Asphalt is famous in the heavy-duty industry for its durability and resilience, still, you will find wear and tear issues in blacktop pavement on parking lots or roads. Because many asphalt paving companies either fail to mix it well or fail to apply the pavement correctly. Thus, the top layer of the bitumen demands surface repair work after a few months.
It’s not always the contractor’s mistake due to which road surface gets distressed, but bad weather conditions can also damage the blacktop. This article will cover the common defects in making asphalt pavement and also how we can fix them.
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Alligator Cracking
Alligator cracking is one of the most common types of cracking that takes place in asphalt. This type of cracking occurs whenever blacktop cracks in multiple directions forming pieces. However, underlying structural problems leading to alligator cracks form on installation of poorly compacted base. You must use equipment like an asphalt paver or a used compactors for sale to remove these types of cracks and repair the section.
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Block Cracking
Block cracks are those cracks that form a rectangular or square shape on cracking. These types of cracks are created due to bad weather conditions where the pavement shrinks. In fact, it is simple to repair these cracks. You can fix minor block cracks by filling sealant in the cracks and re-sealcoating the entire section. However, if these cracks turn into bigger cracks, then you will have to replace the cracked asphalt with the new one.
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Longitudinal Cracking
Longitudinal cracking occurs when the asphalt cracks parallel to the road lanes. One main reason due to which this type of crack takes place is insufficient installation of the pavement. Otherwise, this crack appears on roads that are excessively used, lack maintenance and are older in age. You can fix small longitudinal cracks yourself, by sealing them. But you will need heavy-duty equipment to fix large cracks.
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Transverse Cracking
Transverse cracks form in the direction of aggregate and perpendicular to the asphalt structure. These cracks appear as a result of poor-quality road construction or by reflective cracks under the pavement. Transverse crack formation is much similar to longitudinal cracks, therefore we can repair these types of cracks using the same strategy we used for fixing longitudinal cracks.
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Slippage Cracking
Slippage cracks occur between the layers of the pavement due to a lack of cohesion and weak compaction. This type of crack appears like a crescent or a half-moon. However, slippage cracks can form due to oil spillage, contamination, exposure to dirt, and vehicle leaks that can damage the blacktop. There’s only one way to repair this cracking and that is by replacing the affected asphalt with the new one.
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Potholes
Potholes are holes that are created as a result of blacktop portion removal from the pavement. These holes develop on their own in most cases, but they can form if you neglect other types of asphalt damage. However, you can easily fix these potholes in simple 3 stages. First, clear all the dirt and material that’s inside the hole. Then, add the base to the hole and compact it well. And in the end, simply patch the pothole to fix the pavement.
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Upheaval
Upheaval takes place when the same part of the asphalt pushes upward and breaks the bitumen from that area. This type of defect occurs due to oversaturation or freezing usually, but it can take place due to other bitumen issues. Upheaval starts below the surface of the asphalt and it must be fixed at that area. To repair the affected area, first remove the damaged blacktop and then fill the area with a new one to complete the repair work. You can follow this exercise for fixing intensive damages, but you’ll need a professional paver for extensive pavement damage.
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Depressions
Depressions occur when the structure under the asphalt forms a weak mark. This spot can form due to excessive load, time, or poor installation. Moreover, depressions are also called sinkholes because they can act as sinks. If these defects are not repaired timely, they will start collecting water ultimately ending up damaging the pavement. However, you can fix minor depression marks, but you’ll need a heavy-duty machine for substantial depressions.
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Rutting
Rutting takes place due to improper asphalt compaction. When the pavement is laid down, it is important that all sub-grades come together to form a porous and uniform mixture that can allow blacktop flexibility to endure different conditions. Moreover, ruts are similar to depressions, but they appear in lateral form rather oval or round shape. You can fix minor ruts with a simple patch while severe rutting will require a complete pavement overlay.
Conclusion
Most of these defects demand for an asphalt paver as you can’t fix the road surface defects well without heavy equipment. You can damage the pavement if you try to repair extensive defects on your own and that can cost you more money as a contractor. So, just leave your heavy repair works on your asphalt paving machine and let it fix them effectively.
