| Document and Entity Information | 12 Months Ended |
| Dec. 31, 2022 | |
| Cover [Abstract] | |
| Document Type | DEF 14A |
| Amendment Flag | false |
| Entity Registrant Name | Vulcan Materials CO |
| Entity Central Index Key | 0001396009 |
| Pay vs Performance Disclosure - USD ($) | 12 Months Ended | ||
| Dec. 31, 2022 | Dec. 31, 2021 | Dec. 31, 2020 | |
| Pay vs Performance Disclosure [Table] | |||
| Pay vs Performance [Table Text Block] | PAY VERSUS PERFORMANCE As required by Section 953(a) of the Dodd-Frank Act, and Item 402(v) of Regulation S-K (“Item 402(v)”), we are providing the following information about the relationship between executive compensation actually paid and certain company financial performance metrics. For further information concerning our pay-for-performance philosophy and how we align executive compensation with company financial performance, refer to “Compensation Discussion and Analysis.” Year Summary (1) Compensation (2) Average (3) Average (4) Value of Initial Fixed $100 Net Earnings (7) Adjusted (8) Total (5) Peer Group (6) 2022 $10,081,539 $ 7,751,971 $2,851,513 $2,607,359 $125.10 $115.31 $575.6 $1,625.6 2021 $10,420,114 $20,809,166 $3,084,236 $5,318,396 $146.95 $142.32 $670.8 $1,451.3 2020 $ 9,883,031 $10,092,437 $2,876,167 $2,976,396 $104.13 $117.46 $584.5 $1,323.5 1. The dollar amounts reported in this column are the amounts of total compensation reported for Mr. Hill (our Chief Executive Officer and principal executive officer (“PEO”)) for each corresponding year in the “Total” column of the Summary Compensation Table. Refer to “Executive Compensation – Summary Compensation Table.” 2. The dollar amounts reported in this column represent the amount of “compensation actually paid” to Mr. Hill, as computed in accordance with Item 402(v). The dollar amounts do not reflect the actual amount of compensation earned by or paid to Mr. Hill during the applicable year. In accordance with the requirements of Item 402(v), the following adjustments were made to Mr. Hill’s total compensation for each year to determine the compensation actually paid: Year Reported Reported (a) Equity Award (b) Reported (c) Compensation 2022 $10,081,539 $(6,786,351) $ 3,447,179 $1,009,604 $ 7,751,971 2021 $10,420,114 $(6,488,720) $16,523,091 $ 354,681 $20,809,166 2020 $ 9,883,031 $(5,511,525) $ 6,289,416 $ (568,485) $10,092,437 (a) The grant date fair value of equity awards represents the total of the amounts reported in the “Stock Awards” and “Option Awards” columns in the Summary Compensation Table for the applicable year. (b) The equity award adjustments for each applicable year include the addition (or subtraction, as applicable) of the following: (i) the year-end fair value of any equity awards granted in the applicable year that are outstanding and unvested as of the end of the year; (ii) the amount of change as of the end of the applicable year (from the end of the prior fiscal year) in fair value of any awards granted in prior years that are outstanding and unvested as of the end of the applicable year; (iii) for awards that are granted and vest in the same applicable year, the fair value as of the vesting date; (iv) for awards granted in prior years that vest in the applicable year, the amount equal to the change as of the vesting date (from the end of the prior fiscal year) in fair value; and (v) for awards granted in prior years that are determined to fail to meet the applicable vesting conditions during the applicable year, a deduction for the amount equal to the fair value at the end of the prior fiscal year. The valuation assumptions used to calculate fair values did not materially differ from those disclosed at the time of grant. The amounts deducted or added in calculating the equity award adjustments are as follows: Year Year End Fair Year over Year Fair Value as of Year over Year Fair Value at the End Total Equity 2022 $7,189,506 $ (2,796,459) — $ (945,868) — $ 3,447,179 2021 $9,191,895 $ 3,445,253 — $ 3,885,943 — $16,523,091 2020 $6,030,598 $ (399,138) — $ 657,956 — $ 6,289,416 (c) The amounts included in this column are the amounts reported in “Change in Pension and Nonqualified Deferred Compensation” column of the Summary Compensation Table for each applicable year. Executive Compensation 3. The dollar amounts reported in this column represent the average of the amounts reported for the company’s NEOs as a group (excluding Mr. Hill) in the “Total” column of the Summary Compensation Table in each applicable year. The names of each of the NEOs (excluding Mr. Hill) included for purposes of calculating the average amounts in each applicable year are as follows: (i) for 2022, Mary Andrews Carlisle, Tom Baker, Stan Bass, Denson Franklin and Suzanne Wood; (ii) for 2021 and 2020, Suzanne Wood, Tom Baker, Stan Bass and Denson Franklin. 4. The dollar amounts reported in this column represent the average amount of “compensation actually paid” to the NEOs as a group (excluding Mr. Hill), as computed in accordance with Item 402(v). The dollar amounts do not reflect the actual average amount of compensation earned by or paid to the NEOs as a group (excluding Mr. Hill) during the applicable year. In accordance with the requirements of Item 402(v), the following adjustments were made to average total compensation for the NEOs as a group (excluding Mr. Hill) for each year to determine the compensation actually paid, using the same methodology described in footnote 2 above: Year Average Reported Average Average (a) Average Reported Average 2022 $2,851,513 $(1,534,520) $1,183,184 $ 107,182 $2,607,359 2021 $3,084,236 $(1,410,634) $3,617,634 $ 27,160 $5,318,396 2020 $2,876,167 $(1,282,316) $1,476,524 $ (93,979) $2,976,396 (a) The amounts deducted or added in calculating the total average equity award adjustments are as follows: Year Average Year Year over Year Average Fair Year over Year Average Fair Value at Total Average 2022 $1,538,909 $ (480,430) — $124,705 — $1,183,184 2021 $1,997,988 $ 826,101 — $793,545 — $3,617,634 2020 $1,403,289 $ (33,429) — $106,664 — $1,476,524 5. TSR is calculated by taking the difference between the ending value of the investment, which includes reinvestment of dividends, less the value at the beginning of the measurement period divided by the value at the beginning of the measurement period. 6. Represents the weighted peer group TSR, weighted according to the respective companies’ stock market capitalization at the beginning of each period for which a return is indicated. The peer group used for this purpose is the peer group selected by the Compensation Committee for purposes of benchmarking compensation, which included the following 27 companies for 2022: Air Products and Chemicals, Inc.; Allison Transmission Holdings, Inc.; Armstrong World Industries, Inc.; Ball Corporation; Cabot Corporation; Celanese Corporation; CF Industries Holdings, Inc.; Cleveland-Cliffs Inc.; Dover Corporation; Eagle Materials Inc.; Eastman Chemical Company; Ecolab Inc.; Fortune Brands Home & Security, Inc.; Lennox International Inc.; Martin Marietta Materials, Inc.; Masco Corporation; Minerals Technologies Inc.; NewMarket Corporation; Newmont Mining Corporation; Owens Corning; Packaging Corporation of America; Summit Materials, Inc.; The Mosaic Company; The Timken Company; U.S. Concrete, Inc. (which was acquired by the company on August 26, 2021); W.R. Grace & Co. (which was acquired by Standard Industries in September 2021); and Westlake Chemical Corporation. 7. The dollar amounts reported represent the net earnings attributable to Vulcan reflected in the company’s audited consolidated financial statements for the applicable year. 8. Adjusted EBITDA, a non-GAAP financial measure, is Earnings Before Interest, Taxes, Depreciation and Amortization adjusted for certain items to provide a more consistent comparison of earnings performance from period to period. We provide a reconciliation of Adjusted EBITDA to the most directly comparable GAAP financial measure in Annex A to this proxy statement. While the company uses numerous financial and non-financial performance measures for the purpose of evaluating performance for the company’s compensation programs, the company has determined that Adjusted EBITDA is the financial performance measure that, in the company’s assessment, represents the most important performance measure (that is not otherwise required to be disclosed in the table) used by the company to link compensation actually paid to the company’s NEOs, for the most recently completed fiscal year, to company performance. | ||
| Company Selected Measure Name | Adjusted EBITDA | ||
| Named Executive Officers, Footnote [Text Block] | 3. The dollar amounts reported in this column represent the average of the amounts reported for the company’s NEOs as a group (excluding Mr. Hill) in the “Total” column of the Summary Compensation Table in each applicable year. The names of each of the NEOs (excluding Mr. Hill) included for purposes of calculating the average amounts in each applicable year are as follows: (i) for 2022, Mary Andrews Carlisle, Tom Baker, Stan Bass, Denson Franklin and Suzanne Wood; (ii) for 2021 and 2020, Suzanne Wood, Tom Baker, Stan Bass and Denson Franklin. | ||
| Peer Group Issuers, Footnote [Text Block] | 6. Represents the weighted peer group TSR, weighted according to the respective companies’ stock market capitalization at the beginning of each period for which a return is indicated. The peer group used for this purpose is the peer group selected by the Compensation Committee for purposes of benchmarking compensation, which included the following 27 companies for 2022: Air Products and Chemicals, Inc.; Allison Transmission Holdings, Inc.; Armstrong World Industries, Inc.; Ball Corporation; Cabot Corporation; Celanese Corporation; CF Industries Holdings, Inc.; Cleveland-Cliffs Inc.; Dover Corporation; Eagle Materials Inc.; Eastman Chemical Company; Ecolab Inc.; Fortune Brands Home & Security, Inc.; Lennox International Inc.; Martin Marietta Materials, Inc.; Masco Corporation; Minerals Technologies Inc.; NewMarket Corporation; Newmont Mining Corporation; Owens Corning; Packaging Corporation of America; Summit Materials, Inc.; The Mosaic Company; The Timken Company; U.S. Concrete, Inc. (which was acquired by the company on August 26, 2021); W.R. Grace & Co. (which was acquired by Standard Industries in September 2021); and Westlake Chemical Corporation. | ||
| PEO Total Compensation Amount | $ 10,081,539 | $ 10,420,114 | $ 9,883,031 |
| PEO Actually Paid Compensation Amount | $ 7,751,971 | 20,809,166 | 10,092,437 |
| Adjustment To PEO Compensation, Footnote [Text Block] | 2. The dollar amounts reported in this column represent the amount of “compensation actually paid” to Mr. Hill, as computed in accordance with Item 402(v). The dollar amounts do not reflect the actual amount of compensation earned by or paid to Mr. Hill during the applicable year. In accordance with the requirements of Item 402(v), the following adjustments were made to Mr. Hill’s total compensation for each year to determine the compensation actually paid: Year Reported Reported (a) Equity Award (b) Reported (c) Compensation 2022 $10,081,539 $(6,786,351) $ 3,447,179 $1,009,604 $ 7,751,971 2021 $10,420,114 $(6,488,720) $16,523,091 $ 354,681 $20,809,166 2020 $ 9,883,031 $(5,511,525) $ 6,289,416 $ (568,485) $10,092,437 (a) The grant date fair value of equity awards represents the total of the amounts reported in the “Stock Awards” and “Option Awards” columns in the Summary Compensation Table for the applicable year. (b) The equity award adjustments for each applicable year include the addition (or subtraction, as applicable) of the following: (i) the year-end fair value of any equity awards granted in the applicable year that are outstanding and unvested as of the end of the year; (ii) the amount of change as of the end of the applicable year (from the end of the prior fiscal year) in fair value of any awards granted in prior years that are outstanding and unvested as of the end of the applicable year; (iii) for awards that are granted and vest in the same applicable year, the fair value as of the vesting date; (iv) for awards granted in prior years that vest in the applicable year, the amount equal to the change as of the vesting date (from the end of the prior fiscal year) in fair value; and (v) for awards granted in prior years that are determined to fail to meet the applicable vesting conditions during the applicable year, a deduction for the amount equal to the fair value at the end of the prior fiscal year. The valuation assumptions used to calculate fair values did not materially differ from those disclosed at the time of grant. The amounts deducted or added in calculating the equity award adjustments are as follows: Year Year End Fair Year over Year Fair Value as of Year over Year Fair Value at the End Total Equity 2022 $7,189,506 $ (2,796,459) — $ (945,868) — $ 3,447,179 2021 $9,191,895 $ 3,445,253 — $ 3,885,943 — $16,523,091 2020 $6,030,598 $ (399,138) — $ 657,956 — $ 6,289,416 (c) The amounts included in this column are the amounts reported in “Change in Pension and Nonqualified Deferred Compensation” column of the Summary Compensation Table for each applicable year. | ||
| Non-PEO NEO Average Total Compensation Amount | $ 2,851,513 | 3,084,236 | 2,876,167 |
| Non-PEO NEO Average Compensation Actually Paid Amount | $ 2,607,359 | 5,318,396 | 2,976,396 |
| Adjustment to Non-PEO NEO Compensation Footnote [Text Block] | 4. The dollar amounts reported in this column represent the average amount of “compensation actually paid” to the NEOs as a group (excluding Mr. Hill), as computed in accordance with Item 402(v). The dollar amounts do not reflect the actual average amount of compensation earned by or paid to the NEOs as a group (excluding Mr. Hill) during the applicable year. In accordance with the requirements of Item 402(v), the following adjustments were made to average total compensation for the NEOs as a group (excluding Mr. Hill) for each year to determine the compensation actually paid, using the same methodology described in footnote 2 above: Year Average Reported Average Average (a) Average Reported Average 2022 $2,851,513 $(1,534,520) $1,183,184 $ 107,182 $2,607,359 2021 $3,084,236 $(1,410,634) $3,617,634 $ 27,160 $5,318,396 2020 $2,876,167 $(1,282,316) $1,476,524 $ (93,979) $2,976,396 (a) The amounts deducted or added in calculating the total average equity award adjustments are as follows: Year Average Year Year over Year Average Fair Year over Year Average Fair Value at Total Average 2022 $1,538,909 $ (480,430) — $124,705 — $1,183,184 2021 $1,997,988 $ 826,101 — $793,545 — $3,617,634 2020 $1,403,289 $ (33,429) — $106,664 — $1,476,524 | ||
| Compensation Actually Paid vs. Total Shareholder Return [Text Block] | Analysis of the Information Presented in the Pay versus Performance Table As described in more detail in the section “Compensation Discussion and Analysis,” the company’s executive compensation program reflects a pay-for-performance philosophy. While the company utilizes several performance measures to align executive compensation with company performance, all of those company measures are not presented in the Pay versus Performance table. Moreover, the company generally seeks to incentivize long-term performance and therefore does not specifically align the company’s performance measures with compensation that is actually paid (as computed in accordance with Item 402(v)) for a particular year. In accordance with Item 402(v), the company is providing the following graphs to show the relationships between information presented in the Pay versus Performance table. Compensation Actually Paid vs. Total Shareholder Return | ||
| Compensation Actually Paid vs. Net Income [Text Block] | Analysis of the Information Presented in the Pay versus Performance Table As described in more detail in the section “Compensation Discussion and Analysis,” the company’s executive compensation program reflects a pay-for-performance philosophy. While the company utilizes several performance measures to align executive compensation with company performance, all of those company measures are not presented in the Pay versus Performance table. Moreover, the company generally seeks to incentivize long-term performance and therefore does not specifically align the company’s performance measures with compensation that is actually paid (as computed in accordance with Item 402(v)) for a particular year. In accordance with Item 402(v), the company is providing the following graphs to show the relationships between information presented in the Pay versus Performance table. | ||
| Compensation Actually Paid vs. Company Selected Measure [Text Block] | Analysis of the Information Presented in the Pay versus Performance Table As described in more detail in the section “Compensation Discussion and Analysis,” the company’s executive compensation program reflects a pay-for-performance philosophy. While the company utilizes several performance measures to align executive compensation with company performance, all of those company measures are not presented in the Pay versus Performance table. Moreover, the company generally seeks to incentivize long-term performance and therefore does not specifically align the company’s performance measures with compensation that is actually paid (as computed in accordance with Item 402(v)) for a particular year. In accordance with Item 402(v), the company is providing the following graphs to show the relationships between information presented in the Pay versus Performance table. | ||
| Total Shareholder Return Vs Peer Group [Text Block] | Analysis of the Information Presented in the Pay versus Performance Table As described in more detail in the section “Compensation Discussion and Analysis,” the company’s executive compensation program reflects a pay-for-performance philosophy. While the company utilizes several performance measures to align executive compensation with company performance, all of those company measures are not presented in the Pay versus Performance table. Moreover, the company generally seeks to incentivize long-term performance and therefore does not specifically align the company’s performance measures with compensation that is actually paid (as computed in accordance with Item 402(v)) for a particular year. In accordance with Item 402(v), the company is providing the following graphs to show the relationships between information presented in the Pay versus Performance table. Compensation Actually Paid vs. Total Shareholder Return | ||
| Tabular List [Table Text Block] | Financial Performance Measures As described in greater detail in “Compensation Discussion and Analysis,” the company’s executive compensation program reflects a pay-for-performance philosophy. The metrics that the company uses for both our long-term and short-term incentive awards are selected based on an objective of incentivizing our NEOs to increase the value of our enterprise for our shareholders. The most important financial performance measures used by the company to link executive compensation actually paid to the company’s NEOs, for the most recently completed fiscal year, to the company’s performance are as follows (reconciliations of each of these non-GAAP financial measures to the most directly comparable GAAP financial measures are provided in Annex A to this proxy statement): Adjusted EBITDA Aggregates Cash Gross Profit per Ton EBITDA Economic Profit (EBITDA EP) | ||
| Total Shareholder Return Amount | $ 125.1 | 146.95 | 104.13 |
| Peer Group Total Shareholder Return Amount | 115.31 | 142.32 | 117.46 |
| Net Income (Loss) | $ 575,600,000 | $ 670,800,000 | $ 584,500,000 |
| Company Selected Measure Amount | 1,625,600,000 | 1,451,300,000 | 1,323,500,000 |
| PEO Name | Mr. Hill | Mr. Hill | Mr. Hill |
| Measure [Axis]: 1 | |||
| Pay vs Performance Disclosure [Table] | |||
| Measure Name | Adjusted EBITDA | ||
| Non-GAAP Measure Description [Text Block] | 8. Adjusted EBITDA, a non-GAAP financial measure, is Earnings Before Interest, Taxes, Depreciation and Amortization adjusted for certain items to provide a more consistent comparison of earnings performance from period to period. We provide a reconciliation of Adjusted EBITDA to the most directly comparable GAAP financial measure in Annex A to this proxy statement. While the company uses numerous financial and non-financial performance measures for the purpose of evaluating performance for the company’s compensation programs, the company has determined that Adjusted EBITDA is the financial performance measure that, in the company’s assessment, represents the most important performance measure (that is not otherwise required to be disclosed in the table) used by the company to link compensation actually paid to the company’s NEOs, for the most recently completed fiscal year, to company performance. | ||
| Measure [Axis]: 2 | |||
| Pay vs Performance Disclosure [Table] | |||
| Measure Name | Aggregates Cash Gross Profit per Ton | ||
| Measure [Axis]: 3 | |||
| Pay vs Performance Disclosure [Table] | |||
| Measure Name | EBITDA Economic Profit (EBITDA EP) | ||
| PEO [Member] | Reported Value of Equity Awards [Member] | |||
| Pay vs Performance Disclosure [Table] | |||
| Adjustment to Compensation Amount | $ (6,786,351) | $ (6,488,720) | $ (5,511,525) |
| PEO [Member] | Equity Award Adjustments [Member] | |||
| Pay vs Performance Disclosure [Table] | |||
| Adjustment to Compensation Amount | 3,447,179 | 16,523,091 | 6,289,416 |
| PEO [Member] | Adjustment to Year End Fair Values of Equity Awards [Member] | |||
| Pay vs Performance Disclosure [Table] | |||
| Adjustment to Compensation Amount | 7,189,506 | 9,191,895 | 6,030,598 |
| PEO [Member] | Adjustment to Year over Year Average Change in Fair Value of Outstanding and Unvested Equity Awards [Member] | |||
| Pay vs Performance Disclosure [Table] | |||
| Adjustment to Compensation Amount | (2,796,459) | 3,445,253 | (399,138) |
| PEO [Member] | Adjustment to Fair Value as of Vesting Date of Equity Awards Granted and Vested in the Year [Member] | |||
| Pay vs Performance Disclosure [Table] | |||
| Adjustment to Compensation Amount | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| PEO [Member] | Adjustment to Year over Year Average Change in Fair Value of Equity Awards Granted in Prior Years that Vested in the Year [Member] | |||
| Pay vs Performance Disclosure [Table] | |||
| Adjustment to Compensation Amount | (945,868) | 3,885,943 | 657,956 |
| PEO [Member] | Adjustment to Fair Value at the End of the Prior Year of Equity Awards that Failed to Meet Vesting Conditions in the Year [Member] | |||
| Pay vs Performance Disclosure [Table] | |||
| Adjustment to Compensation Amount | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| PEO [Member] | Reported Change in the Actuarial Present Value of Pension Benefits [Member] | |||
| Pay vs Performance Disclosure [Table] | |||
| Adjustment to Compensation Amount | 1,009,604 | 354,681 | (568,485) |
| Non-PEO NEO [Member] | Reported Value of Equity Awards [Member] | |||
| Pay vs Performance Disclosure [Table] | |||
| Adjustment to Compensation Amount | (1,534,520) | (1,410,634) | (1,282,316) |
| Non-PEO NEO [Member] | Equity Award Adjustments [Member] | |||
| Pay vs Performance Disclosure [Table] | |||
| Adjustment to Compensation Amount | 1,183,184 | 3,617,634 | 1,476,524 |
| Non-PEO NEO [Member] | Adjustment to Year End Fair Values of Equity Awards [Member] | |||
| Pay vs Performance Disclosure [Table] | |||
| Adjustment to Compensation Amount | 1,538,909 | 1,997,988 | 1,403,289 |
| Non-PEO NEO [Member] | Adjustment to Year over Year Average Change in Fair Value of Outstanding and Unvested Equity Awards [Member] | |||
| Pay vs Performance Disclosure [Table] | |||
| Adjustment to Compensation Amount | (480,430) | 826,101 | (33,429) |
| Non-PEO NEO [Member] | Adjustment to Fair Value as of Vesting Date of Equity Awards Granted and Vested in the Year [Member] | |||
| Pay vs Performance Disclosure [Table] | |||
| Adjustment to Compensation Amount | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Non-PEO NEO [Member] | Adjustment to Year over Year Average Change in Fair Value of Equity Awards Granted in Prior Years that Vested in the Year [Member] | |||
| Pay vs Performance Disclosure [Table] | |||
| Adjustment to Compensation Amount | 124,705 | 793,545 | 106,664 |
| Non-PEO NEO [Member] | Adjustment to Fair Value at the End of the Prior Year of Equity Awards that Failed to Meet Vesting Conditions in the Year [Member] | |||
| Pay vs Performance Disclosure [Table] | |||
| Adjustment to Compensation Amount | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Non-PEO NEO [Member] | Reported Change in the Actuarial Present Value of Pension Benefits [Member] | |||
| Pay vs Performance Disclosure [Table] | |||
| Adjustment to Compensation Amount | $ 107,182 | $ 27,160 | $ (93,979) |
