to 7/8" aggregate,
which gives a very porous surface which is totally unsuitable as a
finish surface but is cheap to produce and provides a strong, load
bearing interface between compacted gravel and a finely finished,
thin, wearing surface produced with probably 3/8" aggregate. The
design of asphaltic pavements is a highly specialized branch of civil
engineering.
Gerry :-)}
London, Canada