8 ASPHALT PAVER ISSUES
8 ASPHALT PAVER ISSUES
Asphalt's value and durability make it an attractive choice for driveways and parking lots. There are many factors that can lead to problems, including weather, aging, poor site planning, high traffic load, and even lack of maintenance.
These are some of the most common asphalt pavers issues.
A GOOD OFFENSE IS THE BEST DEFENSE
Regular preventative maintenance will extend the lifespan of your asphalt pavement. This includes seal coating and keeping the asphalt free from debris. You also need to repair any damage as soon as possible. It is essential to first identify what asphalt pavement problems you are facing before you can address them.
Here are 8 common asphalt-paving issues. Find out their causes and how you can correct them.
1. RAILING
Do you remember walking through a parking space and seeing grit and loose gravel? If you answered yes, then you most likely have seen raveling. Raveling occurs when asphalt and other rocks are lost, and pavement is broken down.
Gradually, asphalt's thickness reduces and loose gravel can be used to remove the asphalt. Once gravel has penetrated asphalt, water seeps in making the problem more severe. Raveling can result in uneven surfaces ( trip danger!) as well as standing water.
2. DEPRESSIONS
Depressions refer to low areas of pavement that don't penetrate the asphalt. They are typically caused due to poor compaction during the paver process.
If not taken care of quickly, the water- and debris-laden depressions that are common can wear asphalt and reduce its strength.
3. POTHOLES
Potholes, which are small, oval-shaped depressions in the pavement's surface that penetrate through the asphalt layer to the base of the asphalt course, are very common. Potholes can appear sharp on the edges. Asphalt pavement potholes may grow in size over time due to moisture intrusion.
Potholes are caused by alligator cracking, also known as fatigue cracking. As alligator cracks become more severe, the interconnected cracks in asphalt create chunks of pavement which can then be removed as vehicles drive across them. A pothole, as we refer to it, is the hole that remains after the pavement chunk has been removed.
These safety hazards are among the most widespread defects on the pavement. The pothole's depth and roughness can cause serious injuries to vehicles. It can also be dangerous for pedestrians.
4. ALLIGATOR CRACKING
Fatigue cracking (also known by the. Fatigue cracking, also known by the acronym "alligator cracking", is one-way asphalt pavements can degrade over time. It is named for the distinctive cracking patterns that look like scales on an alligator’s back.
Alligator cracking results from:
- A sub-grade of a weak base course
- Too little pavement thickness
- Overloading, or
- All of these factors are combined
Unless you act soon after the formation of alligator cracks, the pavement will continue its decline.
5. LONGITUDINAL CRACKING
Asphalt paving cracks known as longitudinal cracks are cracks that run in the direction that asphalt is being applied (along a driveway, or on a road). They can be caused by many things, such as:
- Poorly constructed joints
- With temperature cycles, the asphalt shrinks/expands.
- Cracks reflecting upwards from the underlying layers
The presence or absence of longitudinal cracks is unrelated to asphalt paving.
6. BLOCK CRACKING
Block cracking is an area with several large, rectangular cracks in asphalt pavement. It can occur anywhere from one to five feet across. This type if cracking occurs in large areas and is not dependent upon traffic.
Block cracking happens when the asphalt binder fails to expand and contract in response to temperature cycles.
7. EDGE CRUCKS
Edge cracks refer to longitudinal cracks that occur within one- or two feet of the pavement's outer edge. They can be more often seen on rural roads as well as driveways.
Edge cracking occurs due to an absence of support at a pavement edge. And, since rural roads or driveways are often narrow, traffic is forced close to these outer edges.
Poor drainage or sub-base quality and asphalt shrinkage can all contribute to the formation o edge cracks. If you fail to take care of edges cracks they will spread and grow, eventually extending towards the pavement’s centerline.
8. ASPHALT REPAIR
Upheaval is an upward movement in your asphalt pavement caused by swelling from the sub-grade by freezing or excess water. Frost heave could be one example.
The Paving Crew LV is an asphalt contractor that offers asphalt repair, high-quality asphalt paving, and maintenance to industrial, commercial, and municipal clients.
The Paving Crew LV
Las Vegas
(725) 433 6641